Reviews

Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden

brookeallie03's review

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

kerrythefire's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

3.5

This was a simple, clean romance that very vaguely nodded to the echoes of Beauty & the Beast or, as the characters themselves voice toward the end, Hades & Persephone.

It was entertaining enough, and the plot was predictable but it was a cozy sort of read because of it. Nothing spectacular but it was what I expected so i wasn't disappointed.

This is the kind of story that if BBC or PBS made it into a mini series I would totally watch it as a comfort watch.

katelehenbauer's review

emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.0

I really loved this book! It was the perfect, easy to read, clean, regency romance. I love Adam and Persephone and loved getting to know the side characters too. The beginning was a little slow to me and Adam's inner monologue seemed repetitive and unnecessarily intense, but I liked how that was figured out. I also liked how the conflict tied in with other parts of the story. I think that miscommunication (or lack of communication) is something that happens in a lot of regency era books because it seems that people were less open about themselves even with the people they lived back then. Overall, I really enjoyed it and will be reading the next one!! No language, no spice.

dabuomar's review against another edition

4.0

Book Review #1
Book name:
Seeking Persephone

Series?
The Lancaster Family

Hero:
Noticeably possessive, very grumpy, a gentle giant, and can be a bit of a harda**.

Heroine:
Positive personality, huge crier, attached to her family, and a fighter.

Steam level:

emilywemily6's review

The MMC was absurdly annoying and the FMC had no personality. I wasn’t into it so I decided to cut my losses. Maybe it would get better but I wasn’t enjoying myself.

bibliodiaries's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-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

3.75

nuriamm's review

4.0

Reviewing and enjoying a Sarah M. Eden book feels like saying “Wow, that Albert Einstein was smart, right?” or “Mother Teresa, such a kind lady.” Like, come on.

This was not my first Eden, but it is my first Eden Regency, which I’m aware, picking up back up one of those comparisons, is like “Yeah, I’m familiar with Einstein’s theories, just not that relativity one.” I know, I know this humble servant calls herself a kissing-only historical romance reader, won’t shut up about marriage of convenience and broody grumps and yet had not read this. Make it make sense. You can’t. It’s called irrational bookish self-sabotage.

I’d also never read what’s basically a mail-order duchess scenario. I mean, His Grace franked his own sight-unseen proposal, that’s pretty bonkers. But we’re talking a severely high-handed, reclusive, scarred peer of the realm, so, as they say, it tracks. 

I am left with some questions, but here we have lots and lots of what I love from the arranged nuptials trope. And most of all, I love when an author tests one’s tolerance for a brutish grump. I’ll be the first to admit I am a glutton for grovel, and my expectation of apologies, declarations and gestures being proportionate to the acute emotional constipation are subjectively elevated. Took him a minute, but the Duke of Kielder managed it well, for someone who considered arson as a Plan A solution and marriage was Plan B. Also for one so powerful and fearless, except when it comes to pesky emotions and vulnerable old wounds.

I also love a heroine that is better, more long-suffering, than me. More than once I wanted to tell her “You have nothing to prove here, Persephone! Wipe those eyes and take baskets to the villagers or something, the burden of proof is on him. And not these hot and cold crumbs of affection.” Her older sister/caretaker/fixer-upper heart won out, and she stuck in there and tamed her snarling beast. Thank goodness for darling Harry, too. We needed that steady relief, as every brooding brute needs a charming friend to throw empty, violent threats at.

Happy I finally read it, and I get why this book is so beloved. You can call off that booksta-intervention now.

Content notes: Kissing Only. Mentions of childhood trauma, loss of parent. On page grieving death of a sibling. On page peril and mention of blood.

kebreads's review against another edition

5.0

I loved this book. It was just what I was in the mood for. I previously read the second book in this series, so that did tinge my view of the book a little since I knew about future events, but I still loved reading it. I can't wait to read more books by Sarah M. Eden! Afterwards I read somewhere that this book is a "Beauty and the Beast" retelling. I can see that looking back on the book.

Content: Clean
Source: purchased ecopy

teetall4's review against another edition

5.0

Each of Sarah M. Eden’s books I’ve read so far have been very satisfying reads. Her characters are likable and developed well. This particular one is a Regency Beauty and the Beast with some Greek Mythology. In that aspect, it was predictable, but still very enjoyable.

lolovesbooks3's review against another edition

3.0

I finally picked this up because everyone seems to love it so much. I felt kind of “meh” about it. I think I became frustrated toward the end when nothing had really been worked out yet. Adam made some revelations about himself, but there was never really a discussion between him and Persephone about his past hurts and why he was the way he was. She also had some insecurities in the book that were never addressed. It seemed like the story of Hades and Persephone became the thing that brought them together and made Adam and Persephone realize their true feelings verses talking to each other and learning to understand and respect one another. I’m okay with misunderstanding if it’s resolved in a way that pushes the two characters closer together. That was not the case here. They both kind of decided to ignore their issues and just push past them to be together. To be fair, Adam did show some growth in his willingness to give a little to make Persephone happy, but I am so missing that moment or preferable multiple moments of conversation where the characters tell each other their feelings, clear up the misunderstandings and get to know each other on a deeper level. I’m glad I read it once, but this likely won’t be a reread for me.