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laarr's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Physical abuse
onthesamepage's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Steam level: 🌶
Alex clicked his tongue. “No doubt they’re searching for the weapon in efficient fashion—unlike you, who showed more interest in hanky-panky.”
Upon hearing this phrase, Alice’s inner dictionary opened its pages excitedly. “What does hanky-panky mean?” she whispered to Daniel.
“Witchcraft,” he whispered back.
I couldn't help but feel that there was something missing while I was reading this. I've enjoyed the previous two installments in this series. The writing is either going to work for you, or you're going to absolutely hate it. It's quirky and frequently breaks the fourth wall, not necessarily by directing commentary at the reader, but by reminding the reader that there is an author behind the words. I felt that a lot here, especially, and it distracted me from the book itself.
Seeing this, her heart clutched the book to its, er, heart with happiness.
And then theycontinued on with their search for the weapon like exemplary professionalskissed.
Sometimes this is funny, sometimes it isn't, but if you just read these quotes and winced, this series is probably not for you.
The book didn't fully grab me anyway, writing aside. The two main characters aren't pointed out to be neurodivergent, but they do read like it. Both have been trained to not show any emotion. They're professionals whose idea of fun is reading a good book (which I can absolutely get behind). When they're thrust into the hectic life of pirates while working undercover, it makes sense for them to struggle with what that entails. But I think there was too much time spent on pirate shenanigans, and too little time spent on helping me form a connection with the characters, or on developing the romance. We do learn fairly quickly that Alice and Daniel have had a crush on each other for over a year, but I didn't feel like they spent a lot of time communicating. I was told that they have an emotional connection, but rarely allowed to actually see it. The moments I did get to glimpse them were my favourite parts of the story. It happened more towards the end, but it made the middle part a bit of a slog.
There were POV scenes from both characters, but not evenly split. I think it was about 80-20 in Alice's favour, which was a shame because I liked what I did get to see of Daniel. I also really appreciated the cameos by the main characters from the previous two books.
All in all, I would recommend this series, and I had a good time with it.
Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
overflowingshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
erebus53's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
As in previous books the action focuses around the pirates, who dress big, and use magic to fly around in houses, (avoiding sun and freckles), and with gallant rumbistification (a word coined by a different Kiwi author so I'm sticking to it), witches who don't exist and while not doing so use magic to move objects around and artfully assault any who would come into conflict with them. Add to this Her Majesty's spies, a.. downstairs network of handmaids, butlers and sundry help in deep cover attempting to keep the other two factions away from each other while protecting the interests of The Crown.
While the other 2 books were, nerdy, bookish, sex-positive, and loaded with Jane Austen-like verbal jousting, a new element is introduced in the narrative - that of hyper-literal Autism. When a couple of your main characters are being baffled by deft social-maneuvering and would rather slip off into a quiet room and read some poetry, all of a sudden this storytelling becomes entirely relatable.
OOof, this book made me catch feels. When your two main characters are Autistic, and kept under thumb by a manipulative organisation that praises them for being gifted and efficient, while gaslighting them and encouraging them lean into their tendency to ignore their emotions, this all gets a little DARK. Traumatised orphans, trained to excellence, trained to follow rules and orders, punished into compliance, and thus developing idiosyncratic coping strategies... is all a bit close to home.
As far as romance and sexytimes is concerned these two are so marvellous. They are very broken by their previous experiences, but start their navigation of each other by co-regulating, making each other feel safe, discussing their needs and expectations beforehand, identifying their triggers and sensory differences, and trying to get the hang of how their own feelings work. It's a work of art, and I loved the journey. Very saucy.. and neuro-spicy.
Again, your mileage may vary, but I am the target audience.
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Injury/Injury detail
shaipanda's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Ableism, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty, Death, Gun violence, and Physical abuse
natyourusual_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Child abuse and Physical abuse
Minor: Death and Misogyny
bessadams's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Physical abuse and Pregnancy
sydapel's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
purplepenning's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
"You are a professional."
"Yes, ma'am," Alice said.
"You would never behave in a manner contrary to the agency's Code of Conduct."
"No, ma'am."
"Because this is a thriller, not a romance, isn't that so, Agent A?"
"Yes, ma'am."
The final thrillingly fantastical romantic farce in India Holton's Dangerous Damsels series is even more packed with literary (mis)quotes, (mis)adventures, and innuendo. And this time with two book-nerd protagonists — Alice (Agent A) and Bixby (Agent B) — who steal our hearts and have us instantly under the spells as if they were born to piracy or witchcraft instead of the secret service.
“Reading is not a hobby,” she said. “It is a way of life.” He was silent a moment as he considered this, then he nodded in agreement."
Alice and Bixby, two orphans who were (mis)educated and molded into top agents, are clearly the heart of this story, but readers of the series will be happy to find that Cecilia and Ned, Charlotte and Alex, and the elderly piratical matriarchs all have significant roles here at the end — and at the end of the end in a surprisingly touching epilogue that champions female friendship and found family.
It's the middle of the story that lags a bit for me. Alice and Bixby's undercover attempts to find a weapon at a house party of pirates drags on a bit long for my tastes, though there are plenty of pirate shenanigans and (un)veiled sexual tension to keep most readers happy.
Besides Alice and Bixby's relationship (superb), the good-natured lampooning of the literary (always amusing), and the incorporation of past characters, the rambunctiously intelligent writing voice is what makes me a fan of these books. The Secret Service of Tea and Treason reaches Terry-Pratchett-levels of a sort of anthropocentric metaphoring that I never cease to find blazingly brilliant and absurdly amusing.
His brain ran around shouting urgent orders and waving red flags, trying to forestall an eruption of emotion he absolutely could not afford... And his heart, sighing in defeat, packed up all its wild and hungry longings and went to hide under a blanket.
Daniel and Alice exchanged a glance that didn't know whether to be amused or anxious, but that mostly wished it could go sit in a corner somewhere and read a book.
A laugh sounded... It was dry, brief; the kind of laugh that has eyes in the back of its head and just knows when you're about to do something stupid.
As the silence lengthened, growing heavy with overtones, undertones, and implications, the air between them blushed, made up an excuse, and departed the room in awkward haste.
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Abandonment
fromjuliereads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I did find this a little slower in some spots, and while I adored the epilogue for the amazing friendships and HEAs, I just wish there was something a little different than the traditional romance epilogue for all of the couples. Anyways, I will happily pick up India Holton's next books!
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Pregnancy