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2.99 AVERAGE
2.99 AVERAGE
I hate to say this but I was totally on John's side during my reading of this book. I know, I should be very sympathetic to Viola because, after all, she was the 'wronged' wife. However, I found her absolute unwillingness to even admit any culpability in the deterioration of her marriage to be really frustrating.
At least he understood why she was upset and hurt and he was willing to take his share of the blame. And to me, this was why he was a much more effective and sympathetic character. I had a real problem with Viola. Yes, she was young and naive when she married, but in the intervening nine years there should have been some soul searching, some growth or something. She is now a sophisticated woman of society and she still won't come to terms with the way things work in their class.
It also didn't help that John was just so darned funny and charming while Viola just always seemed to be so snippy. As i was reading the book I realized that almost 70% of it had elapsed before I felt any real progress in the relationship. Much of the book was the back and forth wrangling between them. He wanting to woo her back to get and heir, she reminding him that he's had mistresses for the past nine years. Lather, rinse, repeat.
But John and Viola's separate revelations in the last fourth of the book makes up a bit for early wrangling. And here again, unfortunately, I was more affected by John's epiphany than Viola's. Viola just seemed to ....let things go, finally. But John gets slapped in the face with his failings in the most appalling way possible and is finally forced to confront them. And interestingly, I felt more sympathy for poor Emma in her few scenes than I did for Viola in the whole book.
I have greatly enjoyed Gurhke's work, and some of my problems with Viola not notwithstanding, I did like this book.
At least he understood why she was upset and hurt and he was willing to take his share of the blame. And to me, this was why he was a much more effective and sympathetic character. I had a real problem with Viola. Yes, she was young and naive when she married, but in the intervening nine years there should have been some soul searching, some growth or something. She is now a sophisticated woman of society and she still won't come to terms with the way things work in their class.
It also didn't help that John was just so darned funny and charming while Viola just always seemed to be so snippy. As i was reading the book I realized that almost 70% of it had elapsed before I felt any real progress in the relationship. Much of the book was the back and forth wrangling between them. He wanting to woo her back to get and heir, she reminding him that he's had mistresses for the past nine years. Lather, rinse, repeat.
But John and Viola's separate revelations in the last fourth of the book makes up a bit for early wrangling. And here again, unfortunately, I was more affected by John's epiphany than Viola's. Viola just seemed to ....let things go, finally. But John gets slapped in the face with his failings in the most appalling way possible and is finally forced to confront them. And interestingly, I felt more sympathy for poor Emma in her few scenes than I did for Viola in the whole book.
I have greatly enjoyed Gurhke's work, and some of my problems with Viola not notwithstanding, I did like this book.
There should be a feature so i can block books that i never want to see on my feed again, much less w a review gushing about this asshole.
This came across my timeline for some reason and once I started reading the reviews I was shocked. It appeared this would be a "his fault or her fault" book and I was extremely intrigued to see where my personal feelings would lie.
Without rehashing too much of what other readers have said...I'm on Viola's side. I've read quiet a few bad heroes in the numerous historical romances I've read but John was THE ABSOLUTE WORST. The worst hero ever put to paper. It's shameful that a female romance author can even think up a character like him.
I read this in about 2 hours... basically because I had to skim. I was too nauseous with John's personality to do anymore. Reading the first chapter is upsetting. He tricks her into marriage, when she finds out about that (and the mistress he kept while courting her), waits out one month of her cold shoulder before he sleeps with a long list of women over the next 8 years. The first mistress is something I think Viola could have forgiven eventually...but I think at the beginning of their marriage what set her off was the fact that he paid his mistress off by purchasing jewelry for her with Viola's money!!! Perhaps the worst part is the fact that he only wants to reconcile because he needs an heir...and everywhere Viola goes she is forced to face one of the women he slept with while married to her. This is a hardship she's had to bear for the last 8 years and again while he's trying to reconcile. I literally wept a few times for the agony she went through because she was married to this adulterous asshole. He doesn't just keep one mistress for 8 years...oh no...he has to sleep with numerous woman that Viola sees daily in society.
I am so sad about this book I literally can't even go on about the other disturbing things that occur. I honestly can't remember the last time I gave a book one star, if ever, but this book deserved it. And the ending was so ridiculous I could barely finish. John constantly blames her and I've read the reviews that try to explain how she was to blame. I don't buy it. She wasn't angry or cold enough, in my opinion. John was weak... justifying his need for physical pleasure on a cold wife, problematic childhood, and loneliness. Get real. I like my heroes with a hell of a lot more strength and self control than that.
Without rehashing too much of what other readers have said...I'm on Viola's side. I've read quiet a few bad heroes in the numerous historical romances I've read but John was THE ABSOLUTE WORST. The worst hero ever put to paper. It's shameful that a female romance author can even think up a character like him.
I read this in about 2 hours... basically because I had to skim. I was too nauseous with John's personality to do anymore. Reading the first chapter is upsetting. He tricks her into marriage, when she finds out about that (and the mistress he kept while courting her), waits out one month of her cold shoulder before he sleeps with a long list of women over the next 8 years. The first mistress is something I think Viola could have forgiven eventually...but I think at the beginning of their marriage what set her off was the fact that he paid his mistress off by purchasing jewelry for her with Viola's money!!! Perhaps the worst part is the fact that he only wants to reconcile because he needs an heir...and everywhere Viola goes she is forced to face one of the women he slept with while married to her. This is a hardship she's had to bear for the last 8 years and again while he's trying to reconcile. I literally wept a few times for the agony she went through because she was married to this adulterous asshole. He doesn't just keep one mistress for 8 years...oh no...he has to sleep with numerous woman that Viola sees daily in society.
I am so sad about this book I literally can't even go on about the other disturbing things that occur. I honestly can't remember the last time I gave a book one star, if ever, but this book deserved it. And the ending was so ridiculous I could barely finish. John constantly blames her and I've read the reviews that try to explain how she was to blame. I don't buy it. She wasn't angry or cold enough, in my opinion. John was weak... justifying his need for physical pleasure on a cold wife, problematic childhood, and loneliness. Get real. I like my heroes with a hell of a lot more strength and self control than that.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
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
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I first read this book several years ago but I've revised my rating to give it another star. I love the abandoned wife trope in historical romances and this book is a pretty good example of that. Viola married her husband, madly in love with him, but thinking that love was returned. When she discovers the truth, that he married her for her dowry, the marriage breaks down. John resorts to mistresses until his heir dies and he decides he must reconcile with his wife for the title.
I don't remember why I first gave the book three stars but I expect it had to do with their initial argument/miscommunication which seemed somewhat silly and easy to rectify. Now I can just regard that as the device to tell the rest of the story which is pretty good. Viola and John still have some difficulties with communication but I can understand the reasoning behind their actions better.
I don't remember why I first gave the book three stars but I expect it had to do with their initial argument/miscommunication which seemed somewhat silly and easy to rectify. Now I can just regard that as the device to tell the rest of the story which is pretty good. Viola and John still have some difficulties with communication but I can understand the reasoning behind their actions better.
Ok, realmente disfrute este libro. Esta bonito. Es el primer libro de época que leo y realmente me gusto. Me lo leí súper rápido y me lleno el corazón de felicidad cuando todo estuvo bien :)
Me gusto mucho ese mensaje de no regresar al pasado sino siempre seguir adelante :)
De época es mi fav aunque no haya leído mas LOL. O sea, esta en mi top, nada de época me puede dar menos felicidad que esto. Me rehuso a aceptarlo jsjsjs.
Me gusto mucho ese mensaje de no regresar al pasado sino siempre seguir adelante :)
De época es mi fav aunque no haya leído mas LOL. O sea, esta en mi top, nada de época me puede dar menos felicidad que esto. Me rehuso a aceptarlo jsjsjs.
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
slow-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