The Duke and I follows the story of the eldest of the Bridgerton clan, Anthony, as he attempts to marry the diamond of the season, Edwina, only to be prevented by her sister, Kate.
Unlike his sister, Daphne, in the previous novel, Anthony cannot bear the thought of falling in love as he believes he will die early. It is clear that out of all his siblings, his father’s death affects him the most. The idea of dying young scares him because of how common it was at the time, and the lack of advanced medicine. Moreover, what Anthony fears most is leaving behind a family whom he cares for and loves very much.
This is an interesting concept, as Anthony grew up in a very big and loving family. And yet, he cannot bring himself to form a romantic attachment to anyone. He clearly has emotional attachment issues, fearing that he will lose his loved ones soon and so he cannot risk forming any feelings for his future wife. However, eventually Anthony comes to realize that love is the very thing he needs in order to get through life.
