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mmandolynn's review against another edition
4.0
Oops, another book I started before bed and accidentally finished in one go. I’d seen it cited as an example of a book that is actually romantic, on the BookTok of a person who has discerning tastes, so I gave it a try. There’s a time and a place for a romance that is all fluffy romp, but I do love a romance that is really *about* something, and this one is about learning to be loved and un-learning that you are unloveable, even when you’ve taken on being unloveable as a defense mechanism against the cruelty of others. And it really was very romantic. I’m a sucker for a hero who is heartbreakingly gentle with a deeply heartbroken heroine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage and Rape
samchase112's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Another foray into historical romance that went...eh. What drew me to this particular book was the dynamic of a female scientist masquerading behind a male persona — and that plot point kind of falls apart in the first couple pages. This book truly starts en medias res, eschewing a lot of what I was excited about reading. Instead, we get a lot of Violet’s self-hatred, which ends up as a great character arc, but was really difficult to read and not want to yell at her. All in all a bit of a slog, but with a nice character arc and satisfying ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Emotional abuse
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