This week we are discussing Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore, Ch. 23-End.
Content Warning!!! This book contains situations and subjects related to: sexism, imprisonment, and sexual assault.
Spoiler Warning!!! This post is full of spoilers for Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore
Discussion:
Discussion Michaela: Hello friends and welcome to our final discussion of Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore. What a ride the end of this book was. We had two marriage proposals, a bail out of jail, a suspension from college, a brother reunion, a political scandal. There was just so much! I really enjoyed this last section of the book, it felt like almost everything came back around for its conclusion which was nice.
Jacilyn: I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting the full on sexy time to happen until after marriage in this book, even though Annabelle was obviously not really following that sort of set of mores. I can’t say I blame the woman for wanting to embrace the attraction she felt for Montgomery after basically being saved by this knight in shining armor once again. I was even more surprised that Montgomery thought that Annabelle had magically changed her mind on being his mistress just because she initiated the sex. Like, sir. She doesn’t want to be your mistress, still. I did love love love the intimacy that came with the sex. Their chemistry is so good, and I think they both realized really quickly that they could never run away from the other entirely. There would always be something there.
You know who doesn’t have chemistry? Annabelle and Jenkins. Colleagues and friends? Sure. But could she ever truly be friends with a man who believes that becoming a mother dulls a woman’s brain? I mean, come on. In one breath he’s praising her intellect, and in the other he’s talking shit about women. I honestly think Jenkins just kind of assumed that Annabelle would reciprocate his feelings and accept his proposal…. Which, let’s be real, was more a job offer than a proposal. I don’t think he fully appreciates Annabelle’s brain, not like Montgomery does. Montgomery craves those debates with Annabelle. The gleam he got in his eye whenever they started going back and forth, he sees Annabelle as his equal. But not Jenkins.
Michaela: I think for Annabelle it was kind of like a final goodbye gesture for herself and for Montgomery to go to his room that night. And I thought it was really romantic. Goodbye intimacy is a whole different way to experience your partner, very emotion filled. What was interesting is that for Annabelle it was goodbye but for Montgomery it was what he thought was the beginning. I love their chemistry so much. They compliment and challenge each other in so many ways and I just really enjoyed seeing them grow to care for each other.
Okay at the very least Jenkins did not end up being as icky as I thought! Honestly relieved. I don’t think Jenkins' opinion on women with children had to do with sexism against a woman as much as hatred towards children for occupying so much of a woman's mental energy. Like it felt to me that he thought children were a waste for some women because they are so intelligent. But he is still sexist for sure. He clearly had real feelings for Annabelle and wanted them to be reciprocated but he also respected her not having them for him because when she asked about the sex life part of marriage he seemed genuinely okay with that not being part of their marriage if she didn’t want it. I agree that Jenkins didn’t fully appreciate Annabelle’s brain, he just forever wanted her as an assistant rather than seeing her become successful in her own right. The difference between how Montgomery sees Annabelle and how Jenkins sees her is astounding. I love seeing through Montogmery’s eyes how he feels about Annabelle’s intelligence and personality, he loves every part of her and I can’t get enough of it.
During their spicy intimacy session we get a bit more background on both their past relationships. I did not expect Annabelle to have experienced a lost pregnancy, I really thought it was going to be some form of SA. What a horrible time for her. Abandoned by someone who claimed to love her, became pregnant by that person, isolated from her “friends”, kicked out by her father, and shamed by her aunt. Then on top of that she loses the baby she had already grown a maternal connection to. I just want to give her the biggest hug. No wonder she was so reluctant to trust Montgomery and her own friends, talk about trust issues. I don’t blame her for being so hesitant with everyone.
Jacilyn: What Annabelle went through with her ex was definitely different than I expected, but equally as awful. Montgomery’s ordeal was difficult, I’m sure, but I don’t know that he actually loved the woman, and clearly she didn’t love him.
Another bit of intimacy I really appreciated was that between Peregrine and Montgomery, once Peregrine returned. Seeing Montgomery drunk helped humanize him in Peregrine’s eyes, I think, and the conversation they had about their father had to have been just simmering under the surface for so many years. I’m so glad they finally had that discussion, and that the brothers were able to begin forming some sort of relationship of meaning. This book is book one in a trilogy, and I am honestly surprised that Peregrine and Catriona aren’t the subjects of one of them. She clearly has feelings for him, but I can’t tell if they’re reciprocated or if Peregrine simply took the assistance where he could get it.
As dramatic as Montgomery’s proposal was, I can’t say I would find it particularly romantic. It was just…. Very aggressive and honestly kind of scary? Clearly he was impassioned, but honestly Annabelle’s response was the right one, in my opinion. I would be worried that he would regret it, too! Especially after what she had experienced before with that awful man in the past.
That impassioned speech Montgomery gave on the floor of Parliament, though? That would have thrown me head over heels. He took that drama and turned it political, and he’s right - he will go down on the right side of history. It was such a great moment, and I loved that later on towards the end, they mention that the Liberal party won the election. It seemed like the blowback was somewhat mild, though. The way Annabelle was talking earlier, I was convinced that he would be exiled and have his entire Dukedom taken from him if he married a commoner and/or went against the Queen. For all of that, they were able to just go on vacation to France after the marriage and call it good.
Michaela: Montgomery’s initial proposal was very aggressive, not mean but passionate for sure. It was definitely a little scary. Not that he didn’t mean his proposal because he clearly did but he was running on adrenaline and that made him a little unhinged. Annabelle was trying to push him away but I don’t blame her for saying no to his proposal at that moment anyways, he needed to calm down first.
The speech plus and leaving the party so publicly then chasing her out into the RAIN. Fuck me up with that shit, honestly. I think there’d be more drama if they hadn’t left right away but they totally made it seem he’d lose everything if he married her and he literally lost nothing except the family castle that he didn’t even have anyways. He did lose his political station but he gave that up willingly and because of his beliefs. I know for the time period it would have been an “end of the world” situation for a rich white man at the time but after the ending we got it felt a little dramatic. Not unrealistic but dramatic.
And last but not least the least surprising thing to happen in this whole book….Lady Lingham betraying Montgomery, and by proxy Annabelle, out of jealousy. I called that so early in this book. When Gilbert wrote to Annabelle and told her not to come back I felt kind of relieved that Annabelle wouldn’t be forced to go back to him. But the fact that it was ‘elegant writing’, I just knew it was her. What a horrible thing to do, literally taking a home and albeit poor excuse for family from Annabelle and then also damaging the Queen’s trust in Montgomery therefore threatening his job. How did she just expect him to forgive her and go back to their friends with benefits relationship after all that? Insane.
Jacilyn: Lady Lingham totally crossed a line, and I like that she tried to make up for it by offering to introduce Annabelle into “polite” society. Like that was going to be enough to make up for sabotaging Montgomery and Annabelle. I’m also glad that Annabelle didn’t have to go back to her family, though. She has her own little family starting with Hattie, Lucie, Catriona, Montgomery, and even Peregrine. That’s plenty for her.
Well friends, that’s it for Bringing Down the Duke! Thank you for joining us and the League of Extraordinary Women on this journey. Until next time!
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