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linguaignota's review
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage, Addiction, and Child death
Minor: Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Kidnapping
racheldida's review
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, Sexism, and Misogyny
taylordmccabe's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Animal death and Miscarriage
aubreylane's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Rakess and I had two false starts before I realised we were a love match. It wasn’t the easy, sexy escapist fiction I was expecting, but the angst baked into this narrative was worth the payoff.
The heroine of this novel, Seraphina, is a defiant feminist who embraces her scandalous reputation as a loose woman. While some readers may be looking for a regency celebration of feminine sexual confidence divorced from tragedy and injustice, that is not the project of Peckham’s new series #SocietyofSirens. The sex on the page is up to Scarlett Peckham’s usual standard - unflinchingly explicit and dirty - but she also refuses to shy away from the social and emotional toll that Seraphina’s choices have on her personal and love life. While both Sera and her sweet wholesome hero, Scottish architect Adam, have endured tragedy, and Sera engages in harmful use of alcohol on the page, the emotional payoff is realistic and satisfying.
The Rakess heralds the lush, complex, emotionally resonant regency world of the Society of Sirens series.
⭐️ 5 stars ⭐️
TW slutshaming, miscarriage, alcohol abuse, spousal abuse, institutionalisation
The heroine of this novel, Seraphina, is a defiant feminist who embraces her scandalous reputation as a loose woman. While some readers may be looking for a regency celebration of feminine sexual confidence divorced from tragedy and injustice, that is not the project of Peckham’s new series #SocietyofSirens. The sex on the page is up to Scarlett Peckham’s usual standard - unflinchingly explicit and dirty - but she also refuses to shy away from the social and emotional toll that Seraphina’s choices have on her personal and love life. While both Sera and her sweet wholesome hero, Scottish architect Adam, have endured tragedy, and Sera engages in harmful use of alcohol on the page, the emotional payoff is realistic and satisfying.
The Rakess heralds the lush, complex, emotionally resonant regency world of the Society of Sirens series.
⭐️ 5 stars ⭐️
TW slutshaming, miscarriage, alcohol abuse, spousal abuse, institutionalisation
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Miscarriage
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Misogyny
beckyreadsitall's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Holy shitballs, I was not ready for this book. Scarlett Peckham is a new-to-me author, and while this was my first book by her, it will not be my last!
Let’s start with the thorough content warnings at the beginning - I so appreciate when authors do this. Peckham says how this novel is romance but a “dark and stormy” one - content warnings for: references to death and abandonment of past romantic partners; trauma surrounding stillbirth and miscarriage; sexual harassment, slut-shaming and misogyny; spousal coercion, kidnapping and control; depictions of alcohol addiction and recovery.
So yes, this romance covers a lot of heavy topics but the idea of taking a typical historical “rake” and making it a woman was SO well done. The writing was 𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗹. Reading about miscarriage or losing a baby can sometimes be triggering for me and there were times when I felt like I was having a physical reaction to some of the scenes because it was taking me back to that time.
I really took my time through it (I think it took me almost three weeks to read), and while that’s not necessarily what I would typically want in a romance, the image Peckham painted was so visual and realistic I couldn’t imagine not continuing. For me, it was worth it to keep going.
There were also times I had to physically put the book down and let myself fully absorb what I had just read:
“...people were won over by their hearts, not their faculty of reason. Arguments about injustice did not move them to action. Sad stories did.”
I loved Sera and Adam’s friendship developed, and how Adam didn’t save or “rescue” Sera in the end - they came together as two adults realistically, acknowledging and accepting each other’s flaws.
I LOVED this book, and while heavy, I think (if you can), everyone should read it!
Let’s start with the thorough content warnings at the beginning - I so appreciate when authors do this. Peckham says how this novel is romance but a “dark and stormy” one - content warnings for: references to death and abandonment of past romantic partners; trauma surrounding stillbirth and miscarriage; sexual harassment, slut-shaming and misogyny; spousal coercion, kidnapping and control; depictions of alcohol addiction and recovery.
So yes, this romance covers a lot of heavy topics but the idea of taking a typical historical “rake” and making it a woman was SO well done. The writing was 𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗹. Reading about miscarriage or losing a baby can sometimes be triggering for me and there were times when I felt like I was having a physical reaction to some of the scenes because it was taking me back to that time.
I really took my time through it (I think it took me almost three weeks to read), and while that’s not necessarily what I would typically want in a romance, the image Peckham painted was so visual and realistic I couldn’t imagine not continuing. For me, it was worth it to keep going.
There were also times I had to physically put the book down and let myself fully absorb what I had just read:
“...people were won over by their hearts, not their faculty of reason. Arguments about injustice did not move them to action. Sad stories did.”
I loved Sera and Adam’s friendship developed, and how Adam didn’t save or “rescue” Sera in the end - they came together as two adults realistically, acknowledging and accepting each other’s flaws.
I LOVED this book, and while heavy, I think (if you can), everyone should read it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
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