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octavia_cade's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
fast-paced
3.5
This is a really enjoyable little novella; one of those books that you can read in a single sitting on a lazy afternoon (which is what I've just done). I haven't read a lot of Courtney Milan, but the few books of hers I have read are much of a piece with this: very socially aware of the different challenges disadvantaged people laboured under in times past, with a fundamentally optimistic outlook as the protagonists decide to put themselves first and subsequently succeed. There can be a tendency, in some romances - not that I'm an expert - towards the self-sacrificial, and so I really enjoy stories where the main characters say, with perfect truth, that they deserve better and work to get it.
That doesn't mean they're perfect, of course. Both hero and heroine here, while sympathetic, are rather too used to seeing life through the lens of their own marginalisation. Crash (and I'm sorry, but that's a stupid name) experiences bigotry due to his race, but is less aware of Daisy's struggles because of her gender... and vice versa. They both grow and change, and as always when it comes to reading romance, I am disposed to care for decent people doing their best to behave decently, even if they don't get it right at first.
That doesn't mean they're perfect, of course. Both hero and heroine here, while sympathetic, are rather too used to seeing life through the lens of their own marginalisation. Crash (and I'm sorry, but that's a stupid name) experiences bigotry due to his race, but is less aware of Daisy's struggles because of her gender... and vice versa. They both grow and change, and as always when it comes to reading romance, I am disposed to care for decent people doing their best to behave decently, even if they don't get it right at first.
solaana's review against another edition
4.0
Courtney Milan is going to have to try to get anything less than 4 stars from me, yo.
xandrarama's review
4.0
Very well written. The (second-chance) romance almost takes a backseat to character self-discovery and growth. The protagonists are working class and their original breakup can be attributed to internalised racism and sexism. The male protagonist is mixed race, illegitimate, bisexual, and an entrepreneur specialising in velocipedes (bicycles). The female protagonist is initially terrified by these newfangled contraptions of death. Great representation in a genre dominated by white, cishet, middle-to-upper-class protagonists.
andipants's review
4.0
I loved the relationship in this book. At its heart, the plot is miscommunication-based, which I normally hate, but here, it's completely believable, and the miscommunication involves a serious lack of empathy and understanding, which we get to watch the characters come to terms with and address like mature adults. It's realistic, it's nuanced, and it's super satisfying. The characters themselves are delightful, and I loved the resolution. There were a few details and bits of dialogue that seemed a bit modern, but overall, this was a delight.
chirson's review
4.0
3.5? Three stars for the plot and the romance, four stars for the characters, particularly Crash. It's typical Milan, with humour, a theme and a guiding metaphor (here: riding a velocipede) that runs through the entire story. There isn't really anything terribly new about the love plot other than a slightly more atypical hero , but the ingredients are right as always, and the reconcilliation was very, very good (I might have felt a bit choked up at reading Crash's impassioned description of why he is proud of his family).
I noticed one typo (gentleman / gentlemen) but other than that, it was slightly better than I'd expected (especially after her last historical novel, which felt a little forced,like she'd rather be writing her contemporary series).
I think it would have been better given more pages to breathe (I would have gladly read more about Crash), but as it was, it was a pleasure to read on my morning commute.
Spoiler
a mixed-race bisexual guy who possibly used to be a sex workerI noticed one typo (gentleman / gentlemen) but other than that, it was slightly better than I'd expected (especially after her last historical novel, which felt a little forced,
I think it would have been better given more pages to breathe (I would have gladly read more about Crash), but as it was, it was a pleasure to read on my morning commute.
wildwolverine's review
4.0
This is probably my favorite novella by Courtney Milan. I'm generally not a fan of her novellas, as they tend to try to do too much with too little space, but this one had an appropriate scale to the number of pages. Crash (gosh, is that a horrible name) and Daisy are two people living on the rougher side of London, which rarely gets explored in historical romances unless there's a chase scene, a kidnapping, or one of the leads is a thief to be tamed by a marquess a la My Fair Lady. Daisy's goal is to win a competition and open her own store while battling her feelings for Crash. It's a second chance romance, which helps given the shortened format of the story. There's no rushing here, and the pace is just right.
Race and Sexism take center stage in this novella. It can seem a little preachy, at times, so if that isn't your thing, fair enough. Daisy is literally laughed off the stage when she tries to propose her business model to the judges despite having the better pitch compared to her male competitors. Crash is black and while he's super charming and confident as hell, all of the women are obsessed with him because he's black. Except for Daisy who learned the hard way not to focus on the fact that he's black. Crash uses his tricks to being debonair to help Daisy improve her speech to impress the judges.
Will Daisy miraculously win? Or will sexism prevail? The answer is pretty obvious, but it was still cute watching the two fall back in love. The message in this book is pretty solid and heart-warming. It reminds me very much of inspirational stories where the takeaway is more important than the narrative or the romance. There's the same emphasis on forgiveness and hard work and kindness. So, if you don't mind Christian or Inspirational novels where the message is "Have Faith in God", then you will enjoy this story with a message of "believe in yourself and don't apologize for it" (at least that's what I got from it).
Race and Sexism take center stage in this novella. It can seem a little preachy, at times, so if that isn't your thing, fair enough. Daisy is literally laughed off the stage when she tries to propose her business model to the judges despite having the better pitch compared to her male competitors. Crash is black and while he's super charming and confident as hell, all of the women are obsessed with him because he's black. Except for Daisy who learned the hard way not to focus on the fact that he's black. Crash uses his tricks to being debonair to help Daisy improve her speech to impress the judges.
Will Daisy miraculously win? Or will sexism prevail? The answer is pretty obvious, but it was still cute watching the two fall back in love. The message in this book is pretty solid and heart-warming. It reminds me very much of inspirational stories where the takeaway is more important than the narrative or the romance. There's the same emphasis on forgiveness and hard work and kindness. So, if you don't mind Christian or Inspirational novels where the message is "Have Faith in God", then you will enjoy this story with a message of "believe in yourself and don't apologize for it" (at least that's what I got from it).
lassarina's review against another edition
5.0
Her Every Wish is the story of Daisy, Judith's friend from Once Upon a Marquess. This novella is a second-chance story; as we begin, Daisy and Crash have already been lovers and then broke up after saying some very hurtful things to each other.
Daisy has entered a contest to receive fifty pounds to start her own business, and the story opens with the entrants giving speeches to explain their ideas. Although the contest rules did not explicitly say that women could not enter, it is grindingly, painfully clear that no one expected a woman to enter, and everyone reacts accordingly.
Re-enter Crash, who offers to help Daisy prepare her speech for the final presentations, a week hence. Of course, amid practicing her speech, one thing leads to another, and so on.
Things I loved about this book: where even to begin? There's a lot of really great stuff going on with expectations of gender and race. Crash is mixed-race, and that informs a lot of his character; he has learned to laugh everything off because he knows no one is going to take him seriously. Likewise, Daisy knows she has to work three times as hard to be considered even a quarter as good. I loved the dialogue between them, which was both poignant and hilarious. I really appreciated the reasons for why they'd come apart in the first place, and how they resolved that in this story. I liked that we get to see Judith and while she's certainly better off than she was, her life isn't flawlessly happy-ever-after, and that feels real and good. I loved Daisy's business idea (and Crash's, too) and the logic there.
I loved the way we see Daisy's mother, who has what I'm guessing is fibromyalgia or a variant on Ehlers-Danlos--both how Daisy supports her and understands her limitations, and how assholes react disabilities they can't see or understand. (Ask me about topics I feel strongly about!) I absolutely adore Crash's family and his history, the story of his mother and how he was raised, and all the little things that add up to making him what he is. And again, I love the threads of Judith's friendship weaving into this.
I won't spoil how the contest ends, but I think the plot was wrapped up in a satisfying and realistic manner, and I really appreciated that, as well.
Being a novella, everything in this book happens rather fast, and in some ways I want more just because I loved Daisy and Crash and wanted to spend more time with them. On the other hand, that would have killed the pacing, and it's lovely just as it is.
Daisy has entered a contest to receive fifty pounds to start her own business, and the story opens with the entrants giving speeches to explain their ideas. Although the contest rules did not explicitly say that women could not enter, it is grindingly, painfully clear that no one expected a woman to enter, and everyone reacts accordingly.
Re-enter Crash, who offers to help Daisy prepare her speech for the final presentations, a week hence. Of course, amid practicing her speech, one thing leads to another, and so on.
Things I loved about this book: where even to begin? There's a lot of really great stuff going on with expectations of gender and race. Crash is mixed-race, and that informs a lot of his character; he has learned to laugh everything off because he knows no one is going to take him seriously. Likewise, Daisy knows she has to work three times as hard to be considered even a quarter as good. I loved the dialogue between them, which was both poignant and hilarious. I really appreciated the reasons for why they'd come apart in the first place, and how they resolved that in this story. I liked that we get to see Judith and while she's certainly better off than she was, her life isn't flawlessly happy-ever-after, and that feels real and good. I loved Daisy's business idea (and Crash's, too) and the logic there.
I loved the way we see Daisy's mother, who has what I'm guessing is fibromyalgia or a variant on Ehlers-Danlos--both how Daisy supports her and understands her limitations, and how assholes react disabilities they can't see or understand. (Ask me about topics I feel strongly about!) I absolutely adore Crash's family and his history, the story of his mother and how he was raised, and all the little things that add up to making him what he is. And again, I love the threads of Judith's friendship weaving into this.
I won't spoil how the contest ends, but I think the plot was wrapped up in a satisfying and realistic manner, and I really appreciated that, as well.
Being a novella, everything in this book happens rather fast, and in some ways I want more just because I loved Daisy and Crash and wanted to spend more time with them. On the other hand, that would have killed the pacing, and it's lovely just as it is.
bottomlesslibrary's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
mostlyromancereading's review against another edition
5.0
As much as I enjoy reading about viscounts and debutantes, I really do love the chance to read about the shopkeepers and dockmen of dubious morality too! This was a fun read, and I'm glad we find out what happens to Daisy.
asha_m's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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
3.5