Raeliana shakes up our hearts in her print debut! 

 

Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion, Vol. 1 has finally made its long-awaited debut under Yen Press, and we are ready to talk about why this might be one of your new favorite series! The short and sweet summary of the first volume is:

Taking a different approach to keeping your enemies closer, Raeliana McMillan was destined to be poisoned by her fiancé, Francis Brooks. That is, until Eunha Park was reincarnated as her in the novel The Case of the Murdered Friend!

Bring on the reincarnation mischief! As a complete sucker for the enemies-to-lovers and contract romance tropes, I wondered how this plot would be different from most, and it delivered. When we are first introduced to Eunha, it’s evident that she doesn’t belong in this world. Instead of fully immersing herself in a life of glam and glitz, she feels sorry for Raeliana’s parents, as she isn’t their true daughter. Still, she doesn’t let this weigh her down as she continues to connect to the family on a genuine level. 

Yet trouble consistently finds her when she can’t get used to the expectations of nobility. She’s sassy, spunky, and not your average damsel in distress—all things that become a problem for her future murderer. Knowing that her fiancé, Francis Brooks, will be the end of her, Raeliana uses her knowledge of the original novel to leave him. She is not afraid to take a stand and is doing all she can to stay alive. That includes entering a contractual marriage with someone more powerful than her previous fiancé, Duke Noah Wynknight.

The pacing of the story is great when Noah is introduced. We are shown enough evidence as to why Raeliana should leave Francis and it doesn’t feel like she’s picking a random person. An interesting aspect to note is since Raeliana is in survival mode, she isn’t too intrigued by Noah’s good looks and charm. These factors don’t matter when she knows that he’s not destined to be hers anyway. Right now, he’s just seen as a business partner, and Noah reciprocates this. However, this leads to excellent chemistry and a romantic buildup between the main characters as they learn to work together and trust each other!

Overall, the story is a great read as the stage for our new favorite power couple is being set. The pacing of the plot allows for the reader to observe Raeliana and those around her. Additionally, the full-color pages add to the glory of the story. The funny facial expressions that are highlighted throughout the manhwa made me laugh out loud. Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion, Vol. 1 is a fantastic read, and I can’t wait to know what happens next!