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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Is this the most perfect childhood-friends-to-lovers historical romance we've ever read? Signs point to "yes."
We loved almost every page of the book, from their first meeting after five years in a crowded ballroom to their road trip to Scotland in the company with the two most inappropriate Doyennes of the Ton, to the ultimate HEA. Chase also knows how to write continuing books in a series, with references to the previous (wonderful) entries that still work for a reader coming in cold.
In short, we loved it!
Meg's 41-word summary: We all knew that Lisle and Olivia would get together. But with him in Egypt and her in England, when will it happen? Oh, when his awful parents make Lisle restore a castle in Scotland and Olivia inserts herself, that’s when.
Laine's 41-word summary: Lisle and Olivia are finally in the same place as adults; sparks fly. She strikes up a scheme to prevent his parents from cutting him off: restoring a castle. Scottish shenanigans and illicit affairs can't take the place of Egypt, though.
www.linktr.ee/plottrysts
We loved almost every page of the book, from their first meeting after five years in a crowded ballroom to their road trip to Scotland in the company with the two most inappropriate Doyennes of the Ton, to the ultimate HEA. Chase also knows how to write continuing books in a series, with references to the previous (wonderful) entries that still work for a reader coming in cold.
In short, we loved it!
Meg's 41-word summary: We all knew that Lisle and Olivia would get together. But with him in Egypt and her in England, when will it happen? Oh, when his awful parents make Lisle restore a castle in Scotland and Olivia inserts herself, that’s when.
Laine's 41-word summary: Lisle and Olivia are finally in the same place as adults; sparks fly. She strikes up a scheme to prevent his parents from cutting him off: restoring a castle. Scottish shenanigans and illicit affairs can't take the place of Egypt, though.
www.linktr.ee/plottrysts
Really endearing friends to lovers opposites attract, known each other forever, story. Very enjoyable! Points deducted for g*#%y slur why do historicals do this? I know it’s not meant to be harmful but even in 2010 surely people knew better
adventurous
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:
No
Finally getting around to writing a review for this....
The thing that struck me the most about this book was how very well Chase matured Lisle and Olivia. She kept their basic personalities and their relationship intact but allowed both them and it to grow in what felt like a natural way.
Olivia is still the overly dramatic, somewhat impulsive creature with a natural tendency toward larceny. Lisle is still the pragmatic, level headed person who is quite out of sync with his parents. They are still friends but there is an extra layer of adult attraction over that.
I loved how Chase created that tension that spanned between their childhood memories of each other and the new adult awareness of each other. They are no longer 10 and twelve. They are no longer forced communicate only via letters. They are in front of each other now, struck by the fact they have known and, yes, loved, each other forever but they are these two new unexplored people.
And even with all the "Hmm, of course Olivia now has breasts!" and "Oh, Goodness! Lisle is so TALL and manly handsome!!!" lusty thought roiling around in their brains, they still talk to each other with the ease and irreverence of a long and close relationship.
The dialogue between them is great and I really enjoyed how Chase made this book a perfect companion to Lord Perfect having Lisle, again, beat up someone in the street on Olivia's behalf and having the two go off (again) on an adventure that turns into a treasure hunt.
I thoroughly enjoyed the lightness of tone of this book. And got a chuckle out of Olivia's letters.
The thing that struck me the most about this book was how very well Chase matured Lisle and Olivia. She kept their basic personalities and their relationship intact but allowed both them and it to grow in what felt like a natural way.
Olivia is still the overly dramatic, somewhat impulsive creature with a natural tendency toward larceny. Lisle is still the pragmatic, level headed person who is quite out of sync with his parents. They are still friends but there is an extra layer of adult attraction over that.
I loved how Chase created that tension that spanned between their childhood memories of each other and the new adult awareness of each other. They are no longer 10 and twelve. They are no longer forced communicate only via letters. They are in front of each other now, struck by the fact they have known and, yes, loved, each other forever but they are these two new unexplored people.
And even with all the "Hmm, of course Olivia now has breasts!" and "Oh, Goodness! Lisle is so TALL and manly handsome!!!" lusty thought roiling around in their brains, they still talk to each other with the ease and irreverence of a long and close relationship.
The dialogue between them is great and I really enjoyed how Chase made this book a perfect companion to Lord Perfect having Lisle, again, beat up someone in the street on Olivia's behalf and having the two go off (again) on an adventure that turns into a treasure hunt.
I thoroughly enjoyed the lightness of tone of this book. And got a chuckle out of Olivia's letters.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Only 3 stars for this one. The weakest of the five in my opinion.
The Amazon blurb:
Olivia and Lisle are all grown up. Apparently neither has changed (internally) since they were 12 and 13. Olivia is still impulsive and looking for adventure. Lisle is still obsessed with facts and order.
Lisle's parents have got themselves into a flap (quelle surprise) about an estate in Scotland and want Lisle to go there and fix things. In order to force his hand they threaten to cut him off without a penny. Before he can decide what to do Olivia has forced his hand by first agreeing to go with him (together with two comic but woefully underused great-aunts)and then absconding in the middle of the night without him.
I think my problem with this book is that I found Olivia exasperating and could not fathom why Lisle liked her (apart from the obvious) and couldn't see how they could ever make a marriage work.
There is also a daft plot involving buried treasure which still doesn't make much sense to me.
The Amazon blurb:
After surviving the perils of Egypt, Peregrine Dalmay, Earl of Lisle, is back in London, facing the most dire threat of all: his irrational family . . . and Miss Olivia Wingate-Carsington. A descendant of notorious—but very aristocratic—swindlers, the delectable redhead has the ability to completely unhinge him and a long history of dragging him into her scandalous schemes.
Olivia may be Society's darling, but she's aware a respectable future looms menacingly. And so when Lisle is forced to go on a family mission, she sees this as the perfect chance for one last adventure—even if it is with the one man in the world she can't wrap around her finger. But really, she only wants to help . . .
Which is why Lisle and Olivia find themselves in a gloomy Scottish castle inhabited by spiteful ghosts and craven murderers . . . and a shocking secret: the greatest peril of all may be burning within their own stubborn hearts.
Olivia and Lisle are all grown up. Apparently neither has changed (internally) since they were 12 and 13. Olivia is still impulsive and looking for adventure. Lisle is still obsessed with facts and order.
Lisle's parents have got themselves into a flap (quelle surprise) about an estate in Scotland and want Lisle to go there and fix things. In order to force his hand they threaten to cut him off without a penny. Before he can decide what to do Olivia has forced his hand by first agreeing to go with him (together with two comic but woefully underused great-aunts)and then absconding in the middle of the night without him.
I think my problem with this book is that I found Olivia exasperating and could not fathom why Lisle liked her (apart from the obvious) and couldn't see how they could ever make a marriage work.
There is also a daft plot involving buried treasure which still doesn't make much sense to me.
I think Lisle totally destroyed this one for me. He is such a stick in the mud. Olivia deserved better. I guess what bugs me the most would be the fact that Lisle is attracted to Olivia but he couldn't accept her for who she is. He kept berating her and it was annoying. Olivia is more pragmatic when it comes to their relationship compared to Lisle. She knew both of them were like oil and water even though she loved him. I foresee a very difficult road ahead unless Lisle could be more accepting. I read this one after [b:Lord Perfect|132598|Lord Perfect (Carsington Brothers, #3)|Loretta Chase|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386923997l/132598._SY75_.jpg|127727] so, I was pretty excited to read about their romance. I was sorely disappointed. I guess you win some, you lose some.
My favourite from this series would be [b:Not Quite a Lady|132599|Not Quite a Lady (Carsington Brothers, #4)|Loretta Chase|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603083131l/132599._SY75_.jpg|1356166], followed by [b:Lord Perfect|132598|Lord Perfect (Carsington Brothers, #3)|Loretta Chase|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386923997l/132598._SY75_.jpg|127727], [b:Mr. Impossible|132606|Mr. Impossible (Carsington Brothers, #2)|Loretta Chase|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388902394l/132606._SY75_.jpg|127735], [b:Miss Wonderful|425374|Miss Wonderful (Carsington Brothers, #1)|Loretta Chase|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1303901605l/425374._SY75_.jpg|414434] and lastly this one. Overall, a worthwhile series to indulge in.
My favourite from this series would be [b:Not Quite a Lady|132599|Not Quite a Lady (Carsington Brothers, #4)|Loretta Chase|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603083131l/132599._SY75_.jpg|1356166], followed by [b:Lord Perfect|132598|Lord Perfect (Carsington Brothers, #3)|Loretta Chase|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386923997l/132598._SY75_.jpg|127727], [b:Mr. Impossible|132606|Mr. Impossible (Carsington Brothers, #2)|Loretta Chase|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388902394l/132606._SY75_.jpg|127735], [b:Miss Wonderful|425374|Miss Wonderful (Carsington Brothers, #1)|Loretta Chase|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1303901605l/425374._SY75_.jpg|414434] and lastly this one. Overall, a worthwhile series to indulge in.
Full review at Book Binge
Although I love a good hero as much - sometimes more - than the next girl, it's really the heroines who make or break stories for me. The most delicious hero in the world doesn't mean crap if he's with a TSTL heroine. Not only do I hate the heroine, but I start to question the hero..what's wrong with him that he's with this awful girl? What does he see in her?
This book started out well enough. The letters exchanged between Olivia and Lilse were hilarious. Olivia’s capitals and underlines had me laughing out loud. While hilarious, I should have read the warning signs and quit while I was ahead. But I trusted Chase to deliver an amazing, strong heroine and continued on. I’m pretty sorry for it now.
Olivia is the type who acts first, thinks later. Or, more accurately: acts first, thinks never.
As always Chase's writing is fabulous. She really excels at dialogue and creating beautiful imagery with her words. I kept reading right up until the end, hoping Olivia would be redeemed, or show some type of growth. Unfortunately that didn't happen. Even Chase's beautiful writing isn't enough for me to recommend this book.
Although I love a good hero as much - sometimes more - than the next girl, it's really the heroines who make or break stories for me. The most delicious hero in the world doesn't mean crap if he's with a TSTL heroine. Not only do I hate the heroine, but I start to question the hero..what's wrong with him that he's with this awful girl? What does he see in her?
This book started out well enough. The letters exchanged between Olivia and Lilse were hilarious. Olivia’s capitals and underlines had me laughing out loud. While hilarious, I should have read the warning signs and quit while I was ahead. But I trusted Chase to deliver an amazing, strong heroine and continued on. I’m pretty sorry for it now.
Olivia is the type who acts first, thinks later. Or, more accurately: acts first, thinks never.
As always Chase's writing is fabulous. She really excels at dialogue and creating beautiful imagery with her words. I kept reading right up until the end, hoping Olivia would be redeemed, or show some type of growth. Unfortunately that didn't happen. Even Chase's beautiful writing isn't enough for me to recommend this book.