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renuked's review against another edition
3.0
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
I don't usually read much set in the Gilded Age, so this was a fun new setting to explore - it just dragged on a bit.
I don't usually read much set in the Gilded Age, so this was a fun new setting to explore - it just dragged on a bit.
parpacifica's review against another edition
3.0
I’d have read it all in a single night if not for the fact that my dusty vintage copy gave me watery red eyes and sneeze attacks every time i tried to read it.
Alas, one pack of allergy medicine later, I soldiered on for this almost-masterpiece.
It had such a gorgeous and immersive writing style. It was evidently thoroughly researched from the language, to the fashion, style, colloquialisms, and historical figures (aka including the Vanderbilts’ rise in NY). It was also super fucking entertaining. Trevor was the perfect balance of self-loathing, confident and cold. Alana was resilient, socially-adept and kind without being a pushover. I loved the secondary characters, especially sweet, meddling Mara and the rakeish Eagan.
Though, I kind of side-eyed some of the plots.
Can watching a random woman give birth really reform a rake of his philandering ways? That’s one I haven’t heard before.
Also the tension between Trevor and Alana started to drag a little and I found the final “secret” reveal would be kinda anti-climactic.
Alas, one pack of allergy medicine later, I soldiered on for this almost-masterpiece.
It had such a gorgeous and immersive writing style. It was evidently thoroughly researched from the language, to the fashion, style, colloquialisms, and historical figures (aka including the Vanderbilts’ rise in NY). It was also super fucking entertaining. Trevor was the perfect balance of self-loathing, confident and cold. Alana was resilient, socially-adept and kind without being a pushover. I loved the secondary characters, especially sweet, meddling Mara and the rakeish Eagan.
Though, I kind of side-eyed some of the plots.
Can watching a random woman give birth really reform a rake of his philandering ways? That’s one I haven’t heard before.
Also the tension between Trevor and Alana started to drag a little and I found the final “secret” reveal would be kinda anti-climactic.
alanahighbury's review against another edition
5.0
My favorite historical romance of all time! It's angsty and unforgettable even now, decades after I first read it. One of the VERY few books I've actually re-read. ❤️
tessisreading2's review against another edition
3.0
Old school romance set in Gilded Age New York. Our heroine is one of the New York 400, descended from Peter (sorry, Petrus) Stuyvesant himself; the hero is Irish and has worked his way up from nothing while supporting multiple siblings. There is a lot of overwrought plotting involving wicked uncles, boathouses, and literal dukes. The sex scenes are standardish Old School, meaning consent is kind of dubious. The research was obviously thorough and the milieu is a lot of fun. An entertaining read but definitely has some concerning sexual politics.
halffast's review against another edition
3.0
A wealthy but snubbed Irish immigrant blackmails an heiress into marriage to force elite New York society to accept him and his family. 4.5 stars for the first part, dwindling into 2 stars by the end, so I gave it a 3 star average. This book started out great. I loved learning about 1800s Manhattan aristocracy (worth Googling Knickerbocker and Caroline Astor before starting the book if you're unfamiliar with the setting, it saved a lot of confusion on my part). Alana, the heiress, is overwhelmed by Trevor, the formidable, wealthy Irish businessman who has bankrupted her. The two characters have some great push and pull as they get to know each other. While Alana starts to soften toward Trevor, he denies his feelings for her and becomes increasingly stubborn and hateful in his prejudice towards his wife and the society she represents. But right when the book seems prepared to...
Spoiler
launch into a final crisis or showdown with the villain and give Trevor a great redemption moment, instead there is an extremely unsatisfying and unwilling grovel (not sure I can even call it that) from Trevor, and the book abruptly ends.jennyliu887's review against another edition
3.0
This had such potential, and I was so excited reading it in the first two thirds. However, while this book did a great job at creating enemies with great chemistry, it was not really believable that either character fell in love, and H wasn't really redeemable. Besides helping with her sister and giving her the music box, he is horrible to her, and its always h reaching out and trying to have a real marriage. Then, it just ended so abruptly.
Also, I just loved that part of it was set in Rhode Island as someone from there, and it was really cute because I had been to a lot of the places they mentioned, or similar ones.
Plot:
- h is a well-bred lady part of the elite old money society in NYC. However, she is an orphan as her parents were killed in a house fire a few years ago. While her sister is alive, everyone believes she's dead, when in actuality, she is in an insane asylum. h and her trust are under the care of her cruel uncle.
- H's sister has a debutante ball, but no one shows us because the elite society refuses to accept a new money Irish family. H is furious at this, so he decides to go after the finances of the families who were invited but didn't show, bankrupting them. h wanted to go the ball since she met her a few weeks ago, and wanted to show up for the nice girl. However, h's uncle locked her in her room, refusing to let her go.
- h becomes bankrupt, and her drunk furious uncle drags her in the rain to H's doorsteps. She asks H for her money back but he refuses, instead saying that she'll marry him so that his sister will have the prestige to attend all the society events
- they get married soon after, with H bribing her uncle and blackmailing a priest to expedite it. As part of her will, Mr. Astor, one of the most prominent members of the society, promised to walk h down the aisle, so their wedding is one of the most attended events.
- afterwards, they go to Newport, where everyone vacations. H's sister joins them so that she can be part of the summer society there. However, the sister is unaware that h was forced to marry him, and is under the impression that they are in love. Her other brother convinces her that she must bring them together, like locking them in a small building together.
- he goes on a trip to Boston, making h think that he's visiting his mistress, and she decides to go back to Manhattan
- even though H is cruel, h can't help but feel bad for his injury and tries to help him. They also can't help but be attracted to each other, and finally have sex. h determines that since they have consummated the marriage, that they can't annul it anymore and wants to make it a real marriage. However, H says they can just lie and get annulled. h doesn't want to lie anymore
- H's brother falls in love with a pregnant servant girl, and his sister falls in love with a duke.
- h goes to Brooklyn to visit her sister, and comes out crying because her sister is hysterical and the staff are tying her down and not treating her well. However, she finds that H has followed her. Although she is at first terrified with what he'll do with this secret, he assures her that he will get her sister released.
- h goes back home and takes a bath to relax, which is in H's bathroom, this leads them to have sex again. Afterwards, H thinks h just did it to thank him for helping her sister, not believing that she could actually care about him.
- After H gets the letter to release h's sister, they find out she's escaped and gone missing.
- Despite how happy h is for H's sister, she dreads when the duke will announce his marriage because that means the conditions for their marriage to be annulled will be met.
- However, she gets home and finds a music box playing the waltz she once told H that she would only dance to with the man she loved as a gift, and that he bought it back when he visited Boston. They both realize their feelings and HEA.
Also, I just loved that part of it was set in Rhode Island as someone from there, and it was really cute because I had been to a lot of the places they mentioned, or similar ones.
Plot:
- h is a well-bred lady part of the elite old money society in NYC. However, she is an orphan as her parents were killed in a house fire a few years ago. While her sister is alive, everyone believes she's dead, when in actuality, she is in an insane asylum. h and her trust are under the care of her cruel uncle.
- H's sister has a debutante ball, but no one shows us because the elite society refuses to accept a new money Irish family. H is furious at this, so he decides to go after the finances of the families who were invited but didn't show, bankrupting them. h wanted to go the ball since she met her a few weeks ago, and wanted to show up for the nice girl. However, h's uncle locked her in her room, refusing to let her go.
- h becomes bankrupt, and her drunk furious uncle drags her in the rain to H's doorsteps. She asks H for her money back but he refuses, instead saying that she'll marry him so that his sister will have the prestige to attend all the society events
- they get married soon after, with H bribing her uncle and blackmailing a priest to expedite it. As part of her will, Mr. Astor, one of the most prominent members of the society, promised to walk h down the aisle, so their wedding is one of the most attended events.
- afterwards, they go to Newport, where everyone vacations. H's sister joins them so that she can be part of the summer society there. However, the sister is unaware that h was forced to marry him, and is under the impression that they are in love. Her other brother convinces her that she must bring them together, like locking them in a small building together.
- he goes on a trip to Boston, making h think that he's visiting his mistress, and she decides to go back to Manhattan
- even though H is cruel, h can't help but feel bad for his injury and tries to help him. They also can't help but be attracted to each other, and finally have sex. h determines that since they have consummated the marriage, that they can't annul it anymore and wants to make it a real marriage. However, H says they can just lie and get annulled. h doesn't want to lie anymore
- H's brother falls in love with a pregnant servant girl, and his sister falls in love with a duke.
- h goes to Brooklyn to visit her sister, and comes out crying because her sister is hysterical and the staff are tying her down and not treating her well. However, she finds that H has followed her. Although she is at first terrified with what he'll do with this secret, he assures her that he will get her sister released.
- h goes back home and takes a bath to relax, which is in H's bathroom, this leads them to have sex again. Afterwards, H thinks h just did it to thank him for helping her sister, not believing that she could actually care about him.
- After H gets the letter to release h's sister, they find out she's escaped and gone missing.
- Despite how happy h is for H's sister, she dreads when the duke will announce his marriage because that means the conditions for their marriage to be annulled will be met.
- However, she gets home and finds a music box playing the waltz she once told H that she would only dance to with the man she loved as a gift, and that he bought it back when he visited Boston. They both realize their feelings and HEA.
hannahishere's review
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
hannahreads09's review
challenging
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
_ashton_reads_'s review against another edition
4.0
Tropes:
~arranged marriage
~enemies to lovers
~class difference
The hero might’ve been a jerk until literally 99%, but I still enjoyed all the drama and conflict between them.
~arranged marriage
~enemies to lovers
~class difference
The hero might’ve been a jerk until literally 99%, but I still enjoyed all the drama and conflict between them.
laurat7018's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0