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kay_slayerofbooks's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
I giggled incessantly!!!
Jane is . . . relentless!!! I mean I really did giggle throughout the entire story. It was worth it tho, I LOVED IT!
I giggled incessantly!!!
Jane is . . . relentless!!! I mean I really did giggle throughout the entire story. It was worth it tho, I LOVED IT!
blodeuedd's review against another edition
3.0
This was a really sweet romance, and hey, I do like sweet.
We have Jane who loves books, and she is happy being on the shelf, but....she is curious, and she does want people to notice her. Poor Jane, people really do not see her at all.
Xavier is broken and messed up from war. But that was then, now he just wants to move on.
Aww, this book was sweet and funny. Jane wants to try smexy times and trust me, Xavier does not stand a chance. She is out to seduce him, and he will try to say no. But omg, she was so funny, so frank, so out of her league since she really only knew things from books. It was so funny to read about.
Oh and there was this speech...awwwwwww.
I have like two in this series already, good series then.
Funny and romantic.
We have Jane who loves books, and she is happy being on the shelf, but....she is curious, and she does want people to notice her. Poor Jane, people really do not see her at all.
Xavier is broken and messed up from war. But that was then, now he just wants to move on.
Aww, this book was sweet and funny. Jane wants to try smexy times and trust me, Xavier does not stand a chance. She is out to seduce him, and he will try to say no. But omg, she was so funny, so frank, so out of her league since she really only knew things from books. It was so funny to read about.
Oh and there was this speech...awwwwwww.
I have like two in this series already, good series then.
Funny and romantic.
golden_lily's review against another edition
4.0
Read This Review & More Like It At Ageless Pages Reviews
I generally take exception to bluestocking romances, which so frequently characterize the phenomena as “brunette who reads because she’s shy”, instead of an informal movement with roots in feminism and politics. So imagine my surprise, while Jane never states she attends Blue Stocking Society events, she is educated, articulate, and very modern. And when I say modern, I mean she can rescite the Odyssey from memory while reading a forbidden erotic novel.
Yet Jane’s utterly forgettable. No matter how shocking she is, how witty or outrageous, she can’t get off the shelf. Men look right past her, reintroducing themselves year after year. She’s given up looking for marriage, but sex might still be on the table, particularly with a handsome, discrete Captain just returned from the Napoleonic Wars. Taking advantage of her unmemorableness, Jane takes a huge risk and shows up unannounced and unescorted to Xavier’s cottage.
As with a lot of snowbound romances, it just so happens the staff is all out when she arrives! Xavier, fearing for Jane’s reputation, tries to send her away, but the terrible weather has other ideas. Trapped together, Jane throws herself at Xavier and, well you know. He declines.
Wait, wha?
Xavier refuses to defile a lady, feeling he did enough horrible things in the war. His PTSD is pretty well written, though it’s a little mild considering the character was practically catatonic with guilt in the first book. I found him a bit condescending towards Jane and her feelings at first, but the way he comes around was really nice.
I really like the way the romance played out, especially the scene in the library and the card game. I thought the characters had chemistry and I cared about them getting together. There’s a good amount of humor, including a devil-possessed cat, mixed with the heart. On the negative side, there were some odd word choices, including Xavier swearing to Zeus, which was confusing and a little distracting. The real issue is, apart from a few scenes mentioned above, the book is a little like Jane. Forgettable.
I generally take exception to bluestocking romances, which so frequently characterize the phenomena as “brunette who reads because she’s shy”, instead of an informal movement with roots in feminism and politics. So imagine my surprise, while Jane never states she attends Blue Stocking Society events, she is educated, articulate, and very modern. And when I say modern, I mean she can rescite the Odyssey from memory while reading a forbidden erotic novel.
Yet Jane’s utterly forgettable. No matter how shocking she is, how witty or outrageous, she can’t get off the shelf. Men look right past her, reintroducing themselves year after year. She’s given up looking for marriage, but sex might still be on the table, particularly with a handsome, discrete Captain just returned from the Napoleonic Wars. Taking advantage of her unmemorableness, Jane takes a huge risk and shows up unannounced and unescorted to Xavier’s cottage.
As with a lot of snowbound romances, it just so happens the staff is all out when she arrives! Xavier, fearing for Jane’s reputation, tries to send her away, but the terrible weather has other ideas. Trapped together, Jane throws herself at Xavier and, well you know. He declines.
Wait, wha?
Xavier refuses to defile a lady, feeling he did enough horrible things in the war. His PTSD is pretty well written, though it’s a little mild considering the character was practically catatonic with guilt in the first book. I found him a bit condescending towards Jane and her feelings at first, but the way he comes around was really nice.
I really like the way the romance played out, especially the scene in the library and the card game. I thought the characters had chemistry and I cared about them getting together. There’s a good amount of humor, including a devil-possessed cat, mixed with the heart. On the negative side, there were some odd word choices, including Xavier swearing to Zeus, which was confusing and a little distracting. The real issue is, apart from a few scenes mentioned above, the book is a little like Jane. Forgettable.
sara_va's review against another edition
4.0
Great light read. Ridley is back to the logic, emotion and depth behind her characters and their romance. HEA but in a developed, logical way (not blunt surprise of Book #2), with a fun twist at the end. Highly recommend for a perfect beach romance.
solaana's review against another edition
There is no place on this earth where the chick on the cover might be called plump or chubby, LIKE THE CHARACTER IN THE BOOK.
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
4.0
This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress was a fun read, where the heroine used everything she could to try to seduce the good captain... who would do anything in his power not to ruin her
I don't even know where to start! I loved how Jane knew what she wanted, and that she did what she could to get it! At the perils of her being eligible for marriage, even. The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress brought both romance and humor, and a very unconventional heroine I loved to get to know. And I can't forget that darned cat, who both made things more difficult for Jane, and at times somehow better.
Ridley's Dukes of War series is so good, the heroines are not the ton's usual ladies, standing demurely in the shadows, they take charge of situations, and that makes them loveable. Broken heroes who can be put back together and become stronger are the best, and Xavier definitely fit that bill.
Jane, the younger sister of a man whom the ton liked, has set her eyes on the man she wants to marry. And she will not back down for anything.
Xavier felt like he had nothing more to offer after he came back from the war. He had seen too much. Done too much. And came back alive, while not all of his friends did. He was sure he didn't deserve anything good, but Jane did her best to convince him otherwise.
Side characters from prior books, and hopefully one who will be featured in a future book.
The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress is written in third person, past tense, with an external narrator who knows most of what is going on. The dialogues where hilarious.
Uplifted! That's my main feel for this one.
Even with all this snow and the serpentine trail of coaches, she and her companions would have plenty of time to mingle by the refreshments before taking their seats.mJane slumped against the squab. Mingling was horrid.
He must resume his scheme of converting her image of him into one of a mere acquaintance. It had to work. One did not seduce one's acquaintances.
Lord save him. He moaned into his hands. Things had somehow got even worse. his mission hadn't failed after all. Instead, he had accidentally become the-friend-to-which-she-shared-all-erotic-secrets. Platonic was worse than lovers. Platonic was hell.
The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress was a fun read, where the heroine used everything she could to try to seduce the good captain... who would do anything in his power not to ruin her
Story:
I don't even know where to start! I loved how Jane knew what she wanted, and that she did what she could to get it! At the perils of her being eligible for marriage, even. The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress brought both romance and humor, and a very unconventional heroine I loved to get to know. And I can't forget that darned cat, who both made things more difficult for Jane, and at times somehow better.
Ridley's Dukes of War series is so good, the heroines are not the ton's usual ladies, standing demurely in the shadows, they take charge of situations, and that makes them loveable. Broken heroes who can be put back together and become stronger are the best, and Xavier definitely fit that bill.
Characters:
Jane, the younger sister of a man whom the ton liked, has set her eyes on the man she wants to marry. And she will not back down for anything.
Xavier felt like he had nothing more to offer after he came back from the war. He had seen too much. Done too much. And came back alive, while not all of his friends did. He was sure he didn't deserve anything good, but Jane did her best to convince him otherwise.
Side characters from prior books, and hopefully one who will be featured in a future book.
Writing style :
The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress is written in third person, past tense, with an external narrator who knows most of what is going on. The dialogues where hilarious.
Feels :
Uplifted! That's my main feel for this one.
Even with all this snow and the serpentine trail of coaches, she and her companions would have plenty of time to mingle by the refreshments before taking their seats.mJane slumped against the squab. Mingling was horrid.
He must resume his scheme of converting her image of him into one of a mere acquaintance. It had to work. One did not seduce one's acquaintances.
Lord save him. He moaned into his hands. Things had somehow got even worse. his mission hadn't failed after all. Instead, he had accidentally become the-friend-to-which-she-shared-all-erotic-secrets. Platonic was worse than lovers. Platonic was hell.
yeriwithaj_'s review against another edition
4.0
I had a great time reading this book, I laughed many times and had my "Aww ain't that sweet" and my What the hell? Get it together already" moment. If you like historical romances with a practical heroine and a not so practical, slightly stubborn hero then you should check out this book!
kayo32's review
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
raquelinabook's review against another edition
3.0
(2.5)
This is the weakest of the first three books in this series. I’ll make a better review (hopefully?) when I’m out of midterms but… it was a little too unbelievable for me.
This is the weakest of the first three books in this series. I’ll make a better review (hopefully?) when I’m out of midterms but… it was a little too unbelievable for me.