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2.99 AVERAGE
2.99 AVERAGE
I liked Viola in the first book, I liked her a little less in this one. John Hammond is an unlikeable character. This book felt very 90's. The hero is one of those I have manly urges that need to be taken care of, you wouldn't so someone else needed to....... uh huh.
Second chance romances are some of my favorite romances but often authors struggle with them. It is very hard to make characters likeable, or sometimes the problems seem insurmountable, or the two people just don't have the right chemistry.
In this case it suffered from a variety of issues. The hero was unapologetic for being an asshole, the reasons for the reconcile where not great and did not help me liking the situation, and I just felt bad for Viola. This just felt very disjointed.
Second chance romances are some of my favorite romances but often authors struggle with them. It is very hard to make characters likeable, or sometimes the problems seem insurmountable, or the two people just don't have the right chemistry.
In this case it suffered from a variety of issues. The hero was unapologetic for being an asshole, the reasons for the reconcile where not great and did not help me liking the situation, and I just felt bad for Viola. This just felt very disjointed.
Loveable characters:
No
If I were Anthony, I'd smacked John back and forth to hell. What a sorry excuse of human being. John is a one huge walking red flag from the start.
Another book I liked a bit more than I thought I would. John is an asshole and pretty much clueless until the last quarter of the book but I still wanted him and Viola to reconcile. Viola was the type of heroine I like - tough, fiery and a grudge holder, but at the same time she was also a runner just like John was. Add those together and you end up with a couple almost a decade apart which is almost too long in my opinion. I wasn't that fond of the secondary characters, but then I hadn't read their books either. Overall I enjoyed it and the writer's style.
Spoiler
Finally this book had my absolutely most hated trope - a child with another woman after
he gets together with the MFC. In this book it was especially annoying because he kept reassuring her it would never happen in spite of all his screwing around. As if she hadn't had enough embarrassment from this jackass! That knocked it down a star.
Spoiler
Finally this book had my absolutely most hated trope - a child with another woman after
he gets together with the MFC. In this book it was especially annoying because he kept reassuring her it would never happen in spite of all his screwing around. As if she hadn't had enough embarrassment from this jackass! That knocked it down a star.
I spent the first half of The Marriage Bed thoroughly irritated at the story and the author. John Hammond walked out on his young wife when she found out he'd been keeping a mistress until the day they married. She was hurt and angry, and she barred him from her room. After one month, he'd had enough. For the past 8 years Viola and John have lived separate lives. He's had a string of mistresses. Viola has had to deal with the gossip and the censure from the ton about the mistresses, and the fact that she hasn't given the Viscount an heir.
When John finds out his cousin, and presumptive heir, has died, he returns to Viola and demands she do her duty and live with him again, in order to secure an heir for his estates.
What made me angry at the author was the way Viola, a strong-willed and independent woman, is unable to resist John's charming advances. I wanted him to at least understand the hurt he'd inflicted on her. Viola also needs to understand her part in the split, but she isn't as clueless as John.
I enjoy Guhrke's writing, so I stuck with the book and I'm glad I did. As I'd hoped, she finds a way to bring John to his senses and to show the growing maturity in Viola as well. And Guhrke accomplishes this without resorting to tired tropes.
A very moving and overall satisfying book.
When John finds out his cousin, and presumptive heir, has died, he returns to Viola and demands she do her duty and live with him again, in order to secure an heir for his estates.
What made me angry at the author was the way Viola, a strong-willed and independent woman, is unable to resist John's charming advances. I wanted him to at least understand the hurt he'd inflicted on her. Viola also needs to understand her part in the split, but she isn't as clueless as John.
I enjoy Guhrke's writing, so I stuck with the book and I'm glad I did. As I'd hoped, she finds a way to bring John to his senses and to show the growing maturity in Viola as well. And Guhrke accomplishes this without resorting to tired tropes.
A very moving and overall satisfying book.
I read this because after reading book one I wanted to know what happened to Viola. This was a mistake. John is absolutely awful, and Daphne from book 1 defends him. Nope.
*** Book Q & A***
* How did the book make you feel?: I felt like the H got off the hook too easily and that he was never truly remorseful.
* How do you feel about how the story was told?: This was a very entertaining and maddening read. The plot moved swiftly and it held my attention.
* What did you think about the main characters?: The H was truly a cad. He even told the h that his fidelity was contingent on the h pleasing him. He never really apologized to her and even partly blamed her for his own actions. He did apologize to one of his many OW when she foisted his bastard son off on him. I liked the h a lot and I thought she was very pragmatic, though she was too forgiving.
* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: The suffering and humiliation of the h was heart-wrenching. It went on and on!
* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: cheating H, wronged and abandoned h
* What did you think about the ending?: It was sweet. I would’ve liked a lot more groveling. I was left thinking he’d probably cheat again if she did something to piss him off.
* What is your impression of the author?: I’ll definitely read more.
Triggers: cheating
* How did the book make you feel?: I felt like the H got off the hook too easily and that he was never truly remorseful.
* How do you feel about how the story was told?: This was a very entertaining and maddening read. The plot moved swiftly and it held my attention.
* What did you think about the main characters?: The H was truly a cad. He even told the h that his fidelity was contingent on the h pleasing him. He never really apologized to her and even partly blamed her for his own actions. He did apologize to one of his many OW when she foisted his bastard son off on him. I liked the h a lot and I thought she was very pragmatic, though she was too forgiving.
* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: The suffering and humiliation of the h was heart-wrenching. It went on and on!
* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: cheating H, wronged and abandoned h
* What did you think about the ending?: It was sweet. I would’ve liked a lot more groveling. I was left thinking he’d probably cheat again if she did something to piss him off.
* What is your impression of the author?: I’ll definitely read more.
Triggers: cheating
Redemption arc, second chance romance, you’re the boss.
Things I wasn’t into: this is a historical, but there was a strong vibe of “I’m a better man than most because I won’t rape my wife.” Dislike. He never apologizes for the right years of public unfaithfulness, at one point says “get over it”. He feels bad but she is also at “can’t change the past.” No, but I can make you grovel! The guy has TERRIBLE communication and fighting tendencies. Toward the end of the book you see him change a tiny bit once or twice, but then his child by a mistress comes to live with them! I need more groveling and adoration. Longer redemption, less arc.
Things I wasn’t into: this is a historical, but there was a strong vibe of “I’m a better man than most because I won’t rape my wife.” Dislike. He never apologizes for the right years of public unfaithfulness, at one point says “get over it”. He feels bad but she is also at “can’t change the past.” No, but I can make you grovel! The guy has TERRIBLE communication and fighting tendencies. Toward the end of the book you see him change a tiny bit once or twice, but then his child by a mistress comes to live with them! I need more groveling and adoration. Longer redemption, less arc.
i have never felt this desire to punch a male lead so badly but here we are. his attitude is so despicable and disgusting. i’m so mad he still got to be with her in the end. i wish i could just not read this. it’s just made me SO MAD.
Saya sudah menunggu kisah John Hammond dan Violet sejak membaca buku #1 dalam serial ini. Ternyata sejarah perpisahan mereka lumayan menyedihkan. Violet yang menyerahkan cintanya seutuhnya untuk John, menjadi kecewa karena mengetahui bahwa di malam pernikahan mereka John masih bersama wanita simpanannya. Meskipun John mengaku setelah menikah dia tidak lagi memiliki wanita simpanan. Violet yang sudah terlanjur sakit hati mengusir John dari tempat tidurnya. Sebulan menanti tanpa perubahan, John pergi meninggalkan Violet. Lah Violet jadi tambah baper dan sakit hati.
John ini adalah tipikal pria yang selalu membutuhkan pelampiasan fisik. Ditolak istrinya, dia kembali mencari wanita simpanan. Beberapa wanita menjadi kekasihnya selama 8 tahun berpisah dengan istrinya. Sampai sepupunya yang mengurusi estate dan rumahnya meninggal, John baru sadar dia butuh pewaris dan Violet harus memberikan anak untuknya.
Proses rekonsiliasi antara John dan Violet ini panjaaang dan lamaa. John begitu menginginkan Violet, tapi Violet begitu membenci John. Yang ngeselin, John tidak merasa bersalah karena punya banyak wanita simpanan selama kurun waktu 8 tahun. Dia tidak mau tahu apakah simpanannya ini jatuh cinta padanya atau tidak. Pokoknya dia hanya mau ikut aturan umum, bahwa wanita simpanan tidak boleh jatuh cinta pada tuannya dan begitu kontrak berakhir tidak ada urusan sama sekali. Violet yang diam-diam mengikuti perkembangan kisah romansa suaminya makin sakit hati kalau bertemu mantan simpanan suaminya. Di tahu ada satu dua wanita yang jatuh cinta pada suaminya. Karena dia sendiri sebenarnya masih menyimpan cinta untuk John.
Dengan segala rayuan John berusaha memenangkan kembali hati Violet. Ketika semuanya seperti sudah berjalan seharusnya tiba-tiba ada kejutan dari mantan wanita simpanannya.
Ah..kisahnya memang menggemaskan sekaligus menyebalkan.
John ini adalah tipikal pria yang selalu membutuhkan pelampiasan fisik. Ditolak istrinya, dia kembali mencari wanita simpanan. Beberapa wanita menjadi kekasihnya selama 8 tahun berpisah dengan istrinya. Sampai sepupunya yang mengurusi estate dan rumahnya meninggal, John baru sadar dia butuh pewaris dan Violet harus memberikan anak untuknya.
Proses rekonsiliasi antara John dan Violet ini panjaaang dan lamaa. John begitu menginginkan Violet, tapi Violet begitu membenci John. Yang ngeselin, John tidak merasa bersalah karena punya banyak wanita simpanan selama kurun waktu 8 tahun. Dia tidak mau tahu apakah simpanannya ini jatuh cinta padanya atau tidak. Pokoknya dia hanya mau ikut aturan umum, bahwa wanita simpanan tidak boleh jatuh cinta pada tuannya dan begitu kontrak berakhir tidak ada urusan sama sekali. Violet yang diam-diam mengikuti perkembangan kisah romansa suaminya makin sakit hati kalau bertemu mantan simpanan suaminya. Di tahu ada satu dua wanita yang jatuh cinta pada suaminya. Karena dia sendiri sebenarnya masih menyimpan cinta untuk John.
Dengan segala rayuan John berusaha memenangkan kembali hati Violet. Ketika semuanya seperti sudah berjalan seharusnya tiba-tiba ada kejutan dari mantan wanita simpanannya.
Ah..kisahnya memang menggemaskan sekaligus menyebalkan.
