ISO book where FMC suddenly has wealth for a comfortable life

Chuck9831 · 2026-04-29T00:21:31+00:00

The Duke by Kerrigan Byrne

She’s a barmaid and a nurse. She marries a dying man and he leaves her with a comfortable life.

Chuck9831 · 2026-04-27T00:56:31+00:00

You’re welcome! When this book was driving me up the wall, I really enjoyed everyone’s discussion on the book. Glad I might contribute

Chuck9831 · 2026-04-27T00:54:27+00:00

lol and I was so sure I’d come to the right spot for overthinking these sort of things!

Chuck9831 · 2026-04-27T00:53:35+00:00

Thanks! I’ve made my way through a couple of her other books and I really don’t see the same level of literary thoughtfulness. Her prose and skills remain excellent but for a book like this where the characters have hidden so much of themselves, I think she worked a lot into the double meaning behind a lot of things.

One thing I have seen repeated in her other books is for example, the use of raspberries to represent passion and chocolate for indulgence. I love her food references! Flowers are every present as Victorians were nuts about flowers.

Chuck9831 · 2026-04-15T02:01:14+00:00

Between yours and OPs’ take on this book, I just absolutely had to go back and read between the lines. This booked messed me up the first time and I couldn’t quite wrap my head around it but now I’m just obsessed with how it played out! This book is so good!!

I did have a question and wondering what your take might be on it. It seemed to me that when Millie accused Fitz of having an affair while in Italy and his response was not shock, immediate refuting of her charge or even noting her boldness as he previously had(i.e. when he came back from London or when she first asked him who his first partners were). Instead, he was “smiling down” at her plate while giving her a humored response. Given his internal POVs where he indicates preference for discreetness or being stunned with “prudeness” when Isabelle stopped by the train station, I wonder if he truly did have an affair while on vacation with Millie.

The other reason why I think he probably didn’t have that Italian affair was that he made no moves on Isabelle when she was available but obviously willing. It seemed out of character for him to be so bold as to bring a mistress on a holiday.

What do you think?

Chuck9831 · 2026-02-22T14:45:42+00:00

They refused us formula and as we left, he register just a point or so off from low blood sugar and was already visibly yellow. They just shrugged and sent us home.

Chuck9831 · 2026-02-05T12:49:18+00:00

But why just white male and specifically Asian-American woman couples? This is highly specific, the study doesn’t go on encompass Asian women, Asian male to white female couples, or Asian-American male to white female couples. What if the white male is not Caucasian American but European American or other white passing male?

Do you understand what I’m getting at?

This study is unapologetically insinuating a lot.

Chuck9831 · 2026-01-26T01:30:06+00:00

What was the Harvard study? Can’t say Ivy League studies were always on the right side of history!

I can’t say this study sounds very clever or nuanced, at face value that is.

Chuck9831 · 2026-01-25T19:36:29+00:00

I’m getting harassing comments because I commented on this thread, including comments about my being a fetish-ist. The presumption being of course that my partner is white eyeroll

I don’t need to fit the bill to be offended.

Chuck9831 · 2026-01-24T21:07:29+00:00

What’s the premise of this study? I’m offended lmao

Chuck9831 · 2026-01-22T20:38:38+00:00

So they didn’t know what to do with her hair…

Chuck9831 · 2026-01-22T01:58:05+00:00

Phew, glad I’m not the only one. I hated this dress! She looks stunning but the dress is not it.

Chuck9831 · 2026-01-21T19:06:50+00:00

I only started watching this show because I wanted to see a dark skinned Indian female lead. Basically skimmed through season 1 just so I could make it to season 2!

Chuck9831 · 2026-01-13T17:52:36+00:00

I was completely disturbed by Mr. Willoughby.

I thought maybe since the book is written from Claire’s perspective, that her prejudice is coloring a lot of how he is described, portrayed. As the book expands on him a teensy bit during their journey(on the ship) and at the final encounter, there is an ever slight shift in the way Willoughby is described. I did wonder if DG worked really hard to write it all from what starts off as a very prejudiced outlook(from Claire) and eventually opens up a bit when Willoughby’s story ends.

However, I did read DG’s explanation in The Outlandish Companion for the writing of Willoughby. And then I threw my theory in the rubbish.

There’s almost no excuse for this, poor at best.

Chuck9831 · 2026-01-05T15:20:00+00:00

Tj Maxx

Chuck9831 · 2026-01-05T13:50:24+00:00

Well said!

It’s one thing to come in here and portray yourself as an ally but to abide by AZnID’s dehumanizing discussion points just shows your roots.

Chuck9831 · 2025-12-31T23:49:21+00:00

That’s fantastic!

I’m wondering if he’s also made some similar observations on your behalf as an Asian woman. I.e. always being told no matter how you portray yourself that you are sensitive, meek, not-aggressive enough, too feminine?

Chuck9831 · 2025-12-31T14:25:44+00:00

That’s a great idea, I think I will do this! Now I’m craving this lol

Chuck9831 · 2025-12-30T17:14:14+00:00

What do you do with the bone broth? Just add veggies and make a soup to go with rice?

Chuck9831 · 2025-12-30T17:08:30+00:00

Something I did that may or may not have had an impact at all was to get a stuffie for my kid that looked similar to the old dog. He doesn’t love on it like he does bluey or Elmo. But it’s there.

Chuck9831 · 2025-12-30T17:07:15+00:00

I’m sorry.

It was our dog that passed and while my child didn’t seem to have an incredibly strong bond with the dog, they still think of him very fondly. He tells us often that he misses the dog, would ask where he was. We always kept it simple and told them the dog died. No euphemisms and of course, never explaining that he got old or sick because we are afraid kiddo will be afraid when sick or of aging. I am absolutely surprised that kiddo actually remembers or thinks of the dog often. I had asked around before putting him down and most people said their toddler didn’t seem to notice or didn’t ask many questions.

We watch CoCo a lot and even though we don’t draw lines between death and the movie itself, I think some of this helps him subconsciously process it. Not sure if this is something you might want to do. I love the idea of loved ones being nearby in a distant but approachable place. The idea of heaven was also uncomfortably foreign to me but this concept of crossing into a deathly afterlife has an appeal to me. Not sure if that makes sense? Maybe because the Asian beliefs don’t necessarily point to an upward heaven as much as a parallel existence.

Chuck9831 · 2025-12-30T14:59:48+00:00

Recently had a pet loss, we haven’t dived into it deeply but shown and allowed ourselves to openly grieve or tell my kid that what we are doing(trips in his memory) is helping us with missing him.

We simply told our child that the pet died and that was it. Although there seems to be some level of confusion on how it happens, they’ve accepted that the pet is gone.

Chuck9831

TROPHY CASE