The Duke

by Anna Cowan

"Gorgeously written and desperately hot... Hands down, my favorite romance of the decade." — Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House

A sapphic regency romance about the duke who fears nothing... until the woman she never forgot walks through the door and brings her to her knees.

Set in a world of powerful female nobles and the women who love them...

Kate, Duke of Howard, is known throughout Europe as a merciless autocrat not to be crossed. Consumed by a bitter rivalry, she avoids society and has vowed never to trap a woman into marriage with a monster like herself.

The beautiful, ambitious courtesan Celine Genet once threw herself on the mercy of the visiting Duke of Howard. She was desperate to escape the guillotine. But after a night of searing passion, the duke left her to the ravages of Revolutionary Paris and didn’t look back. Now Celine is in London and in possession of a dangerous letter that proves the Duke of Howard committed treason as a child - and possibly even murder.

Celine wants a titled husband in return for keeping the duke’s secret, leaving Kate no choice but to parade her around the most fashionable ballrooms. But as Celine takes society by storm, Kate finds herself growing fond of the woman set on destroying her. And as their attraction mounts, Kate faces an impossible choice: keep her childhood secret, or win the woman she loves.

Anna Cowan's The Duke is an utterly unforgettable, page-turning romance featuring two women who, separately, are a danger to each other, but together, could be the most powerful duo London has ever seen.

"The Duke is Georgette Heyer quadrupled and queered, flipping the erotic appeal of a cold-hearted alpha into an alternate England in which women can be dukes and marry whom they please. I loved and envied the way it combined the originality of My Lady Jane, the luxury of Bridgerton, and the smutty, fabulous sex of Fingersmith." — Eloisa James, New York Times bestselling author of Viscount in Love

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, Historical, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBT, Queer

Unknown Binding

First published April 28, 2026

About the author

Anna Cowan started writing at eight and hasn’t stopped yet. After years of travelling (including a quick stop to marry her Scottish sweetheart on the shores of Loch Lomond) she studied Creative Writing at the University of Melbourne and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Her debut novel UNTAMED was published in 2013. Her forthcoming sapphic regency romance THE DUKE will be out in 2026. She lives on Wurundjeri land in the hills outside Melbourne with her family.

Reviews

[C.L. Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

The duke is mean and hot and her thighs! in her buckskin breeches! and she's mean! and butch! and hot!

official blurb that is more coherent and fit to publish in professional venues, ahem:

"Bridgerton with butches? Say less. The Duke is everything I want in a historical romance--it's elegantly woven, it's sexy, it's passionate, and its characters are flawed but deeply human. I absolutely loved it."

[SJARR ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Regency romance, but make the duke a cold, cruel woman?!
You’re introducing me to the idea of female nobility? Consider me swooned.

Celine spent one passionate night with Kate, the duke of Howard, before Kate took off and left her for dead.
Now, three years later, Celine has gotten her hands on an incriminating letter and has travelled from France to England to blackmail her.
The contents of the letter could ruin Kate, but Celine swears to hand it over under one condition: She wants a place in high society. Kate is to set her up with a noble, and place on her a high dowry.
The noble she gets may not be the noble she is expecting.

This! This was fun.
A story of cruelty, blackmail, betrayal and romance- done BEAUTIFULLY.

There is so much yearning here, I love it.
Celine and Kate? My oh my. This has real “Touch her and I’ll kill you” vibes.
The way Kate cares for Celine. The way she is infatuated with her. The way she would do anything to protect her. I was screaming.
Society believes Kate to be the harshest, meanest woman in England- but she’s really just a softie. ESPECIALLY for her little French duchess!

I must say I found the politics in this to be a little bit confusing.
I did not always understand what was going on, or why the nobles were fighting, etc. I DID NOT CARE THOUGH.
I am here for the romance. The romance was provided.

So so good.
The vibes were everything I was hoping for. This really has my name written all over it. I am obsessed.
I think a ton of people would LOVE this.

Huge thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press | St. Martin’s griffin and author Anna Cowan for providing me with the eARC of “The Duke”, in exchange for my honest review!
publication date: April 28th, 2026
Reviewed on Goodreads: August 20th, 2025

[lexie · Rating 3 out of 5]

this had SUCH a promising start and from the first chapter i thought i was going to eat it up but as the sorry progressed it became less about the ‘sapphic’ romance and more political intrigue- no less interesting but the romance really took the back burner and i wasn’t convinced of their epic love

thank you to netgalley and smp for the arc

[Mostly Sapphic Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first chapter of this book is deliciously debauched. A clever, social-climbing prostitute desperate to escape a class-turbulent France seduces a handsome, butch English duke with a dangerous reputation in the false hope of earning her meal ticket out of the country. Their connection is instantaneous, toxic, and passionate. Both of these characters are desperate and manipulative, and it’s a guilty pleasure watching them interact.

As lovely as this first chapter is, it set certain expectations about the tone of the novel that weren’t fulfilled. The darker sides of these characters’ personalities were what made them so complex and interesting to me, and while heavy themes and situations do keep arising throughout the book, the narrative almost immediately works to defang the duke. Her evil backstory and abuse of power (as a woman in the 1800s!!) were what made her so dynamic and unique. But actually, her backstory isn’t what it seems and her reputation is partially crafted by people who don’t know her well. She’s not so bad after all!

It felt a bit like the author didn’t want the love interest to be too toxic, so they reined her in for the sake of respectability and building a somewhat healthy relationship. But I craved the messiness! I wanted a historical novel where the gay women were allowed to be powerful and evil! That might come down to preference, though.

The book also wasn’t as steamy as I expected it would be based on how quickly the two main characters indulge in their passions in the first chapter. It goes from carnal lust to everyday social politics pretty quickly. Again, that’s not necessarily a fault, but it’s something to consider if readers are looking for a certain kind of book.

While not exactly what I expected, this was still a good historical romance. I loved the premise! Historical women with power! Rich butches! Enemies to lovers! This definitely fills a certain niche and scratches a certain itch.

[fish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I respect, immensely, the concept of creating an alternate history simply to add more hot butches. That's absolute huge brained stuff. That said, this did not pass my most important test for """"sapphic"""" romance novels: am I compelled, by some mysterious force, to google, two paragraphs into the first sex scene, "[author name] husband"?

[phoenix *ੈ✩‧₊˚]

dnf @60%

Nope. I did not like this. I had high hopes for this one, but unfortunately, this reads like a straight romance. I wanted a sapphic historical romance, but you could simply switch out the Duke for a man and change pronouns, and nothing would change. Even the sex scenes sounded straight.

If I wanted a straight romance, I would read a straight romance. But I don't. So, I'm disappointed in this one.


Thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[BONNIE SMITH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well,

This one flips the historical romance script, and it hits.

This takes place in a world where women are Dukes, and they can marry whom they choose. In this case Kate, Duke of Howard, is no less ruthless than her traditional male counterparts, and she is well known for her icy ways.

Enter Celine, the courtesan who threw herself at Kate years ago to escape the guillotine and thanked her with a VERY passionate night. Celine returns with a letter that will change the trajectory of both their lives.

There's something very Bridgerton-esque about this whole book- but with notes of treason and murder. It kept me on my toes throughout. If you love some spicy historical romance and enjoy the FF rather and MF trope, here's a book for you. Due out in April of 2026, I thank NetGalley, St.Martin's Press and the author for an advanced copy.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be my favorite of the year so far

[nightmarebees (jackie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

full 5 i already want to reread this

i think i have a new favorite romance trope y'all... "reuniting long after an unspeakably hot one-night stand and having to pretend like you're not thinking about it constantly, while also becoming deeply attracted to the other person's heart as well as their body." we meet celine and kate on the same night they meet each other, then jump three years ahead to celine reappearing in the duke's life to blackmail her way into a suitable marriage.

yet another historical romance trope i'm obsessed with: "i'm supposed to be matchmaking you with someone else but i am the one falling hard." yearning with a capital Y. incredibly horny for a book that doesn't have any boning for the middle 60% and i kind of love that for sapphic historical romance. i also enjoyed that this alt-history world is queer normative, so the fact that they are both women is never one of the factors complicating their relationship.

i love celine charming her way into high society. i love her picking up on things that kate hadn't even considered to help solve kate's biggest political problems. i love kate turning absolutely mushy for her ward. i didn't want this to be over, and i already wish i could read it for the first time again.

[liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5! ✨

Do you know how refreshing it is to read a regency era sapphic romance where the taboo thing isn’t that they’re queer? We’re taking back to the OG relationship breaker: socioecononic classes and a cold & detatched royal. I love that it was a queer normative world. SO well done.

Kate is The Duke. That’s right. Yes SHE is! I love that she is cold, calculated, and ambitious. She does what she wants and takes what she wants.
Celine is a whore from France (complimentary) and runs circles around these nobels. She is perceptive, intelligent and also ambitious. She has her eyes on the prize which is securing a spouse so that she can have a comfortable life.
The two of them need eachother in different ways and compliment each other masterfully.

The story starts off strong but then shifts pretty centrally around court politics and social climbing and the relationship kind of takes a back seat for most of the story. This sometimes was hard to follow and tedious but the audiobook kept me engaged.

The last 20% of the book was captivating and the last page really did make me tear up! I loved the ending to this story.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for the eARC.

————————
I read this for a little but then mostly listened to the audiobook.
The audio is SO well done. Hannah Bristow does a pretty spectacular job keeping you engaged in the story.
She speaks very clearly, paces it perfectly and sets the emotion just right.
It’s single narration but I really enjoyed the different voices the narrator does for each character.
Highly reccomend the audio!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillion for the ALC!

[Aster · Rating 3 out of 5]

not all that glitters is gold, highly recommended and as highly disappointing

I really dont enjoy what I'm going to say next so I'll start with the positive of the book with the fugly cover: it will appeal to fans of classical HR but with the added bonus of a butch character and female dukes.

Now for the rest. For a book described to have such great writing, the prose was appropriate if not a bit clunky but the narration was so all over the place that it hindered my reading. You know what, I'll be nice I'll give it that it has good prose and quoteable romantic lines.

Secondly, the class narrative was all over the place. There is very poor worldbuilding regarding female dukes, but the main plot hinges on an evil lord trying to get female lords abolished. Therefore, this book makes a poor attempt at feminism. For a story where one of the main characters is a sex worker, it is extremely pro-nobility to the point that all characters and the narrative endlessly condemn the French revolution. The duke herself is presented as this benevolent, paternalistic savior of poor miners. I didn't expect them to sing the Internationale anachronistically but still ended up with liberal paternalism and feminism.

Third it has the same problem as Reverence and defangs the duke pretty early on, she barely did anything wrong. Yet the narrative make a huge deal out of the one thing she did (“she broke the world” now come on, this entire book is so dramatic). It’s actually a pretty similar problem I have with the romantic scenes. They’re well-written and really good out of context but in the story they feel unearned as the romance took a backstep to the political plotline and stems from an encounter/one night stand that lasted a couple of hours. The romance is really lacking something and unfortunately I think it is good character work.

[Hannah⸝*.☘︎ ́˖ · Rating 4 out of 5]

༄˖°.👑💋.ೃ࿔*:･ First, thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of The Duke in exchange for an honest review.

That said… this book surprised me!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

I ended up really enjoying The Duke, even though it took me a chapter or two to fully settle in. You’re kind of dropped straight into the world with minimal hand-holding, and at first I felt a little unmoored. But once things clicked, I was completely absorbed. The writing is elegant without feeling stiff, and the premise alone — a sapphic Regency romance in a world where women can be dukes and marry whom they please — is compelling as hell.

This was also my first sapphic historical romance, and I genuinely loved the experience.

₊˚🏛️📜⚖️✧ The World & Political Stakes

Set in post–French Revolution Europe, The Duke blends political tension, personal guilt, and social maneuvering into a Regency-inspired world that feels familiar while still doing something bold and different. The idea of powerful female nobles isn’t just a fun twist — it actually shapes the entire story. Power, reputation, and survival are constantly in play, and every choice carries weight.

Kate, Duke of Howard, holds absolute authority — but her past is dangerous. The threat of treason, revolutionary violence, and total ruin looms over her, raising the stakes far beyond just romance.

𓃗⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Kate, Duke of Howard

Kate is a fascinating FMC: cold, controlled, and deeply self-loathing in a way that feels earned. Known across Europe as a merciless autocrat, she fears her own capacity for cruelty and refuses to trap another woman in a marriage to someone she believes herself to be.

Her internal struggle — duty versus desire, guilt versus longing — is one of the strongest parts of the book. A childhood secret tied to her aunt’s death, preserved in a damning letter sent to an old friend, shapes nearly every decision she makes. Watching Kate wrestle with whether she even deserves love was painful, frustrating, and incredibly compelling.

Also. Let’s be honest. She’s hot.

⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ Celine Genet

Celine was immediately easy to root for. A courtesan who survived Revolutionary Paris, she’s ambitious, resilient, and unapologetic about wanting more from life. Three years earlier, she begged Kate to take her away — and Kate left her behind.

Now Celine returns, not as a victim, but with leverage.

Her demand is simple and devastating: introduce her into society and secure her a titled husband (preferably wife) in exchange for silence.

What makes Celine such a strong character is her clarity. She knows what she wants, what she’s owed, and what she’s willing to risk. Her presence forces Kate to confront her own fear, cowardice, and desire head-on.

༘⋆♡⸝⸝💌⊹。 The Romance & Spice

The chemistry between Kate and Celine is undeniable, rooted in history, betrayal, and unresolved longing. Their first encounter in Paris is charged, intimate, and honestly… very hot, setting the emotional foundation for everything that follows.

That said, the spice level is lower than I expected. The intimate scenes aren’t especially graphic, but they are emotionally intense and effective. This is a romance driven more by tension, power dynamics, and yearning than explicit detail.

🌶️ Spice level: 1.5/5 — subtle, but it works.

⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡ Standout Supporting Character: Lord Royston

My favorite character might actually be Lord Royston — or Royce — Kate’s cousin. Brash, reckless, and seemingly beyond redemption, Royce acts as a perfect foil to Kate’s rigid self-control. Through her, we see sides of Kate that would otherwise stay buried: protectiveness, vulnerability, and loyalty.

Her presence adds emotional depth and highlights the cost of power and survival in this world.

✎ᝰ ARC Notes & Final Thoughts

I didn’t notice any errors in the ARC, which is always a relief. My only real complaint is the lack of an epilogue — after everything these characters went through, I desperately wanted a glimpse of Kate and Celine’s future.

Overall, The Duke is beautifully written, politically charged, emotionally complex, and refreshingly queer. It may take a moment to fully pull you in, but once it does, it’s absolutely worth the ride.

Tropes / What to Expect
👑 Powerful Female Nobility
💋 Sapphic Regency Romance
🖤 Cold, Self-Loathing FMC
🌹 Ambitious Courtesan FMC
🎭 Second Chance / Past Betrayal
💍 Marriage of Convenience
🗝️ Political Blackmail
⚖️ Power, Guilt & Desire
🔥 Slow-Burn Tension

If you enjoy lush historical settings, morally complex heroines, and sapphic romances with real political and emotional stakes, The Duke is absolutely worth your time.

[emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

i am a changed person. i genuinely think this might be the best historical romance i’ve ever read, and it’s certainly secured its place on my favorites shelf. if you never listen to me again, listen now: pick this book up as soon as it hits shelves in april of next year!

the way this book consumed me was on another level. i started it in the midst of a two-week european vacation, and for context, the book i was reading before this one took me 11 days to finish (due to the aforementioned vacation). i devoured this one in less than 48 hours. as soon as i picked it up, celine and kate crackled with tension on every page, brought to life so vividly that i felt like i knew them myself. i adored the world it was set in, too — female lords with a longstanding history of inheritance down a line of noblewomen? yes, PLEASE! they were fascinating to read about, and i especially loved lord seaton. i’m blowing her a kiss as we speak.

overall, there was a perfect balance between plot, romance, and character development — i was never bored, never unsatisfied, and in fact was moved to tears on multiple occasions by their stories. the writing was absolutely exquisite as well, and i already look forward to rereading this book. i desperately hope there will be another story centering on royce, too!

thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[heart ✼ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

At the risk of sounding like an annoying "woke" individual that spoils the fun, i have to say, the romantic and intimate parts of this book was giving straight? It could be easily ignored or even overlooked at the beginning, but after a while, it's hard not to notice. One example: "If anyone else had left you, instead of saving you, I would have killed him" ???

Additionally, why are we reminded every 2 paragraphs that the Duke is "huge" and "muscular" ? lol

Overall, this was a really good plot, but the lesbian + bisexual representation was very hetero leaning

[Unpopmary]

I was thrilled to be approved for this eARC, as I've been enjoying historical romances lately, and the premise seemed especially promising. The alternate Regency world where women can inherit as dukes intrigued me from the start—queer-normative historical romances in this era are still relatively uncommon, and I appreciated the fresh take. Unfortunately, I was unable to finish the book for personal reasons. While the concept was compelling, I found the overall tone and story remained quite heteronormative, including the Duke character's internalized misogyny, which felt inconsistent given her position and gender. I also struggled to connect with the characters or their romance, which came across as rushed and reliant on insta-love, a trope I don't particularly enjoy. That said, this may resonate strongly with other readers, and I have no doubt it will find its audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

[rose ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“you will live to regret this, celine. you will live to regret this very much indeed.”
“so long as i can live.”

turns out a ruthless lady duke x the french courtesan blackmailing her is exactly what i didn’t know i needed. consider me a hisrom convert.

set in an alternate england with female nobles, the duke is a delicious sapphic regency romance featuring a powerful duke and the woman she spent a night with years ago—and then left behind. when celine reappears in kate’s life years later, she doesn’t arrive empty-handed: she carries an old letter that could ruin the duke, and she wants the safety of marriage to a titled english husband in exchange for her silence. kate is forced to introduce celine to london society as her ward, but as celine becomes a society darling, kate finds herself growing attached to the one woman who could ruin her.

THIS. IS. SO. GOOD. i finished my ARC and immediately preordered the book, that’s how good it is.

the duke is hot and full of yearning and tension and highly questionable power dynamics and i sincerely hope anna cowan plans to write an entire series set in this world, because i’m obsessed. kate is so flawed and SO fucked up (and yet i adored her), and celine is clever and charming by necessity and a force to be reckoned with. there is something so satisfying about watching these two ambitious women inexorably drawn to each other even as each is threatened by her past—and the power the other holds to ruin her.

see, the problem when i love a book is that i just want to ramble. here’s my attempt to counter that with specifics:

• i wasn’t sure how cowan would handle the female dukes angle; it’s essentially hand-waved away, although the concept of female nobles is a storyline later in the novel. i haven’t seen this approach to queer regency romance before and i think it’s a really fun angle that allows for some novel storylines.
• there’s a significant political subplot that i quite enjoyed. while i’m not sure how accurate the depiction was, i liked seeing the house of lords play a role in a regency romance.
• i think the relatively fast pace works well overall, although there were a few moments where i would have liked the story to slow down a little more. still, the pace lends itself well to the simmering tension between kate and celine and i can’t complain about that.
• overall i just love how unapologetically, shamelessly sapphic the duke is. i used to eye the shelves of very, very heterosexual historical romances (even before i understood why, exactly, i felt left out) and i guess this is my way of saying that i still don’t take books like this for granted.
• also: royce is a hot mess but #ICanFixHer

the duke is perfect for fans of: rakish butches in breeches, revenge plots, and bridgerton-style (a)historical romance (think the show, not the books).

i received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

rating: 5.0/5.0 stars

[RedFireLady Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an engaging sapphic historical romance that is full of political intrigue, betrayal, hate, yearning, and sacrifice.

Celine is a French prostitute living and surviving the only way she knows how, when she crosses paths with the broody but enigmatic Duke Hammond. After one passionate night together, the Duke leaves Celine for dead and returns to England.

Years later, when Celine has run out of hope and options, she tracks down the Duke and blackmails her for a place in high society and the Dukes assistance in finding Celine a husband.

What takes place next is a well woven story full of betrayal, political intrigue, and yearning that leads to both characters learning as much about themselves as they do each other.

I enjoyed this book and was drawn to Kate and Celine and seeing how their stories would play out. The plot is thick, and the politics in play kept me engrossed and interested in the book. I enjoyed experiencing an alternate history where women can be just as powerful as any man, and an unknown prostitute can show up and turn society upside down with her charm and intelligence.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin Press for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Anna]

DNF @ 17%

I came for the scandal and stayed for... seventeen percent. That’s all I could give. May the Duke find someone with more patience than me.

This is a sapphic historical Regency romance between the Duke of Howard and a former prostitute, Celine.

This is a case of "it's not you, it's me."

I usually hear “historical fiction” and run the other way, but I wanted to give this a chance—it was highly anticipated, and the cover is gorgeous.

It was quite... dull. The historical setting, combined with the old-timey language ("It is not I who sends Bastien to his death. Neither was it I who brought attention to his loose tongue.") and lifeless politics, made for a boring and confusing read. It felt like I was thrown into the third book of a series—established characters, established drama, and a cast that already knows each other intimately, leaving me out of the loop.

I was promised hot lesbian sex, but what I got was... vanilla. I’ve read YA novels with more spice. I should’ve known—historical romance sex scenes often focus on buildup rather than explicit or graphic acts. This book tiptoed around the action, using flowery or outdated euphemisms instead of direct anatomical terms (at least in the first 17%; I can’t speak for the rest). It was almost too glossed over.

There’s an overuse of parentheses—many could’ve been regular sentences, and the constant asides took me out of the book.

I really debated whether to power through and give it one star or end my suffering. I made the right choice. Life’s too short to waste time on boring books 🥱

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

[Hades · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this book as a free e-arc copy on NetGalley. Here is my honest review.

Five stars. Five fucking stars. Take all my stars.

This book stars a morally grey, completely damaged, near-soulless Duke, and a clever, vengeful Courtesan with the fucking heart & intelligence & wit of a goddess.

I fell in love with both of them, quickly, deeply. My only wish is that we had more time with them—another book or two?

The world was vibrant. The prose was immaculate. Pacing fabulous. Tension & payoff perfect. Side characters were actually interesting & well developed. AND THE SPICE—delicious.

My heart feels very tender after being lady-handled by Celine & the Duke. I’m going to lie face down for a while & avoid all romance books (bc nothing can ever compare to that one chapter).

Thank you.

[rachel x]

"A queer romance in which a powerful female duke meets the brilliant French courtesan who will destroy her enemies and win her heart, pitched as sapphic Bridgerton"

did you say SAPPHIC BRIDGERTON?

[mtrics · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s the French Revolution and heads are rolling. Celine, a young courtesan with big ambitions, is desperate to find a way out before the guillotine gets her. Enter the Duke of Howard, a wealthy English noble who seems like her ticket to safety. But after one night of passion, Celine finds herself left behind with nothing but one peculiar gift.

For me, the book shone brightest in its political intrigue. The scheming, layered backstories, and betrayals were all top-tier, keeping me hooked throughout. The cast was easy to keep track of/remember, the prose accessible yet elegant, and the pacing rarely dragged. I especially appreciated that the characters weren’t fools; they didn’t fall prey to misunderstandings or idiotic choices.
Even the twists you could guess the shape of weren’t waiting for the eleventh hour to reveal themselves. Instead, the characters were clever enough to anticipate them and plan accordingly, which made the payoffs all the more satisfying. Following the intricate machinations was genuinely the most fun I had while reading!

That said, I struggled to connect with the leads and their romance. I feel like their chemistry leaned too heavily on lust, which made their love declarations unconvincing, especially considering the few "fake" ones thrown in early (like the “my love” in ch. 3). The first smut scene was too abrupt, and a few word choices (eg. “engorged teat” for a nipple) were so unsexy, I felt my uterus crawl higher up my body to flee. It unfortunately refused to be involved with the rest of the book. 🫠

The opening chapter also had me worried this would be a bodice-ripper disguised as a political drama, which made it hard to trust where the story was taking me. In hindsight, this might be why I was so happy with the political plot. Beyond the romance, certain conveniences stretched my suspension of disbelief (eg. Celine refusing to sell the ring while living in the streets, was able to function just fine for a week with a fever that nearly killed her in the end, charming Lord Seaton so easily...). Some character motivations also felt a little murky. But if you can look past those bumps though, the plot as a whole still works.

In the end, I really enjoyed this book. Its plot and political drama were what I was hoping for, and the characters were far from caricatures. The prose was polished, the intrigue compelling, and it scratched that itch for a historical romance with a little extra meat on its bones. I’d definitely recommend it to fans of the genre who want smart plotting alongside strong, likeable characters!

[Leigh Kramer]

DNF at 32%

When I saw Anna Cowan had a new book coming out, I was thrilled. While I'm not certain how well it aged, I remember inhaling her debut Untamed and figured the same would be true of this, given the fantastic premise. Alas, I've found myself struggling to maintain interest after the first few compelling chapters. Even now, after taking a long break and trying again. It's strange because Kate and Celine have such a palpable dynamic. It's best to bid this adieu for now and perhaps I'll try again some other time.


Characters: Kate is the 29/32 year old butch lesbian white British Duke of Howard. Celine is a 21/24 year old white French courtesan. This is set in Paris and London.

Content notes: sexual assault (secondary character kisses a girl without consent), nightmare, physical assault, industrial abuse (miners, child labor), blackmail, sex worker shaming, misgendering, past death of Kate's family (treason, fire), past execution of Celine's lover (French Revolution), off page sex, alcohol, inebriation (secondary character), hangover (secondary character), gendered pejoratives, ableist language


Disclosure: I received an advance copy from St. Martin's Griffin.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am like Paul Revere alerting you all that you no longer have to pretend a male lead in a regency romance is a hot butch. She's here, she's queer, with muscular thighs in buckskin breeches, and powerful hands meant to rip dresses. Best part is - she finds you an inconvenience and wants you out of her life immediately!

I started following Anna Cowan's substack back in 2024 when I first heard mention of an upcoming "sapphic regency with a butch love interest" as that was the type of romance I had always wanted to read! Typically with regency romance there is always an imbalance in power, no matter how the couple fights for their love. When it comes to sapphic regency romance - the couple is fighting two battles, misogyny and homophobia.

Imagine my delight when as reading I discovered this was a queer normative world and a world where women can be in high positions of power and nobility themselves. (As the name describes!)
Queer joy is so rare to find in regency romance and it felt good to just read a feet-kicking squealing type of story without worrying about "how the hell are these girls going to survive this?"

The character work is so chefs kiss, its even better than chefs kiss. It's full makeout session with the chef in the kitchen locked in the storage room.
The main character Celine is cunning!!! She will do whatever it takes to survive in society and stay off the streets. If you were hungry for a deceptive and strategic fmc then look no further.
Kate, Duke of Howard, and the love interest is as grumpy as a scowling noble can be but that's not all you will find beneath her hard exterior (and I'm not just talking about her abs). She has a deadly secret that will crumble her whole facade if it ever got into the wrong hands - what happens if Celine is the one who discovers it?

If you enjoy:
"tightening jaws and hands", "eyes following you as you danced in the arms of a man I set you up with but now regret it", and the after credits scene of Pride and Prejudice then please go pick up sweeping slow burn sapphic romance!

Thank you St. Martin’s Griffin for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy from St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Publish date April 28th, 2026.

I snapped this book on recommendation by @pagesandpothos based on the intriguing premise. In The Duke, French courtesan Celine Genet is teetering on the edge of ruin in an increasingly revolutionary France. A fleeting night of passion with Kate, Duke of Howard, leaves Celine convinced she has a ticket out of the city--only to wake the next morning and find the Duke gone. Three years later, Celine has dragged herself to London, set on blackmailing the Duke into sponsoring her a Season as a noble debutante...

The Duke is structured like a melodramatic, old fashioned bodice ripper--except the icy, domineering duke is an icy, domineering butch lesbian. Who holds a title as an English duke. Passions run high, honor is betrayed, secrets are hid, and yes, a lady's dress does get ripped open during a sex scene. The reason why a Georgian period exists almost entirely unchanged except for women holding titles in their own right who can get lesbian married goes gleefully unexplained. Cowan seems to look you dead in the eye and tell you, Why? Because it's HOTTER. A facet of the execution that I particularly enjoyed was how Kate wasn't the only woman in this position, distinguished by her exceptionality. A wide range of the secondary cast poditions that are typically male were instead occupied by women: the duke's dissolute cousin, her greatest enemy's sneering heir, the thuggish fixer, her loyal valet. Yayyy butch women.

The romance itself was more focused on placing its protagonists in excellent Situations than on the two sex scenes, which were lightly glossed over. Celine has genuinely suffered, not necessarily because of her sex work, but because of the absolute grinding desperation Kate left her to suffer through, which is all the more powerful for being only glancingly referenced for most of the book. She values security and trust much more than something as ephemeral as romantic love. Meanwhile, she's an almost supernaturally talented political manipulator and uncannily good at mimicking the notoriously difficult airs of the upper classes. Sparks fly as she collides with the cruelly ruthless Kate, who is brutal when crossed, even as she stews in guilt for her complicity in the death of her family twenty years earlier. It's high-octane stuff and a delight from beginning to end.

This novel would have been a standout for me this year even if it had been m/f. As a sapphic romance, it's an absolute stunner. WHAT a book, whee. Because it's playing so heavily to people who read classic historical romances and thought but what if... women... I'm not sure it has much crossover appeal putside of romance readers. Still, a must-read for sapphic romance novel fans.

[J. Z. Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Netflix’s Bridgerton (not book Bridgerton) meets Tipping the Velvet with shades of Les Mis fanon.

Céline is an easy protagonist to love. She’s the smartest and prettiest woman in every room, but she’s been through hell, so we forgive her for it. To save her own life, the young French sex worker blackmails Duke Kate into helping her marry an English lord. Duke Kate thinks this is a bad idea, but Céline has been people pleasing for her life since she was single digits, and she has a better head for politics than the duke herself.

Watching Céline triumph over tricky social situations is sort of like watching Captain America beat up bad guys. You know she’s going to win, but the how is still a pleasant mystery.

Kate is less lovable because she is both less scary than we were promised and kind of stupid, but we still cheer for her because she’s a hot butch duke with mommy issues who keeps risking everything for a pretty girl, and like, whomst among us.

I loved reading about these messy women being idiots for each other. I loved all the yearning and the politicking and the lust. About 60% of the way through, I did come across a review that pointed out the sex scenes are a little bit implausible and hetero gaze-y, and like, yessss, but I think it’s in a way that will please many (most?) hot butch readers, and don’t hot butch readers deserve that?

I received a free eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
OMG yes—give me a gender-swapped Regency with sapphic chaos and spice.
…but I needed to feel more than I did.

I have such a soft spot for Sapphic and Achillean romances—even as someone outside the queer community—and I’m starting to realize I definitely have specific niches within the genre that work better for me than others.

This one? Solid, well-written… but ultimately just okay for me—and not because anything was wrong with it.

The writing was strong, the premise was creative, and I can absolutely see readers devouring this. But for me, there was a disconnect that left me a little bored overall. A big part of that came down to The Duke. I don’t need to like a character to enjoy a story, but when I actively don’t even want to hear the titular character mentioned… yeah, that’s going to impact the experience.

Now let’s talk audiobook—because this is where it really shines. Hannah Bristow did a fantastic job with the narration. Her crisp British accent was smooth, immersive, and made it incredibly easy to settle into the world. She truly elevated the story. And as always, Macmillan Audio delivered a top-notch production—listening to their audiobooks is consistently such a treat. 🎧✨

In the end, I rounded up to 4 stars because while it didn’t fully capture me the way I’d hoped, I know this will absolutely hit for other readers—especially those looking for a gender-swapped Regency romance with plenty of spice and an FMC who’s just as messy and toxic as the male leads we usually see in romantasy.

I am thankful to have received a complimentary ALC from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.

[Zoë · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🌟 rounded up!

A great sapphic historical fiction that makes women in power/politics something that felt normal and wasn’t made to be a glorified spectacle. I get in some cases the story warrants it but I was glad to see this book didn’t take that route!

After a steamy night together and then not seeing each other for years Kate (the Duke) and Celine are brought together once more due to a letter Celine acquires. In an exchange for power and security Celine will hand over the letter to keep Kate’s name clear. Both women have a harsh past to deal with and together they might be able to find a place to keep their hearts secure.

The spice was spicing but as with most historical romances I found that there was a lot to the build up and tension/yearning and the spice was more on the milder side of things. I wish we had better words to describe the female anatomy but alas, we are stuck with the choice few that sound mildly immature to me. No fault on the author though! Just a personal ick I have!
Still a 3/5 🌶️!!

I saw someone reviews that said this story gives Bridgerton vibes and I agree!

Overall a great novel for historical romance and Sapphic romance readers! I greatly enjoyed this as my second FF historical romance and I have high expectations for the same genre going forward.

Definitely recommend!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the Arc!

[sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

women!!!!!!

this has become one of my favorite historical romance books ever. i knew very early on in reading this that i was going to be obsessed with it and i was hooked the entire time and never got bored. it was crazy how palpable the tension between kate and celine was, you could feel it oozing off the pages. the plot was great, the drama was great, the characters were great, the sex was great, the writing was great i literally could not recommend this book more. i can not wait to get a physical copy of this once it comes out.

god bless the duke and her thighs in her buckskin breeches and celine with her gorgeous face and long hair and god bless netgalley and st martins for the arc.

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great read. I’m not a big historical fiction reader, but the blurb for The Duke had me intrigued. If you’re looking for unabashed historical realism, this may not be the book for you. But if you’re open to historical fiction that’s a little alternative, this is a fantastic choice.

Kate and Celine have beautifully written character arcs. The angst and mutual longing/loathing? Peak. Strangers to enemies to lovers? Yum. Political subterfuge and ridiculous historical scandal? LOVE.

Thank you so much NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC. Happy Release Day, Anna!

[Lauren Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ For a historical romance I went in not knowing what to expect. This is not your grandma’s Harlequin Romance Fabio covered “The Duke”. This is the plot of savage blackmailing and steamy sapphic enemies turned lovers. It does get political and can have a small portion of lull here and there, but the author was able to keep balance with action and spice. Would recommend for those looking for bold, spiteful, smug and conniving main female characters! Let’s be honest here…I was in it for the spice 🌶️ and stayed for the plot 👩🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👩🏻

Thank you NetGalley for audio ARC