Scan barcode
fmcfranny's review against another edition
4.0
This was pretty good. I liked getting another characters POV, these were side characters in another book in this series I read, and it was a great combo of PR and HR. Never read anything like this series.
flossbossbooks's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.0
No plot. No character development. Just sex but not even any connection? Just boring. Plus cheating - why?
kzimm2024's review against another edition
4.0
4.25 stars. CM Nascosta redeemed herself with this one but I feel like there must have been an editor involved because it was smoother and easier to read (although there were a few rough patches). Not that I trust current releases but this was a good one. Even made me tear up for Eleanor a few times.
We have a lovely soul with Eleanor, ready to step up and do anything to reverse her family's bad fortunes and save her 2 younger sisters. Question- the Monsters Ball must be known for its moral questionability for Eleanor to accept the teachings of Silas? She acquiesced pretty quickly IMHO. But why do they send these genteel Ton rejects to a horny Ball? Sets them up for disaster I think... which makes for a good story, sigh. Answered my own question.
Upon meeting Silas, she thought he was pretty rude (I didn't catch the rudeness so it felt like an overreaction on her part):
One of the things he says "I understand that humans are quite content to play at being coy indefinitely, but when your time is limited, and a mate is your aim, I assure you, exciting his blood is just as important as your manners. More important, to be quite frank.”
and as the "tutoring" begins, he ticks her off.
We start to see the real Eleanor:
"Lords and dandies who only want to ruin women, ruin our reputations and our virtue. Flattery, I discovered, was the best way to put those men off, and I can’t imagine it wouldn’t work on you as well, Lord Stride.
You now have the power to ruin me for London society. Is that enough? How long am I expected to stroke your ego before I’ve sufficiently mollified your colossal vanity, my lord?”
Now, we go into "cheating" territory (and again later) which normally bothers me but this time I didn't have a negative emotional reaction since there was no emotional commitment yet, remember he has a reputation to live up to!
"It made no matter how often he emptied it — jerking himself in a mad frenzy until he seized, spilling like a green boy, or else, making good use of Lady Derrybrook’s firm grip and willing mouth, fucking dairymaids and a duke’s daughter, trying and failing every day to purge his loins of the hot, hard desire they’d developed for Eleanor Eastwick, but it was no use. His knot pulsed in a cadence that seemed to echo her name and hers alone."
His dick knew more than his heart and head!
Eleanor finds out about his indiscretions but she uses the anger to fuel her own revenge, namely reminding him of other men while being intimate- hilarious:
“You already have me ready to spill, darling. How is that possible?”
He was moving his hips now, raising them to meet her hands, both of her hands around his shaft now squeezed tight within his own, his eyes closed, and his head dropped back . . .
“Still, I do wonder how different an orc would be.”
His groan was strangled.
Silas allows the break-up before the Ball and it is his sister that saves the day:
“For pity’s sake, do I have to fucking do everything?!“
Maris pushed to her feet, flinging the glass of ratafia into the fire, and the flames surged.
"Go pack a bag right now, you fucking child, and go after her. You have an invitation to the ball, Silas. Go claim your bride.
And I swear to the moon, if you bollocks this up, I will push you from the roof. You’re too stupid to wear the title."
So, it's no spoiler to note that he goes to the Ball to claim his bride, but man he was NOT prepared for how furious she was at him (one example):
"She didn’t know why he was here, but if he didn’t disappear rather quickly, she was going to find wherever it was he slept and push him into the lake."
and finally, after some well placed words for Silas:
"I love you, Eleanor. I’ve come to claim you as my bride, Miss Eastwick, and bring you home to Basingstone, where you belong.”
We have a lovely soul with Eleanor, ready to step up and do anything to reverse her family's bad fortunes and save her 2 younger sisters. Question- the Monsters Ball must be known for its moral questionability for Eleanor to accept the teachings of Silas? She acquiesced pretty quickly IMHO. But why do they send these genteel Ton rejects to a horny Ball? Sets them up for disaster I think... which makes for a good story, sigh. Answered my own question.
Upon meeting Silas, she thought he was pretty rude (I didn't catch the rudeness so it felt like an overreaction on her part):
One of the things he says "I understand that humans are quite content to play at being coy indefinitely, but when your time is limited, and a mate is your aim, I assure you, exciting his blood is just as important as your manners. More important, to be quite frank.”
and as the "tutoring" begins, he ticks her off.
We start to see the real Eleanor:
"Lords and dandies who only want to ruin women, ruin our reputations and our virtue. Flattery, I discovered, was the best way to put those men off, and I can’t imagine it wouldn’t work on you as well, Lord Stride.
You now have the power to ruin me for London society. Is that enough? How long am I expected to stroke your ego before I’ve sufficiently mollified your colossal vanity, my lord?”
Now, we go into "cheating" territory (and again later) which normally bothers me but this time I didn't have a negative emotional reaction since there was no emotional commitment yet, remember he has a reputation to live up to!
"It made no matter how often he emptied it — jerking himself in a mad frenzy until he seized, spilling like a green boy, or else, making good use of Lady Derrybrook’s firm grip and willing mouth, fucking dairymaids and a duke’s daughter, trying and failing every day to purge his loins of the hot, hard desire they’d developed for Eleanor Eastwick, but it was no use. His knot pulsed in a cadence that seemed to echo her name and hers alone."
His dick knew more than his heart and head!
Eleanor finds out about his indiscretions but she uses the anger to fuel her own revenge, namely reminding him of other men while being intimate- hilarious:
“You already have me ready to spill, darling. How is that possible?”
He was moving his hips now, raising them to meet her hands, both of her hands around his shaft now squeezed tight within his own, his eyes closed, and his head dropped back . . .
“Still, I do wonder how different an orc would be.”
His groan was strangled.
Silas allows the break-up before the Ball and it is his sister that saves the day:
“For pity’s sake, do I have to fucking do everything?!“
Maris pushed to her feet, flinging the glass of ratafia into the fire, and the flames surged.
"Go pack a bag right now, you fucking child, and go after her. You have an invitation to the ball, Silas. Go claim your bride.
And I swear to the moon, if you bollocks this up, I will push you from the roof. You’re too stupid to wear the title."
So, it's no spoiler to note that he goes to the Ball to claim his bride, but man he was NOT prepared for how furious she was at him (one example):
"She didn’t know why he was here, but if he didn’t disappear rather quickly, she was going to find wherever it was he slept and push him into the lake."
and finally, after some well placed words for Silas:
"I love you, Eleanor. I’ve come to claim you as my bride, Miss Eastwick, and bring you home to Basingstone, where you belong.”
sid_the_sloth105's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
alexrasouli's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
hadleyray's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ericas_bookshelf's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
It’s Bridgerton with monsters and knotting, need I go on? Haha
I personally, struggle with some of the word choices used in the spicy scenes, but other than that, this was super fun!!
I personally, struggle with some of the word choices used in the spicy scenes, but other than that, this was super fun!!