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jody_diou's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
idrils's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was Tessa Dare's first published novel, and imo it shows. It's a little meandering, and it features a very classical Brooding Brute of a male love interest, which I find kind of played and uninteresting. That said, the characters were very lovable, and their choices all made absolute sense based on their goals and the information they had - that's not always the case, and it was refreshing!
There were parts that made me laugh out loud - notably, during a sex scene whereJeremy is surprised by something, and Lucy in some distress says I thought you were a rake! You're supposed to know what you're doing!
I found that Lucy's rivalturned friend Sophia was a more interesting character than the male LI, and the growing relationship between Lucy and Sophia was more compelling and enjoyable than the one between her and Jeremy. Just can't take off the lesbian goggles I guess.
I started this review at 3 stars because I just didn't like Jeremy, but I can't deny how much I liked Lucy and Sophia, and I always love Tessa Dare's writing style, so I upped it to 4.
There were parts that made me laugh out loud - notably, during a sex scene where
I found that Lucy's rival
I started this review at 3 stars because I just didn't like Jeremy, but I can't deny how much I liked Lucy and Sophia, and I always love Tessa Dare's writing style, so I upped it to 4.
lifeand100books's review against another edition
4.0
My review for the entire Wanton Dairymaid trilogy can be found here: http://wp.me/p18lIL-1q5
We’ve all been there: having a crush on someone who does not reciprocate the feeling. It’s devastating and painful to think that the person you love may never love you back. This is but a glimpse into Lucy’s mind as she contemplates a future without Toby. She’s at her wit’s end on how to gain his attention and affections and the only person she can talk to about her situation is cold, frigid Jeremy. The old saying “opposites attract” has never been truer than in the case of Jeremy and Lucy. Initially they get along about as well as oil and water. Jeremy acts more like a father figure at times than a man figuring out that the love of his life has been in front of him the whole time. Lucy, on the other hand, acts out to garner attention, whether it be good or bad. Reading the fireworks that consistently went off between the two of them was so exciting and definitely had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t wait for that moment when they would realize how perfect they were for each other. It definitely made me sad that I read this trilogy out-of-order, as I ended with this and was disappointed that I had no more books to read! Regardless, Goddess of the Hunt was a solid beginning (or end in my case) to this trilogy.
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
We’ve all been there: having a crush on someone who does not reciprocate the feeling. It’s devastating and painful to think that the person you love may never love you back. This is but a glimpse into Lucy’s mind as she contemplates a future without Toby. She’s at her wit’s end on how to gain his attention and affections and the only person she can talk to about her situation is cold, frigid Jeremy. The old saying “opposites attract” has never been truer than in the case of Jeremy and Lucy. Initially they get along about as well as oil and water. Jeremy acts more like a father figure at times than a man figuring out that the love of his life has been in front of him the whole time. Lucy, on the other hand, acts out to garner attention, whether it be good or bad. Reading the fireworks that consistently went off between the two of them was so exciting and definitely had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t wait for that moment when they would realize how perfect they were for each other. It definitely made me sad that I read this trilogy out-of-order, as I ended with this and was disappointed that I had no more books to read! Regardless, Goddess of the Hunt was a solid beginning (or end in my case) to this trilogy.
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
chandlerainsley's review against another edition
5.0
dedicating your horniest book to your husband is quite the power move, ms. dare
i'm reading all of tessa dare's backlist for a video i'm doing and to be honest, if it weren't for that video i would not have picked this book up. dare's most recent series, Girl Meets Duke, is one of my favorite historical series but her others... um. not so much. so i didn't have high hopes going into this, her first published novel.
but i was very pleasantly surprised. this book has an originality that a lot of her other books lack. that's not to shit on her writing, it just seems to me that a lot of her books have predictable plots and VERY similar character pairings (grumpy/sunshine, damaged hero/strong heroine, rake/nerd). this one not so much. our heroine is young and a little foolish with a LOT of spirit. and our hero is not quite a rake or too overwrought with damage. he's just a dude who's seen some shit.
i also appreciated that the plot didn't end at just a marriage proposal. i think that's quite common in a lot of modern (like 2010-present published) historicals and i am finding i really appreciate when characters get married and then actually have shit to deal with. which this one had. i really liked the deeper level of intimacy the characters gained beyond fleeting attraction and sex.
overall i really liked this. i think if you like dare's latest books this might not be a hit for you, but it really worked for me.
i'm reading all of tessa dare's backlist for a video i'm doing and to be honest, if it weren't for that video i would not have picked this book up. dare's most recent series, Girl Meets Duke, is one of my favorite historical series but her others... um. not so much. so i didn't have high hopes going into this, her first published novel.
but i was very pleasantly surprised. this book has an originality that a lot of her other books lack. that's not to shit on her writing, it just seems to me that a lot of her books have predictable plots and VERY similar character pairings (grumpy/sunshine, damaged hero/strong heroine, rake/nerd). this one not so much. our heroine is young and a little foolish with a LOT of spirit. and our hero is not quite a rake or too overwrought with damage. he's just a dude who's seen some shit.
i also appreciated that the plot didn't end at just a marriage proposal. i think that's quite common in a lot of modern (like 2010-present published) historicals and i am finding i really appreciate when characters get married and then actually have shit to deal with. which this one had. i really liked the deeper level of intimacy the characters gained beyond fleeting attraction and sex.
overall i really liked this. i think if you like dare's latest books this might not be a hit for you, but it really worked for me.
saradi's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
bonzaklibo's review against another edition
3.0
The beginning was shaping up to be an excellent friends to lovers, but then at the midway point, it was like they suddenly didn't know each other at all. Just a bunch of pointless misunderstandings.
Spoiler
after they were married,catherine_silva25's review against another edition
2.0
Nothing about this book was compelling or unique. It felt rushed plot wise and flat character wise. Nothing made sense. The characters have no purpose so there is nothing to guide the story or explain anything. It was just okay and sometimes crazy which made it somewhat fun.
nighteyes82's review against another edition
1.0
OMG that was tedious!
it took me two weeks to read this book.
that reminded me of the Julia Quinn book (the Secret Diary of...).
but except for a moment where I could connect with the character angst (after the wedding) it was just a long and dreary book.
I will not bother to get the other two...
it took me two weeks to read this book.
that reminded me of the Julia Quinn book (the Secret Diary of...).
but except for a moment where I could connect with the character angst (after the wedding) it was just a long and dreary book.
I will not bother to get the other two...
c4nd1e's review against another edition
4.0
Lucy thinks that she's in love with Toby, one of her brother's friends. When she finds out that Toby is going to propose to another woman, Lucy decides to try to change his mind. Lucy ends up making out with Jeremy, another of her brother's friends, so that she can practice before she makes her move on Toby. Eventually Lucy and Jeremy fake an attachment, while dealing with their changing emotions for each other.
Jeremy is emotionally shut off due to a tragedy that happened in his childhood. Lucy gets under his skin and he slowly opens up to her. He's obnoxiously controlling in the middle, but does get better towards the end. Lucy is fairly immature at the beginning of the book, but does improve as the book goes on. She figures out her true feelings pretty quickly and the Toby part of the story doesn't go on especially long. Lucy and Jeremy have good chemistry together, and they are good for one another after they figure things out.
I didn't love the age gap. He was 29 to her 19, and they've known each other for 10 years. Nothing happens until the opening of the book and it's not brought up too much, so it's not a giant deal, but I wasn't a fan. I'm just tired of reading books with 18-20 year old heroines and older heroes. Oh well.
Jeremy is emotionally shut off due to a tragedy that happened in his childhood. Lucy gets under his skin and he slowly opens up to her. He's obnoxiously controlling in the middle, but does get better towards the end. Lucy is fairly immature at the beginning of the book, but does improve as the book goes on. She figures out her true feelings pretty quickly and the Toby part of the story doesn't go on especially long. Lucy and Jeremy have good chemistry together, and they are good for one another after they figure things out.
I didn't love the age gap. He was 29 to her 19, and they've known each other for 10 years. Nothing happens until the opening of the book and it's not brought up too much, so it's not a giant deal, but I wasn't a fan. I'm just tired of reading books with 18-20 year old heroines and older heroes. Oh well.
blodeuedd's review against another edition
4.0
This was a good book for a long bustrip, I sat there and smiled and must have looked like a fool sometimes.
Lucy wants to get married and she has her sights on a certain person but how to get there when she is such a tomboy who hasn't even had her first season? So she gets this silly idea that she should practice her seduction skills on her brother's friend Jeremy. What a crazy idea, and I was so glad to see that Jeremy was a gentleman who tried to resist.
Lucy was bold, and I liked her. Act like her I would not have, but I sure liked her spirit. She was sweet, even if a bit naive in a way. You just had to love her when she got that idea into her head. Jeremy is cold, and those two had never really liked each other. Not to mention she has her sights elsewhere. But things start to happen and I fall for them both and keep wishing they can look through their silly games.
I sometimes have a problem with historical romance, the oh so virginal unkissed heriones tend to give it up to quickly and always love it at once. How sweet and how nonvirginal all must have been. Even if I like a book that always annoys me, and I was so glad that that did in a way not happen here. I did not want things to bug me.
So this book had me soon smiling and grinning like a fool. There are some passages that just made me wanna giggle. Then the book took another turn and changed and I liked the new turn of events too. Made me root for them more, made me dislike Jeremy more and made me love him more. They do not have an easy way to go but that is what romance need, a rocky way to make them realise that they do belong together.
There is also a sidecharacter that I do not want to like at first, since Lucy does not want to like her either, but I do fall for her, she has such an imagination. And I am glad to see that she is the main character in the 2nd book, and the 3rd book also has a charcter from thsi book in it. I would sure like to see how it all plays out.
Lucy wants to get married and she has her sights on a certain person but how to get there when she is such a tomboy who hasn't even had her first season? So she gets this silly idea that she should practice her seduction skills on her brother's friend Jeremy. What a crazy idea, and I was so glad to see that Jeremy was a gentleman who tried to resist.
Lucy was bold, and I liked her. Act like her I would not have, but I sure liked her spirit. She was sweet, even if a bit naive in a way. You just had to love her when she got that idea into her head. Jeremy is cold, and those two had never really liked each other. Not to mention she has her sights elsewhere. But things start to happen and I fall for them both and keep wishing they can look through their silly games.
I sometimes have a problem with historical romance, the oh so virginal unkissed heriones tend to give it up to quickly and always love it at once. How sweet and how nonvirginal all must have been. Even if I like a book that always annoys me, and I was so glad that that did in a way not happen here. I did not want things to bug me.
So this book had me soon smiling and grinning like a fool. There are some passages that just made me wanna giggle. Then the book took another turn and changed and I liked the new turn of events too. Made me root for them more, made me dislike Jeremy more and made me love him more. They do not have an easy way to go but that is what romance need, a rocky way to make them realise that they do belong together.
There is also a sidecharacter that I do not want to like at first, since Lucy does not want to like her either, but I do fall for her, she has such an imagination. And I am glad to see that she is the main character in the 2nd book, and the 3rd book also has a charcter from thsi book in it. I would sure like to see how it all plays out.