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annick's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I really wanted to like this book. I like the author’s onstage posts about Historical romance novels.
But this drags because there is too much of the narrative allocated to describing the inner thoughts of the main characters.
I like spice but there was so much that the frisson was lost by the speed and scale of the sex scenes. Some scenes weren’t engaging and I skimmed over.
I wanted more banter and humour.
I wanted less melodrama with the miscommunications and the off-scale persistent attentions from the rejected Hartley
The ebook had several typos of wrong pronouns. I don’t mind this.
The author has a phd in 19th century british lit but she makes a few odd choices. The reference to a performance of Ovid seemed poorly written when its more usual to refer to the title of a writer’s work rather than the writer. Why not mention which poem/work of Ovid ?
I question some anachronistic references to waltz’s and white wedding dresses. I think those come in the 1830s or 40s.
These are minor issues but they added to my broader frustrations with the plot, pacing, narrative and dialogue.
But this drags because there is too much of the narrative allocated to describing the inner thoughts of the main characters.
I like spice but there was so much that the frisson was lost by the speed and scale of the sex scenes. Some scenes weren’t engaging and I skimmed over.
I wanted more banter and humour.
I wanted less melodrama with the miscommunications and the off-scale persistent attentions from the rejected Hartley
The ebook had several typos of wrong pronouns. I don’t mind this.
The author has a phd in 19th century british lit but she makes a few odd choices. The reference to a performance of Ovid seemed poorly written when its more usual to refer to the title of a writer’s work rather than the writer. Why not mention which poem/work of Ovid ?
I question some anachronistic references to waltz’s and white wedding dresses. I think those come in the 1830s or 40s.
These are minor issues but they added to my broader frustrations with the plot, pacing, narrative and dialogue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gun violence, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Racism
livruther's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
i love lydia lloyd! her writing is such a fresh voice in the historical romance genre. i loved the supporting cast, the supporting cast's relationships, and all of the plot points! she put kind of a unique spin on the "brother's best friend" trope. the spice was also so fun, which is especially notable for a trad pub historical romance. i will say, i didnt feel the majority of their chemistry/emotional connection until like 75% in, and before that point, their connection was based mostly on lust and off-page past encounters. by the end, though, I did feel like I knew the characters well and felt that they were good together. the characters' relationships with their parents were very emotionally compelling, too. overall, I didn't love this as much as the first of Lloyd's books, but I still really enjoyed it and would recommend.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc!
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Racism and Stalking