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 Fiction, Historical Romance, LGBT, Queer

352 pages, Paperback

Expected publication 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

[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.

[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"?

[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.

[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.

[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.

[RedFireLady · 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.

[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.

[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!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Oh goodness, this was beautiful but OOF, it HURT. Also, the comps on this - My Lady Jane and Bridgerton - are wildly misleading because those suggest lightheartedness and a romp… and this book, while incredibly romantic and beautifully written, is very much NOT lighthearted.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Mia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This book has great start. But plot is more less political drama that isn’t anything new and romance is seriously lacking.

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ultimately fun and horny, and we absolutely need more butches in romance in general, but the writing just didn't click for me. It's not bad, per se, it's just too overwritten to be a straightforward Regency romance but not deep or complex enough to transcend the genre. it's in this weird middle place I didn't love. I also feel like the sex scenes were a little too gauzy and obscure. However, will I read more in this world? Absolutely. And I'm not too proud to beg for Markham (the emotionally complex heavy for the evil guy) to be the romantic lead in Book 2, even though obviously it's gonna be Royce (the hot cousin).

[Gretal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is my new favorite sapphic romance. I knew pretty early on that this was going to be a win for me. It just was fantastic. It very much felt like a classic historical romance with the cold, morally questionable duke who insists they will never marry, except make it sapphic, and it was so hot! I definitely will revisit this in the future, and also I really hope that we get a book about The Rake.

[Carina · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this is sapphic Bridgerton, then it's the only Bridgerton I need! (sorry Bridgerton)


It's an alt!history regency-era England romance novel, and I'm all here for it.


We're starting out with a hot night between Duke Kate and courtesan Celine, and we continue with blackmail, matchmaking, politics, intrigue, longing and more hotness.


I mean seriously, I could end my review here and just urge you to read it.


We have a very resourceful prostitute that finds herself in want of a wife husband. And a female Duke from a long line of female Dukes that is keeping her heart closed while fighting for her status and acceptance - and struggling with inner demons.


It's one of those books where you just know the two protagonists belong together, and you just wanna shake them and scream at them to finally kiss (again).


I'm not a big romance reader - but these two have captured my heart. I did not even miss my beloved fantasy aspects for a single second.


Sorry for the rather unhinged review, but that's just the state this book with these two wonderful women left me in.


5/5 stars


Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the eARC!


#TheDuke #RegencyEra #Sapphic #Netgalley #Bookstagram 

[Starr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! The characters were complex and their struggles made them feel so human and relatable. I didn't think I could keep up or understand the political issues in this book but the author did such a great job at making it intricate and real but also easy to follow. The politics actually kept me on the edge of my seat! I found myself loving the romantic part of the story, obviously, but wanting to know more about the politics going on behind the scenes and biting my nails waiting to see how it got resolved. Those last few chapters where I knew the book would be coming to an end soon but still didn't have a resolution to the betrayal Kate didn't know about had me itching to know how things would end! I think the ending of this story was perfect for the characters. I wish this was a series so I could read more about this world.

The author did an amazing job of making females Dukes (and other high power women) seem so nonchalant while also dealing with issues that would only come from being a powerful woman. This book is an absolute 5/5 for me. It was painful, real, raw, and romantic and I'd love to read more works by Anna!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Anna Cowan for the chance to read this ARC!

[wanderingmeek · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Duke by Anna Cowan
3/5⭐⭐⭐

A sapphic romance with political intrigue and delicious tension.

A powerful duke, Kate, from England finds herself in hot water after an incriminating letter from her youth goes missing during the french revolution. While trying to recover it she travels to France and ends up losing her heart to an ambitious courtesan, Celine. Upon returning home alone the duke continues to live her life as a ruthless and self loathing aristocrat until the letter and Celine show up on her doorstep to turn her life upside down.

The plot and writing are well done but I found myself conflicted with the spice in this book. The beginning was abrupt but not too descriptive. Later in the book we find ourselves going from zero to fisting pretty quickly. Additionally, the duke’s pleasure in reliving the sexual experiences Celine was subjected to during her period of survival during the french revolution felt icky. On the other hand the sexual tension between the two was really well done throughout.

Overall, it was a good time and I ate it up. However, it does require that you suspend your disbelief from page one.

–

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Book to be published in April 2026.

[Bethany J · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review*

Oh, I had SUCH high hopes for this one. I'd seen in recommended by multiple authors I really, really like, and yet... I only ended up liking about half of it? Specifically, the half that included Celine's POV. I liked her as a character and I liked her stubborn determination to find better for herself, no matter the cost. Unfortunately, the titular duke, Kate, I did not like. Even when she started to view Celine more romantically, I still didn't like her. It's purely because she ended up embodying some of my least favorite parts of romantic love interests in historical romance. She's prickly for seemingly no good reason, an asshole, takes liberties with Celine's person, and has a "tortured past" that seems to be an excuse for why they're an asshole. Plus, the writing style is mimicking older historical romances, which isn't my favorite. It's trying to be lyrical, but I didn't fully vibe with it.

I just never fully bought into the romance, which had the unfortunate effect of making the love declarations and emotional moments not hit as hard as they should have. I think it had potential... if Kate were a slightly more nuanced love interest.

[BigAzzReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t typically read historical romances, but I’m glad I read this one! It was recommended to me by a friend as an instant read on NetGalley so naturally I had to download it.

**A thank you to Anna Cowan and NetGalley for allowing me to be a part of the ARC reading experience!!**

The prose was beautiful, the story captivating. I enjoyed watching both characters evolve and watching their story take shape. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book and just as charmed as everyone else was with Celene. Anna made it very hard to dislike her in any way.

Kate has a charm of her own. I liked her the second she came into the book, regardless of any nefarious deeds she may or may not have committed in both the past and present.

The side characters were also well written, each with their own personalities and mannerisms. I don’t think there was a single person in the book I despised, even the Wroth family. A tell of a good author.

Plot twist after plot twist had me biting my nails. I enjoyed every word. And if there are any sequels or spin offs, count me in.

Thank you again to Anna Cowan and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity out to be an ARC reader for The Duke.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC!
It would come as an immense surprise to teenage me that I have thoroughly enjoyed not one but two romance novels this summer. I picked up The Duke because it had been blurbed by both Alix E. Harrow and Shelley Parker-Chan, whose writing I adore, and was surprised by how incredibly good it was. The Duke is filled with yearning, politicking, and incredible prose. I am certainly not a connoisseur of historical romance, but I could not put this book down, and recommend it to anyone with any inkling of interest.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is romantic in a way that is so refreshing—love is proclaimed through actions instead of declarations and lofty speeches. I loved that queer representation was already woven into the fabric of society, without secrecy or stigma. The writing, the storyline, the characters…all perfection.

I fucking love regency-era lesbians!!!!

[Eileen KM · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Part 1 I really enjoyed this book. I found that this first part did not do the rest of the book justice, so much so that I was going to stop reading.

However the rest of the book really improved, I loved the cast of characters and politics. The yearning and tension was very well done. All in all, great book!

Review in exchange for net galley ARC