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garbage_mcsmutly's review against another edition
emotional
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Misogyny, Abandonment, Classism, Bullying, Cursing, and Sexism
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Death, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I struggled with the delayed reveal on the MMC's backstory in this installment, primarily because the information we DID have made the conflict feel flimsy (and genuinely annoying) for a lot of the book (Why won't he marry her? Because "she's not for him" ... ?). Ultimately, the reveal does help contextualize a lot of the MMC's self-flagellation, but I almost DNF'd it before then. I know MacLean is on track to be one of my most-read authors this year, so I'm not too worried about this one being a bit of a miss for me - I still enjoyed reading it, just likely won't return for reread. Cannot wait for Day of the Duchess and the angsty mess it promises!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Grief, Trafficking, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy
Revenge porn (a la oil painting) is the main conflict/premise here - this may be triggering to some readers!livlamentloathe's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Sexual content
raffy23's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
-Good at first, but turned boring & ridiculous
-repetitive and unsubtle themes
-romance is surface level and based on physical attraction mostly
-main dude (Alec) literally tells main girl that her physcial features are her assets, and hesitates when she asks what about her brain/mind - only backtracks later on this + book spends time trying to act like Alec actually gives a damn about her brains after his fatal hesitation and reluctance to call her brains an asset/desirable quality for other men
-intimate scenes were cringe and had very awkward wording choices
The Story (mild spoilers):
-The initial concept of a scandal of posing for a nude portrait is fascinating, as well as the fact that 17 dukes somehow die in a short amount of time (not even questioned), but how the rest of the story is executed (as soon as our two main leads are introduced) reads more like a fanfiction.
Tell me if you've heard of this one: he's big, she's the prettiest girl ever, she's under his power and can't leave without his permission, she acts like she hates him and dislikes things he says about her but can't get over his attractiveness so ofc she eventually falls for him for no reason other than easily falling for men (set up earlier in the story with another dude until he betrayed her), they have a steamy moment but he stops it, saying they can't/they shouldn't (happens multiple times), spend the rest of the book denying each other of just getting into a relationship already, throw insults at each other in the meantime to pretend they no longer care for each other, until the very end
-at th end, the couple we all know will get together only do so because he stupidly tries to reject her, causing her to do something equally stupid that she never would have done (mirroring his justifications) if he didnt reject her again - Something shocking/compromising just to be able to talk to him
-repetitive and unsubtle themes
-romance is surface level and based on physical attraction mostly
-main dude (Alec) literally tells main girl that her physcial features are her assets, and hesitates when she asks what about her brain/mind - only backtracks later on this + book spends time trying to act like Alec actually gives a damn about her brains after his fatal hesitation and reluctance to call her brains an asset/desirable quality for other men
-intimate scenes were cringe and had very awkward wording choices
The Story (mild spoilers):
-The initial concept of a scandal of posing for a nude portrait is fascinating, as well as the fact that 17 dukes somehow die in a short amount of time (not even questioned), but how the rest of the story is executed (as soon as our two main leads are introduced) reads more like a fanfiction.
Tell me if you've heard of this one: he's big, she's the prettiest girl ever, she's under his power and can't leave without his permission, she acts like she hates him and dislikes things he says about her but can't get over his attractiveness so ofc she eventually falls for him for no reason other than easily falling for men (set up earlier in the story with another dude until he betrayed her), they have a steamy moment but he stops it, saying they can't/they shouldn't (happens multiple times), spend the rest of the book denying each other of just getting into a relationship already, throw insults at each other in the meantime to pretend they no longer care for each other, until the very end
-at th end, the couple we all know will get together only do so because he stupidly tries to reject her, causing her to do something equally stupid that she never would have done (mirroring his justifications) if he didnt reject her again - Something shocking/compromising just to be able to talk to him
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment
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