Angie
I really enjoyed Up All Night With a Good Duke! It did start out a little slow and iffy for me, but it soon picked up and had some fun twists on common tropes. There is a lot going on here plot-wise, maybe too much? But I do think it all came together and connected quite well in the end. Only one mysteriously plot thread left me hanging at the end, but that was more my morbid curiosity, as it really had no baring on the outcome at all.
Artemis is the typical bluestocking spinster who is too smart for society, but she also has a scandalous secret...She's a gothic romance author! But no one can know or she'll never achieve her dream of opening a women's college. But first she needs to get out from under her overbearing aunt's thumb, and find herself a patron.
Enter Dominic, also known as the dastardly duke! The two literally run into each other and the attraction is immediately clear. The two hit it off, and soon realize they can help each other out. He'll fund her college and help "ruin" her in her aunt's eyes, if she'll help him with his moody teenage daughter. And they can have some fun while they're at it. It's a win-win!
What I found off about this set up was Artemis being adamant that she needs to be ruined in order to get her aunt to leave her alone. I wasn't quite buying that. There's no denying that it worked (but I mean, the author wrote it that way) as she's immediately disowned, but it seemed kind of random. However, it does help propel forward other plot points involving Artemis' sister and an awful man. I won't say more, because I found this storyline very intriguing! It's a very tangled web!
As for how Artemis' secret identity was handled, I thought it was a great! There's no big drama or stomping around or YOU LIED ME YOU HUSSY! I mean, it doesn't come out in the best circumstances, but Dominic is a smart man and doesn't just jump to lengthy conclusions. I absolutely loved how he handled this situation! Similarly, I liked their fight earlier in the book, because they fight like grown ups! They said what they wanted to say, took a breather, walked away, and then came back to settle things.
In the end, Up All Night With a Good Duke was a great read. It's dramatic and sexy and funny and at times emotional. There's a bit of mystery as well. I just wish we could have learned more about what happened to Dominic's first wife. Obviously, he didn't murder her and throw her into a bog like the rumors said. There's little hints here and there, but nothing conclusive.
