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mec09206's review against another edition
3.0
The Austen references seemed trivial and not needed. The whole book built up an ending that was rushed. The book may have been better without the constant Austen references just thrown in. The ending was so rushed I honestly just skimmed it because at that point I wanted the book to be done and it was just needlessly drawn out. The ending became predictable and no different from other books.
edressa's review against another edition
3.0
The story itself was a little hit-and-miss for me, but I do want to say that the research and care that went into this deserves 5 stars by itself. Will be checking out this author's other historical novels!
lila_still_reads's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book but it definitely wasn’t what I was expecting.
Vicky is the second daughter of a Lord in 1817 and as such has been able to spend her time helping run the family’s beloved estate and reading the books of her favorite author, Jane Austen, instead of attending social functions. However, after an unexpected hardship hits her family, Vicky finds herself in dire need of a husband. She must navigate the London social scene and the duel attentions of an old friend and a new acquaintance in order to save her family and their home, all the while trying to understand the near fatal run-ins that seem to dog her footsteps. Someone couldn’t be trying to kill her, could they?
Everything talks about it being fun, light YA regency romance with some action. Heck, even my summary makes it sound like that. It is all of this things- sometimes. I think this book feels mis-explained because it’s impossible to delve into the darker parts of the story without providing spoilers. I don’t want to harm that part of the reading experience, but I think for enjoyment it’s important to enter this book knowing it gets far more serious in moments.
Above all, this book is about personal agency, especially reclaiming it when those around you, societal structures, or ones own trauma tries to take it from you. The book gets pretty heavy with the abuse faced by two characters. I felt Cohen handled abuse and trauma well and it was unfortunately even more common at that time as it is today.
Unfortunately, I came to this book for a fun YA romance with some elements of action and the discussions of abuse hit me off guard. I still enjoyed the book- the character relationships were sweet, especially between the two pairs of siblings and while the action didn’t always do it for me, the mystery and its conclusion were great.
I think if you enter it knowing that it goes to some dark places, you’ll be more likely to enjoy it.
Vicky is the second daughter of a Lord in 1817 and as such has been able to spend her time helping run the family’s beloved estate and reading the books of her favorite author, Jane Austen, instead of attending social functions. However, after an unexpected hardship hits her family, Vicky finds herself in dire need of a husband. She must navigate the London social scene and the duel attentions of an old friend and a new acquaintance in order to save her family and their home, all the while trying to understand the near fatal run-ins that seem to dog her footsteps. Someone couldn’t be trying to kill her, could they?
Everything talks about it being fun, light YA regency romance with some action. Heck, even my summary makes it sound like that. It is all of this things- sometimes. I think this book feels mis-explained because it’s impossible to delve into the darker parts of the story without providing spoilers. I don’t want to harm that part of the reading experience, but I think for enjoyment it’s important to enter this book knowing it gets far more serious in moments.
Above all, this book is about personal agency, especially reclaiming it when those around you, societal structures, or ones own trauma tries to take it from you. The book gets pretty heavy with the abuse faced by two characters. I felt Cohen handled abuse and trauma well and it was unfortunately even more common at that time as it is today.
Unfortunately, I came to this book for a fun YA romance with some elements of action and the discussions of abuse hit me off guard. I still enjoyed the book- the character relationships were sweet, especially between the two pairs of siblings and while the action didn’t always do it for me, the mystery and its conclusion were great.
I think if you enter it knowing that it goes to some dark places, you’ll be more likely to enjoy it.
smit1286's review against another edition
4.0
A highly readable and accessible historical fiction for older teens/young adults. When her family's estate is in jeopardy, an independent young woman must choose an acceptable husband or risk losing everything she holds dear. This book definitely contains mature themes, but the writing, however, is very clean. I would say it's appropriate for 15 years and older.
What I liked - Despite tackling abuse, women's rights and divorce during the 1800's, this is actually a very fun read. This book is peppered with a strong female heroine, ridiculous and not-so-ridiculous suitors, and a tidy whodunit story line. The author did a great job building up each of the potential marital candidates so that the reader felt just as conflicted about who to root for as the protagonist.
What didn't work for me - Our female lead was well verse in Jane Austen novels and often thought about how the women in Jane Austen's books would handle similar situations. This is an interesting concept with the potential to motivate young readers to pick up a classic. I wish the author would have given more of a teaser rather than the many Jane Austen plot descriptions. One could argue that Dangerous Alliance contained spoilers for those who have not yet read Austen's books - which I suspect, due to the demographic age, many of the intended audience may not have. In addition, each paragraph that described various plot lines from Jane Austen's novels halted the fluidity of Cohen's book. The reader was pulled from Dangerous Alliance to read about what happened in Austen's book. Though the paragraph descriptions of Jane Austen books clearly didn't work for me, I really enjoyed when the characters discussed Austen's books in dialog form. Perhaps if the Austen teasers/comparisons came in the form of quick, back-and-forth dialog, it would have created a more nuanced approach and would have prevented the reader from being pulled out of Cohen's book.
Thank you to Edelweiss for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
What I liked - Despite tackling abuse, women's rights and divorce during the 1800's, this is actually a very fun read. This book is peppered with a strong female heroine, ridiculous and not-so-ridiculous suitors, and a tidy whodunit story line. The author did a great job building up each of the potential marital candidates so that the reader felt just as conflicted about who to root for as the protagonist.
What didn't work for me - Our female lead was well verse in Jane Austen novels and often thought about how the women in Jane Austen's books would handle similar situations. This is an interesting concept with the potential to motivate young readers to pick up a classic. I wish the author would have given more of a teaser rather than the many Jane Austen plot descriptions. One could argue that Dangerous Alliance contained spoilers for those who have not yet read Austen's books - which I suspect, due to the demographic age, many of the intended audience may not have. In addition, each paragraph that described various plot lines from Jane Austen's novels halted the fluidity of Cohen's book. The reader was pulled from Dangerous Alliance to read about what happened in Austen's book. Though the paragraph descriptions of Jane Austen books clearly didn't work for me, I really enjoyed when the characters discussed Austen's books in dialog form. Perhaps if the Austen teasers/comparisons came in the form of quick, back-and-forth dialog, it would have created a more nuanced approach and would have prevented the reader from being pulled out of Cohen's book.
Thank you to Edelweiss for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
annaaugustineauthor's review against another edition
4.0
Dangerous Alliance by Jennieke Cohen
•
Vicky lives in an idealistic world. But when her sister suddenly appears, revealing that she has barely escaped from her abusive husband. Her parents insist that Vicky get married as quickly as possible in order to protect the family estate from her wicked brother-in-law.
But who can Vicky trust? The handsome and charming Mr. Carmichael? Or her old best friend Tom Halworth? As Vicky traverses the eloquinte and frustrating world of balls and flirting and marriage proposals - along with the puzzling accidents that keep befalling her and her family - she can't help but wonder if she'll ever find her Jane Austen ending.
•
This book good, with lots of twists turns. The characters were believable, even if the story was a bit far-fetched. It was interesting learning about escaping an abusive relationship in that era, as Althea tries to escape her husband Dain.
I was not pleased with the language that peppered this book, however if that doesnt bother you, then it is a very interesting and engaging read!
•
Four stars!
Ages 16 & up!
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Vicky lives in an idealistic world. But when her sister suddenly appears, revealing that she has barely escaped from her abusive husband. Her parents insist that Vicky get married as quickly as possible in order to protect the family estate from her wicked brother-in-law.
But who can Vicky trust? The handsome and charming Mr. Carmichael? Or her old best friend Tom Halworth? As Vicky traverses the eloquinte and frustrating world of balls and flirting and marriage proposals - along with the puzzling accidents that keep befalling her and her family - she can't help but wonder if she'll ever find her Jane Austen ending.
•
This book good, with lots of twists turns. The characters were believable, even if the story was a bit far-fetched. It was interesting learning about escaping an abusive relationship in that era, as Althea tries to escape her husband Dain.
I was not pleased with the language that peppered this book, however if that doesnt bother you, then it is a very interesting and engaging read!
•
Four stars!
Ages 16 & up!
cammschwartz's review against another edition
4.0
I have read Pride and Prejudice and Emma and having those books in the back of my mind helped me think the book through. The author references many of Jane Austen’s books and I enjoyed that very much. In the beginning I actually liked Mr. Carmichael but by the middle of the book he seemed like he was hiding something. So Tom wasn’t my first pick until halfway through the book and up until the end. I kind of had the mindset that said, “ Ok author I like Carmichael and there’s nothing you can do to change my mind.” Well of course I was wrong. I don’t really like Vicky as a name. I just felt that it didn’t suit the era. Otherwise the book was a fantastic read overall. It has twists and was a page turner. Fair warning there were many references to sexual abuse in the book ( the sister ran from her husband Dain and that sets the whole book up) so I would suggest older teens read it. Especially not a person with a history of sexual abuse. The author did an amazing job with trying to get the story historically accurate as possible so props to her. The sad thing is that many wives at the time weren’t treated well by their spouses but they couldn’t leave the marriages.
alessiasbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Imperdibile!! Se siete fan di Jane Austen non potrete non amarlo.
lilyevangeline's review against another edition
3.0
I think the hardest part about rating this book is deciding exactly what genre it is--after all, it's only fair to judge a book by the expectations and constraints of it's genre. There's definitely a YA feel about the book, especially since we are told the story from the point of few of both of our leads, but it also feels just a bit more sophisticated than YA, in terms of both character development and writing. And the writing did bother me a bit at first--she tries her best to write in a sort of older style, but at times it seems a bit contrived. In terms of comparison to other YA, I also feel that the author did a better than average job trying to make her main character feminist and independent, but still someone who is a part of the culture and expectations of her time, and works within them (instead of just acting like some 21st century girl dropped back in time who is mysteriously woke enough to be outraged about everything??).
And there's the fact that it's touted as an "austentacious romance," but really is a great deal more of something else (though Jane Austen and her books are a common touchstone for our heroine). I'm quite sure that Jane Austen's books would never feature quite so many people getting knocked over the head, nearly as many pistols (and even people getting shot!!), and certainly not a duel (*gasp*).
So I guess that I have to conclude, in the end, that this book is quite its own thing. And really, when you judge it on that account, it does rather well for itself.
A primary plot point in the book is her elder sister attempting to get a divorce from her abusive husband--I learned quite a lot about the (rather ridiculous) legal proceedings required, which is something I've never encountered in a period book before (marital abuse or divorce proceedings). This led a sort of weight to all the happenings in the book, giving our heroine's decisions had a cost and consequence that was refreshing amid all the hi-jinks.
Overall, I'd say I definitely enjoyed the experience of reading this book, and that it had remarkably good characterization for a YA novel (actually liked our two main characters), even if the plot got a bit closer to unbelievable at the end.
And there's the fact that it's touted as an "austentacious romance," but really is a great deal more of something else (though Jane Austen and her books are a common touchstone for our heroine). I'm quite sure that Jane Austen's books would never feature quite so many people getting knocked over the head, nearly as many pistols (and even people getting shot!!), and certainly not a duel (*gasp*).
So I guess that I have to conclude, in the end, that this book is quite its own thing. And really, when you judge it on that account, it does rather well for itself.
A primary plot point in the book is her elder sister attempting to get a divorce from her abusive husband--I learned quite a lot about the (rather ridiculous) legal proceedings required, which is something I've never encountered in a period book before (marital abuse or divorce proceedings). This led a sort of weight to all the happenings in the book, giving our heroine's decisions had a cost and consequence that was refreshing amid all the hi-jinks.
Overall, I'd say I definitely enjoyed the experience of reading this book, and that it had remarkably good characterization for a YA novel (actually liked our two main characters), even if the plot got a bit closer to unbelievable at the end.
taryn_a's review against another edition
4.0
I read a lot of Regency novels. What I've never done is read a Regency YA novel. If there is one other than this one which I'm not certain about.
This book was a delight. Fluffy and fun delight. It was really different to see 19-year-olds in Regency England still portrayed more or less realistically, but with the whole tone of the novel being YA. I'm not quite sure how to describe it. Also, I've read many books set in the time period that have a random "and she was reading Pride and Prejudice" line thrown in to cater to the fan girls. This book unabashedly rode the Jane Austen wave and I was here for it. Vicky tried at different points of the novel to emulate Fanny Price or Elizabeth Bennet and it was fun.
Random aside, I love getting multiple points of view in books, but it does take away any of the surprise element when it comes to the romance. The summary of this book makes it seem like "who's she going to choose," but halfway through the first chapter when the POV switched, there's no mystery left. This doesn't just apply to this book, but it's something that is certainly apparent in it.
All in all, this book isn't going to be a new favorite or one I gush about or recommend a ton. But if you're in the middle of the YA/Jane Austen venn diagram (like I am), definitely pick this one up and appreciate the differences. And then let me know so we can discuss. :)
This book was a delight. Fluffy and fun delight. It was really different to see 19-year-olds in Regency England still portrayed more or less realistically, but with the whole tone of the novel being YA. I'm not quite sure how to describe it. Also, I've read many books set in the time period that have a random "and she was reading Pride and Prejudice" line thrown in to cater to the fan girls. This book unabashedly rode the Jane Austen wave and I was here for it. Vicky tried at different points of the novel to emulate Fanny Price or Elizabeth Bennet and it was fun.
Random aside, I love getting multiple points of view in books, but it does take away any of the surprise element when it comes to the romance. The summary of this book makes it seem like "who's she going to choose," but halfway through the first chapter when the POV switched, there's no mystery left. This doesn't just apply to this book, but it's something that is certainly apparent in it.
All in all, this book isn't going to be a new favorite or one I gush about or recommend a ton. But if you're in the middle of the YA/Jane Austen venn diagram (like I am), definitely pick this one up and appreciate the differences. And then let me know so we can discuss. :)
slowshows's review against another edition
3.0
An enjoyable read. I guess I kind of expected this to be more of a deconstruction of Austen’s stereotypes than it really was, and I have to say all the references to Austen’s works got a bit tiring after a while (although I understand their mentions, since the main characters was so heavily influenced by her works). The writing is nice and makes for an easy, fast-paced read. Personally, I enjoyed Tom and Susie’s storylines better than Vicky’s. The mystery leaves a lot to be desired, but still, a fun read. The romance was alright I guess.