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mcf's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
fast-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? No
4.0
hollitha's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
parpacifica's review against another edition
4.0
Woah. Never have I wanted to befriend a heroine and invite her out for tacos so bad.
“Yes, exactly, and as soon as he arrived, I jumped out and threw my arms around his neck and tried to kiss him.” She bit her lip. “I was, er, not very good at it.”
“She nearly relieved me of my ear,” Apthorp summarized.
This book pulled me right up from my reading slump. With a brilliant, witty, trouble-making heroine, a stiff hero with a dark side (wink wink), an addicting mystery, a smouldering romance, and TONS of feels, WHY WOULDN’T YOU PICK UP THIS BOOK?
“Yes, exactly, and as soon as he arrived, I jumped out and threw my arms around his neck and tried to kiss him.” She bit her lip. “I was, er, not very good at it.”
“She nearly relieved me of my ear,” Apthorp summarized.
This book pulled me right up from my reading slump. With a brilliant, witty, trouble-making heroine, a stiff hero with a dark side (wink wink), an addicting mystery, a smouldering romance, and TONS of feels, WHY WOULDN’T YOU PICK UP THIS BOOK?
anne8373's review
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kiwifire's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jackiehorne's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Engaging prose, a lively if often immature and annoying female protagonist, and a plotline based on a mutual misunderstanding between both hero and heroine characterize this mid-18th century London-set historical: "I've loved you forever but I didn't think you loved me so I was mean to you to protect myself/give vent to my unresolved sexual tension." Twenty five year old Lord Apthorpe, for whom our heroine coins the moniker "Lord Bore," appears to be dull dog, committed to rescuing his estate from financial ruin by devoting himself to the passage of a canal bill in Parliament and offering pointed reminders to our heroine about the implications of her outré behavior. In contrast, twenty six year old Lady Constance Stonewall is a flighty, reckless gossip, surrounding herself with people just over the edge of scandalous and courting attention wherever she goes. Both are hiding their true personalities (and in Apthorpe's case, his sexual proclivities), as well as their intense attraction to the other.
In the first book in the series, Lady Constance, the younger sister of that book's hero, came off as a silly airhead. In this book, she makes more sense: after returning from being educated in France at 14, she discovered that she did not at all fit in to London society. Back to the convent for three more years, after which she returns to England again, this time determined that rather than be ashamed of her oddities, she'll cultivate her oddities, adopting mannerisms that make her "queer, forward, uncommonly direct." And she'll use her skills of observation to flatter and court those around her, verbally giving them what they want so that they'll accept her, as well as to keep them all at a distance, so their judgments can never hurt her again. Not sure we ever get a sense that there is something different underneath it all, though; Constance always has ready excuses to explain her behavior (and often good ones at times: she investigates men and spreads gossip about the bad ones to help protect other women, for example), and she truly does seem to enjoy dancing on the edge of the scandalous.
Apthorp (Julian) makes a bit less sense to me, character-wise; his private doings (a dominating sexual preference, and the big secret related to same) and his public persona are at such odds, he must have had to lie a lot to protect his private life. Given the way Peckham constructs his character (upright, moral, GOOD), I'd think that he would have felt more guilt, or anguish, at having to play two such different roles than we see here, even despite his often-stated belief that his "perverse" sexual preferences are not perverse at all.
I agree with many other Goodreads commenters that the last 10% of the book was too over the top to be satisfying. It features not just one, but two scandalous public confessions (via newspaper) that I'm guessing would have made both characters completely beyond the pale of 1740's English ton society, even if said society was far more lax than during George III's, or Victoria's reigns. And there's a bit too much back and forthing over the same emotional ground (can I trust you, or are you too silly/flightly/reckless to keep me and mine safe?) to make for a plot that is constantly pushing you as a reader forward.
Still, there's a lot to admire here: hot sex scenes, silly romps, feminist messages, lovely writing. I'll definitely be back for more from Peckham.
In the first book in the series, Lady Constance, the younger sister of that book's hero, came off as a silly airhead. In this book, she makes more sense: after returning from being educated in France at 14, she discovered that she did not at all fit in to London society. Back to the convent for three more years, after which she returns to England again, this time determined that rather than be ashamed of her oddities, she'll cultivate her oddities, adopting mannerisms that make her "queer, forward, uncommonly direct." And she'll use her skills of observation to flatter and court those around her, verbally giving them what they want so that they'll accept her, as well as to keep them all at a distance, so their judgments can never hurt her again. Not sure we ever get a sense that there is something different underneath it all, though; Constance always has ready excuses to explain her behavior (and often good ones at times: she investigates men and spreads gossip about the bad ones to help protect other women, for example), and she truly does seem to enjoy dancing on the edge of the scandalous.
Apthorp (Julian) makes a bit less sense to me, character-wise; his private doings (a dominating sexual preference, and the big secret related to same) and his public persona are at such odds, he must have had to lie a lot to protect his private life. Given the way Peckham constructs his character (upright, moral, GOOD), I'd think that he would have felt more guilt, or anguish, at having to play two such different roles than we see here, even despite his often-stated belief that his "perverse" sexual preferences are not perverse at all.
I agree with many other Goodreads commenters that the last 10% of the book was too over the top to be satisfying. It features not just one, but two scandalous public confessions (via newspaper) that I'm guessing would have made both characters completely beyond the pale of 1740's English ton society, even if said society was far more lax than during George III's, or Victoria's reigns. And there's a bit too much back and forthing over the same emotional ground (can I trust you, or are you too silly/flightly/reckless to keep me and mine safe?) to make for a plot that is constantly pushing you as a reader forward.
Still, there's a lot to admire here: hot sex scenes, silly romps, feminist messages, lovely writing. I'll definitely be back for more from Peckham.
faithd's review against another edition
5.0
5 stars!!
I absolutely loved this and I basically forsook all my responsibilities today so I could finish reading it. I loved the first book in the series but this one was even better because the FMC was not annoying or immature at all. In fact, she starts off being very likeable and clever and goes through a really wonderful character arc - as does the mmc. This one was even funnier than the first, and the smut was even hotter--that scene where the mmc O.M.G..... Part of me wished there was just a little more spice because it was SO good, but another part of me wouldn't want to mess with perfection, which this book IS.
I absolutely loved this and I basically forsook all my responsibilities today so I could finish reading it. I loved the first book in the series but this one was even better because the FMC was not annoying or immature at all. In fact, she starts off being very likeable and clever and goes through a really wonderful character arc - as does the mmc. This one was even funnier than the first, and the smut was even hotter--that scene where the mmc
Spoiler
shows the fmc how to touch herselfhanabell's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
geets88's review
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
3.5