The very relatable immigrant child moments from Chloe. And I love that Jeremy ultimately draws a hard line in what he’s willing to take from her. In the beginning, she comes off as someone worthy of affection, and to some extent that’s fair, but it also becomes very clear over time how she has hurt Jeremy, because she is the product of a racist society. The slow transition in perception of Jeremy’s aunt. Also their first sex scene was very much about them and not just a generic sex scene for the sake of it, and I appreciate that. The mortifying ordeal of being known, indeed. (In the spirit of fairness, I'll note that neither does she.) That Chloe, while masturbating, muses that Jeremy would literally never shut up, and then they have sex and he really does not. She existed largely off-page, but I loved a) that she was alive and living her best life, with her parents and not in a place that had little acceptance for her, ‘I am mean and harsh and you will respect that.’” Did you even try, Chloe? The conversation where Jeremy tells Chloe she reminded him of a kitten and her response is: “‘I am not cute,’ she said between stamps, glaring at him. I love when people have different, equally valid perspectives. Kind of a spinoff from the previous point, but the conversation between Chloe and her father after their fight. One of my favourite moments with him is when Jeremy is helping him fill the bottles and he tells Jeremy not to put off telling Chloe the truth, because it gets harder with time, and it’s very clear that he’s talking about himself.Īlso, like, every other moment with him. There were moments when he was so testy with Jeremy (like the grandpa in Derry Girls is to his son-in-law 1) but he was also really fair and understanding. He was a very big character and there is so much to be said about him. This book made me laugh so many times, often for the exchanges between the characters, but also many times just for their thoughts.Ĭhloe’s father. What can I say, I love me some hidden vulnerability. Chloe was very relatable as the intimidating and stand-offish one hiding a very soft heart, and Jeremy was so lovable as the witty and teasing one, also hiding a very soft heart. CM always fleshes her characters out in ways that I like, so that they feel simultaneously real and too good to be true.

Please note that the point of this review is mainly to gush over this book, and I have marked specific spoilers but things might be spoiler-y overall so avoid if you're not about that? And a key point of the book, Chloe’s list-making, works well with my own tendencies, so:Īn Incomplete List of Things I Loved About This Book (Because the Complete List is Essentially the Book):

Given the opportunity, I would never be anything less than effusive in my praise of Courtney Milan, so it should come as no surprise that I have (almost) nothing but love for her newest book, The Duke Who Didn’t.

The Duke Who Didn't by Courtney Milan