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3.36 AVERAGE
3.36 AVERAGE
Just too many people going on and I’m bored. Reads more like a stupid French farce.
Légèrement en deçà de mes attentes. Je m'attendais à ce que l'histoire se centre surtout sur Roberta et finalement tous les personnages ont leur quart d'heure de gloire (surtout Jemma). Je suis tout de même curieuse de lire la suite pour découvrir ce qu'il va advenir de Jemma et son duc de Beaumont.
Résumé spoilant :
Roberta tombe amoureuse de suite du duc de Villiers car il est à l'opposé de son père excentrique et honteux. Bien décidée à l'épouser, elle se rend à Londres et demande à Jemma, cousine éloignée et duchesse de Beaumont, de la parrainer pour la saison. Mais les histoires s'entrecroisent : Jemma a promis à une amie de la venger de Villiers et engage une partie d'échecs contre lui dont le prix est elle-même. En parallèle, le duc de Beaumont flirte avec la jeune Charlotte et réveille la jalousie de sa femme. Et Roberta se rapproche de Damon, le frère de Jemma. Après ses fiançailles avec Villiers, Roberta tombe dans les bras de Damon. Finalement surpris par toute la famille lors d'une session de canotage, Damon demande la main de Roberta qui accepte. Villiers médit sur son ex-fiancée, ce qui oblige Damon à le défier en duel. Malgré les peurs de Roberta, son nouveau fiancé s'en sort haut-la-main. Elle ignorait jusqu'à présent être fiancée à l'un des meilleurs escrimeurs et joueur d'échec d'Angleterre.
Résumé spoilant :
Roberta tombe amoureuse de suite du duc de Villiers car il est à l'opposé de son père excentrique et honteux. Bien décidée à l'épouser, elle se rend à Londres et demande à Jemma, cousine éloignée et duchesse de Beaumont, de la parrainer pour la saison. Mais les histoires s'entrecroisent : Jemma a promis à une amie de la venger de Villiers et engage une partie d'échecs contre lui dont le prix est elle-même. En parallèle, le duc de Beaumont flirte avec la jeune Charlotte et réveille la jalousie de sa femme. Et Roberta se rapproche de Damon, le frère de Jemma. Après ses fiançailles avec Villiers, Roberta tombe dans les bras de Damon. Finalement surpris par toute la famille lors d'une session de canotage, Damon demande la main de Roberta qui accepte. Villiers médit sur son ex-fiancée, ce qui oblige Damon à le défier en duel. Malgré les peurs de Roberta, son nouveau fiancé s'en sort haut-la-main. Elle ignorait jusqu'à présent être fiancée à l'un des meilleurs escrimeurs et joueur d'échec d'Angleterre.
3.5 Stars
Yes to everything Damon and Roberta. I thought James did a really solid job writing their scenes. The thing that really kept this from being a full 4 Star book was how convinced Roberta was that she was in love with the Duke based on pretty much nothing. It was just so frustrating and made her seem younger than she was. I also thought Also I am so annoyed that we never found out who Teddy's mother was.
Yes to everything Damon and Roberta. I thought James did a really solid job writing their scenes. The thing that really kept this from being a full 4 Star book was how convinced Roberta was that she was in love with the Duke based on pretty much nothing. It was just so frustrating and made her seem younger than she was. I also thought
Spoiler
that the last paragraph about the very new fetus was kind of weird. Talking about a pregnancy that can't be more than a couple months old as though there is a fully formed tiny human with a personality bopping around in the womb just felt kind of "FETUS=HUMAN SO ABORTION IS WRONG" even though that's probably not what she meant - it just felt like an out of place paragraph so my mind went political with it.
Not sure if I would have liked this as much if I hadn't already been familiar with the characters even though it was written first.
➸ too many povs
➸ so much going on
➸ everyone is horrible
➸ infidelity is the norm
➸ chess, bc reasons
➸ casual misoginy
➸ almost a soap opera
➸ illegitimate children
I only powered through bc I own the whole series and I want to give book 2 a chance. The heroine hates children and suggests throwing a kitten into the river hoping to be rid of him. So yeah, I usually have a hard time with older historicals but this one was published in 2007 so I was optimistic. but no, it was not for me.
ALSO : they're cousins 7 times removed, but the hero is like, let me teach you how to kiss, that's what family is for. uhm, no. and they keep reminding each other that they are cousins even after they sleep together. icky vibes.
➸ so much going on
➸ everyone is horrible
➸ infidelity is the norm
➸ chess, bc reasons
➸ casual misoginy
➸ almost a soap opera
➸ illegitimate children
I only powered through bc I own the whole series and I want to give book 2 a chance. The heroine hates children and suggests throwing a kitten into the river hoping to be rid of him. So yeah, I usually have a hard time with older historicals but this one was published in 2007 so I was optimistic. but no, it was not for me.
ALSO : they're cousins 7 times removed, but the hero is like, let me teach you how to kiss, that's what family is for. uhm, no. and they keep reminding each other that they are cousins even after they sleep together. icky vibes.
This was a fast and fun read. I know the story was mainly supposed to be about Roberta and Damon but I was the most interested in Jemma, Elijah, and Villiers. Chess was the focal metaphor and I liked that the games were played on the board and in the real world at the same time. There were a cast of great side characters and I look forward to reading on in the series.
I spent the first 10% of this book wondering what was going on and could I possible enjoy it. Then the zany started to come together. While this doesn't make the list of my favorite romances ever I did thoroughly enjoy it and most of the characters within.
Roberta and Damon had fantastic chemistry...even if I felt that they didn't connect in deeper ways during the book I'm sure they'll get there. Jemma, Elijah, Villers - I can't wait to see where they end up. Next please.
Roberta and Damon had fantastic chemistry...even if I felt that they didn't connect in deeper ways during the book I'm sure they'll get there. Jemma, Elijah, Villers - I can't wait to see where they end up. Next please.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was a quick, easy, romantic read, and I think I needed that after reading so many long, detailed books recently. I can't wait to read about what happens to some of the other characters, especially Jemma. I will definitely read more in the series.