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stitched1115's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- 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? No
5.0
vezza's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
soniaandstories's review against another edition
5.0
The banter, the trope, love! I've been really impressed with Sarah's heroines, their wit, humor, and quirkiness is really refreshing. Also, the heroine actually expressing her feelings, thoughts, and desires is SO appreciated. I found myself laughing so much and loved the relationship.
msmilevska's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
mn_anna's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
caitybell's review against another edition
4.0
I read Wicked and the Wallflower, the first in this gritty series, and I liked it well enough. But I loved this one leagues more!
Felicity and Devil were an interesting couple in book one, but Hattie and Beast take the cake and eat it too. Their dynamic and rivalry culminated in such an angsty, intense book! Hattie was such a driven and relatable character. She wants to inherit her father's shipping business, but everyone doubts her because she's a woman. Everyone, except the beautiful, obviously dangerous man she meets one random night. Beast realizes he can use Hattie to bring down the man who threatens the safety of everyone he cares for. Only ... using Hattie, he starts to realize she is one of those people too ...
I really love reading about the Rookeries and Covent Garden MacLean has centered in this series, as well as the docks and ice smuggling, it really makes these books all the more engaging! I really did love this one!
Felicity and Devil were an interesting couple in book one, but Hattie and Beast take the cake and eat it too. Their dynamic and rivalry culminated in such an angsty, intense book! Hattie was such a driven and relatable character. She wants to inherit her father's shipping business, but everyone doubts her because she's a woman. Everyone, except the beautiful, obviously dangerous man she meets one random night. Beast realizes he can use Hattie to bring down the man who threatens the safety of everyone he cares for. Only ... using Hattie, he starts to realize she is one of those people too ...
I really love reading about the Rookeries and Covent Garden MacLean has centered in this series, as well as the docks and ice smuggling, it really makes these books all the more engaging! I really did love this one!
tonid013's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
rachaelreads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.5
katyanaish's review against another edition
3.0
***3.5***
I think I have a general problem with this particular series.
I love the heroines. LOVE them. And in this series so far, you have these amaaaaazing women bending over backwards to make these undeserving men love them.
To be clear, I liked this one more than book 1 - the heroine held her own through most of the book. But then the inevitable betrayal happens, and rather than saying "well, fuck that guy" in the way that you would expect such a glorious, strong woman to do, Hattie just continues to hurl herself at Beast. This book was a solid 4.5 for me until that point - - but that was infuriating.
Stories like this make it seem like sex makes everything better. That it doesn't matter if you can't trust your partner, it doesn't matter if you share your deepest dreams with him, and then the very next day he destroys them. If he'll have sex with you, none of the rest of that matters.
And then he hurts her again. And it doesn't matter, because she still loves him and just goes back for more.
It is deeply disappointing to me. And I feel like we women, in fantasizing about shit like this, are training ourselves to find it acceptable. To be utterly fine with us doing all the work in a relationship, with us having all the vulnerability. With our partners making decisions for us, all under that shit umbrella of "it was for your own good" as if we are incapable of making decisions for ourselves. And while Hattie does express that - she says hey, you don't get to make decisions for me - she doesn't ever make him pay for treating her that way. She always goes back to him, always is open to any affection he wants to give her, never even holds onto a single goddamn moment of anger.
It makes me think so much less of her.
And so, while Grace seems like an amazing character, I honestly just don't want to read her book, because I'm sure that she's an amazing character who is then going to turn into an amazing doormat for the asshole she's desperate for. And I just can't even.
I think I have a general problem with this particular series.
I love the heroines. LOVE them. And in this series so far, you have these amaaaaazing women bending over backwards to make these undeserving men love them.
To be clear, I liked this one more than book 1 - the heroine held her own through most of the book. But then the inevitable betrayal happens, and rather than saying "well, fuck that guy" in the way that you would expect such a glorious, strong woman to do, Hattie just continues to hurl herself at Beast. This book was a solid 4.5 for me until that point -
Spoiler
when, right after he betrays her and takes everything from her, smashing her dreams, she decides oh well, I still want to have sex with himStories like this make it seem like sex makes everything better. That it doesn't matter if you can't trust your partner, it doesn't matter if you share your deepest dreams with him, and then the very next day he destroys them. If he'll have sex with you, none of the rest of that matters.
And then he hurts her again. And it doesn't matter, because she still loves him and just goes back for more.
It is deeply disappointing to me. And I feel like we women, in fantasizing about shit like this, are training ourselves to find it acceptable. To be utterly fine with us doing all the work in a relationship, with us having all the vulnerability. With our partners making decisions for us, all under that shit umbrella of "it was for your own good" as if we are incapable of making decisions for ourselves. And while Hattie does express that - she says hey, you don't get to make decisions for me - she doesn't ever make him pay for treating her that way. She always goes back to him, always is open to any affection he wants to give her, never even holds onto a single goddamn moment of anger.
It makes me think so much less of her.
And so, while Grace seems like an amazing character, I honestly just don't want to read her book, because I'm sure that she's an amazing character who is then going to turn into an amazing doormat for the asshole she's desperate for. And I just can't even.