I wasn't entirely sure what to expect going into The Duke and I. I'm not a romance aficionado, but I was (obviously) definitely interested in exploring the genre and this turned out to be a pretty perfect not-quite-introduction (as I'd already read Jeannie Lin's Butterfly Swords) to both the genre and the Bridgerton series itself.

Daphne is sweet, kind, and extremely likable, while Simon, though carrying what I imagine is fairly typical dark, brooding romantic hero torment, is sympathetic enough that you're willing to forgive him brief lapses into jerkitude (especially given that he apologizes later). The overwhelming impression as soon as you start the book and experience Simon and Daphne's first meeting is that everything about it (them, the narrative, everything!) is just so charming and though things take darker turns later in the book, that charm never goes away. And, for the most part, the problems that the two encounter in their relationship are actually handled well, with wrongs on both sides being acknowledged and Daphne granted agency in their dealings.

In addition to making you care about Daphne/Simon and wanting things to work out for them, the main thing that The Duke and I needed to do was introduce you to the Bridgertons so that you'd want to keep reading on about Daphne's numerous siblings. I think almost more than any other book in the series, this first one does so much to show you who the family itself is and put their various personalities and foibles on display. And it does so to such great effect -- also involving Daphne's brothers directly in the plot -- that I pretty immediately began anticipating various characters' own novels.

Which means that overall it did its job well, and in and of itself is a strong book, towards the high end of the middle, if I were to rank the entire series.