Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
When Entangled Publishing asked me for a review of another Eva Devon historical romance, I couldn't pass it up. After all, when a daring kiss leads to an unwanted marriage, the sparks will fly.
Edward Andrew Richard Stanhope, sixteenth Duke of Thornfield, is a private man with a very public title. His chilling and stoic temperament as well as his reputation as a rake is legendary so when he finds himself in a predicament with a spinster of questionable intentions and way beneath his station, it's either ruination or marriage. One is out of the question and the other is going to be a challenge. Regardless, the woman is a menace and very enticing.
Miss Georgiana Bly just wanted to be by herself tucked away from the ball in the Duke's private library, but because of mistaken identity she accepts a challenge and is now to wed a very beautiful and overbearing Duke. "She’d rather join a convent than marry a man of his importance", but it is what it is and Georgiana is prepared to "rule the room". He plans to train her how to be a better Duchess so she will train him how to be a better man.
The interaction between Georgiana and Edward is volatile and tantalizing. His superior attitude and her bold talk are a fiery combination that starts as a slow burn and ends in an unexpected morning after. Edward is an honorable and unusual hero who is much more than what he seems. His control is important, but it is a façade. His struggle to tell Georgiana about his true self is heartbreaking and very revealing. Georgiana is extremely confident and smart and watching her rock the Duchess vibe is fun. However, it's her love and acceptance of Edward that is truly her best trait.
The supporting characters are fun and essential to the growth of the main characters. Edward's Aunt Agatha is essential for Georgiana's training and Edward's sanity. Georgiana's mother is her strength and her buffoon of a father is reckless for whom Edward makes a selfless sacrifice. Of course, Edward's one true friend, Andrew Althorpe, Laird of MacLiesh, Earl of Montrose, is great teasing comic relief and a nice love interest for Georgiana's wise sister, Elizabeth.
I recommend this lovely historical romance with intriguing and awkward main characters who overcome their insecurities to make their marriage work.
Thank you to Ms. Devon, Entangled Publishing, and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Edward Andrew Richard Stanhope, sixteenth Duke of Thornfield, is a private man with a very public title. His chilling and stoic temperament as well as his reputation as a rake is legendary so when he finds himself in a predicament with a spinster of questionable intentions and way beneath his station, it's either ruination or marriage. One is out of the question and the other is going to be a challenge. Regardless, the woman is a menace and very enticing.
Miss Georgiana Bly just wanted to be by herself tucked away from the ball in the Duke's private library, but because of mistaken identity she accepts a challenge and is now to wed a very beautiful and overbearing Duke. "She’d rather join a convent than marry a man of his importance", but it is what it is and Georgiana is prepared to "rule the room". He plans to train her how to be a better Duchess so she will train him how to be a better man.
The interaction between Georgiana and Edward is volatile and tantalizing. His superior attitude and her bold talk are a fiery combination that starts as a slow burn and ends in an unexpected morning after. Edward is an honorable and unusual hero who is much more than what he seems. His control is important, but it is a façade. His struggle to tell Georgiana about his true self is heartbreaking and very revealing. Georgiana is extremely confident and smart and watching her rock the Duchess vibe is fun. However, it's her love and acceptance of Edward that is truly her best trait.
The supporting characters are fun and essential to the growth of the main characters. Edward's Aunt Agatha is essential for Georgiana's training and Edward's sanity. Georgiana's mother is her strength and her buffoon of a father is reckless for whom Edward makes a selfless sacrifice. Of course, Edward's one true friend, Andrew Althorpe, Laird of MacLiesh, Earl of Montrose, is great teasing comic relief and a nice love interest for Georgiana's wise sister, Elizabeth.
I recommend this lovely historical romance with intriguing and awkward main characters who overcome their insecurities to make their marriage work.
Thank you to Ms. Devon, Entangled Publishing, and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was okay. There was little subtlety and the writing became repetitive and excessively anachronistic toward the end. Sometimes the writing was clunky and simple, other times it was vague and unclear what was actually happening or whose thoughts we were reading. The characters didn’t feel consistent with themselves. Every character felt like an outline. It wasn’t really historically accurate though there was an attempt, I suppose, at the beginning.
It was a fun time at times, but I didn’t feel much at all. A bit of nuance would have helped this book. We were told the characters’ emotions and told how we were supposed to feel about them, but I didn’t have any emotional investment. It was just very straightforward and didn’t trust the reader.
It was a fun time at times, but I didn’t feel much at all. A bit of nuance would have helped this book. We were told the characters’ emotions and told how we were supposed to feel about them, but I didn’t have any emotional investment. It was just very straightforward and didn’t trust the reader.
Good to see an accurate portrayal of an autistic character in a period novel. This was great I liked how they grew together compassionately and while they changed it wasn’t their core that changed— they just became better versions of themselves
I read this a few days ago and I can barely remember it…
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Edward, Duke of Thornfield is a 'rake' who hates crowds and the only ones who understand him are the horses he keeps.
Georgianna is a spinster who isn't like other girls. she likes to read Shakespeare and cares about politics.
I didn't care about Edward, I didn't care about Georgianna. there was something really annoying about both the entire third act and the authors writing style.
Georgianna is a spinster who isn't like other girls. she likes to read Shakespeare and cares about politics.
I didn't care about Edward, I didn't care about Georgianna. there was something really annoying about both the entire third act and the authors writing style.
DNF at 60%
Sigh.
I had high hopes for this because I love a neurodivergent character in historical romance, but this did not work for me. Right off the bat, I didn’t love the beginning, it felt implausible, why would he kiss this woman he just met if he was very touch averse? And he seemed very aware and wary of being trapped into marriage but all of a sudden grabbed a stranger and kissed her in the library during a large ball where anyone could come in? It all happened too fast and didn’t fit with his previous inner musings.
This does have a Tessa Dare feel to it but lacked her charm and likeable characters. I’d categorize it as historical fantasy romance, or fairytale, in that it didn’t have a solid set in the historical realities of the time it was based in, or not an accurate one. There was some info dumping on the Jacobeans and Bonnie King Charlie, that I zoned out for, but other than the historical lecture to prove how not like other girls Georgiana was this didn’t fit in any specific historical time period: I’d call this Regency-ish.
The narration was ok but the narrator did not do enough to distinguish the male voice from the female one, his needed to be gruffer and deeper pitched. I sometimes didn’t realize it was supposed to be him speaking and not her.
As for the hero, his autism seemed to go in and out. I’m no expert on ASD but I like traits to stay consistent for characters, no matter what they are. This also felt very harsh towards him: this heroine wants to ‘teach him to be a better man’ and he ‘overcomes so much’ and he is likened to an abused horse at one point. ASD is not a curable ailment to be overcome, it’s not the result of trauma. This felt like the author did enough research to know about autistic stereotypes but not enough to make a fully nuanced neurodivergent character. Often he was just an ass. But mostly I just didn’t engage with the story. The only conflict in this book is that the hero is difficult to deal with, which is explained by his different ‘broken’ brain. It’s pride and prejudice HEAVY but done in an entirely too superficial way. I didn’t care for either character and just kept putting this down and not wanting to pick it back up.
Dropping this in the DNF pile, unfortunately.
Sigh.
I had high hopes for this because I love a neurodivergent character in historical romance, but this did not work for me. Right off the bat, I didn’t love the beginning, it felt implausible, why would he kiss this woman he just met if he was very touch averse? And he seemed very aware and wary of being trapped into marriage but all of a sudden grabbed a stranger and kissed her in the library during a large ball where anyone could come in? It all happened too fast and didn’t fit with his previous inner musings.
This does have a Tessa Dare feel to it but lacked her charm and likeable characters. I’d categorize it as historical fantasy romance, or fairytale, in that it didn’t have a solid set in the historical realities of the time it was based in, or not an accurate one. There was some info dumping on the Jacobeans and Bonnie King Charlie, that I zoned out for, but other than the historical lecture to prove how not like other girls Georgiana was this didn’t fit in any specific historical time period: I’d call this Regency-ish.
The narration was ok but the narrator did not do enough to distinguish the male voice from the female one, his needed to be gruffer and deeper pitched. I sometimes didn’t realize it was supposed to be him speaking and not her.
As for the hero, his autism seemed to go in and out. I’m no expert on ASD but I like traits to stay consistent for characters, no matter what they are. This also felt very harsh towards him: this heroine wants to ‘teach him to be a better man’ and he ‘overcomes so much’ and he is likened to an abused horse at one point. ASD is not a curable ailment to be overcome, it’s not the result of trauma. This felt like the author did enough research to know about autistic stereotypes but not enough to make a fully nuanced neurodivergent character. Often he was just an ass. But mostly I just didn’t engage with the story. The only conflict in this book is that the hero is difficult to deal with, which is explained by his different ‘broken’ brain. It’s pride and prejudice HEAVY but done in an entirely too superficial way. I didn’t care for either character and just kept putting this down and not wanting to pick it back up.
Dropping this in the DNF pile, unfortunately.
I felt this book had too much narrative and not enough dialogue. I do appreciate the hero having issues, and I wish Devon had added an author’s note about this in the end. I’m assuming the H was on the autism spectrum, possibly high functioning asperger’s. It was interesting to see that from a regency standpoint and how it would have been handled. The plot and story idea were good, but I think better editing and story set-up as well as more dialogue would really help. I’d like to read more stories by this author to watch her growth. She has potential.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced