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allomancersam's review against another edition
3.0
A Counterfeit Betrothal 3.5 Stars
Two love stories here, and wildly different levels of enjoyment for each. The fake engagement with Sophia and Francis was *chef's kiss* It was so fun and more than a little ridiculous and I loved it. They had a great dynamic and fun banter, and the panic of the impending wedding but neither of them actually doing anything to get out of it? Excellent stuff here. I especially loved the switcheroo and reveal.
Olivia and Marcus were just okay. They provided all the angst, which at times got quite tiring, and I was often screaming at them to just communicate a *little bit*. Too many misunderstandings and I can't do cheating in a love match. Some moments were really good though.
Overall I enjoyed this story quite a bit
The Notorious Rake ? Stars
Read a bit of this but not feeling it right now. Might revisit in the future
Two love stories here, and wildly different levels of enjoyment for each. The fake engagement with Sophia and Francis was *chef's kiss* It was so fun and more than a little ridiculous and I loved it. They had a great dynamic and fun banter, and the panic of the impending wedding but neither of them actually doing anything to get out of it? Excellent stuff here. I especially loved the switcheroo and reveal.
Olivia and Marcus were just okay. They provided all the angst, which at times got quite tiring, and I was often screaming at them to just communicate a *little bit*. Too many misunderstandings and I can't do cheating in a love match. Some moments were really good though.
Overall I enjoyed this story quite a bit
The Notorious Rake ? Stars
Read a bit of this but not feeling it right now. Might revisit in the future
jasmyn9's review against another edition
3.0
A Counterfeit Betrothal is a fantastic story - it would have gotten 5 stars if it had been by itself. Lady Sophia and Lord Francis are the perfect couple, and have been since they were kids tormenting each other. When Sophia gets the crazy idea to pretend to be betrothed to him to try and get her parents back together after 14 years apart, he's more than happy to help with her scheme. But things take an interesting turn when they realize they may actually like each other. God forbid either admits it - in fact Lady Sophia is quite humorous when she tries to convince herself and Francis - I was laughing so hard I nearly cried. It was the perfect young romance blooming between childhood friends (sort of). There was even a bit of a side story with Sophia's parents, but the young ones outshone them hands down.
The Notorious Rake was a little too much of what I consider to be a stereotypical historical romance. Roguish gentleman meets stand up lady and tries to get her into bed - only he ends up falling in love instead. This second story in the book is what brought the overall rating down for me. I had a hard time relating to either character, and it seemed like it was a story I had heard many times before.
The Notorious Rake was a little too much of what I consider to be a stereotypical historical romance. Roguish gentleman meets stand up lady and tries to get her into bed - only he ends up falling in love instead. This second story in the book is what brought the overall rating down for me. I had a hard time relating to either character, and it seemed like it was a story I had heard many times before.
writer595's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-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
4.75
l1brarygirl's review against another edition
1.0
erg, didn't like either story. first one was just too dumb - mother & daughter love story? mom taking dad back after an affair he was too dumb to take place in the first place? SMH
and the second one? mary annoyed me and edmund was acting like a jerk the whole story.
neither made for a good "love" story.
and the second one? mary annoyed me and edmund was acting like a jerk the whole story.
neither made for a good "love" story.
gemmalaszlo's review against another edition
4.0
It seems I feel opposite about this book collection than a lot of other readers. I actually enjoyed the first story “a counterfeit betrothal” very much. This is a double romance, the main part of the story actually focusses on Sophie‘s parents who are estranged. Normally I won’t read cheating stories, but I was willing to give it a chance because it’s Mary Balogh. They hero made one foolish mistake, and was sorry for it, apologized and groveled immediately. Cried more than once reading this.
The second story was a DNF. The heroine kept telling the hero to go away constantly and he would not stop pursuing her because he insisted her body was telling him something different. Gross. It was too stalker-y and rapey for me. I don’t like dubious consent stories and the first sex scene in this book seemed dubious to me. She was suffering from a PTSD flashback and the way I read it, it didn’t seem like she was really able to give proper consent, as she was not in her right mind at the time. I tried to keep reading but the hero just pissed me off too much.
The second story was a DNF. The heroine kept telling the hero to go away constantly and he would not stop pursuing her because he insisted her body was telling him something different. Gross. It was too stalker-y and rapey for me. I don’t like dubious consent stories and the first sex scene in this book seemed dubious to me. She was suffering from a PTSD flashback and the way I read it, it didn’t seem like she was really able to give proper consent, as she was not in her right mind at the time. I tried to keep reading but the hero just pissed me off too much.
nelsonseye's review
3.0
Hovering between a three and a four star rating for me. The second story was quite dark, but, to my mind, very compelling.
gripyfish's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
bananatricky's review
3.0
I had different feelings about the two books.
I found A Counterfeit Betrothal to be ok but didn't warm to any of the characters. A young woman tries to reconcile her parents by pretending to be engaged.
Her parents have been estranged for 14 years after her father went to a wedding alone, got drunk and was shamed into sleeping with another woman.
The young woman pretends to be engaged to a childhood frenemy - of course what is clear to the reader is that he has feelings for her and is using the fake engagement as an excuse to get closer to her.
I found the young woman to be, quite frankly, TSTL and her parents to be rather pathetic.
I enjoyed The Notorious Rake much more. Lady Mornington and Lord Waite have unfavourable preconceptions about each other. She thinks him a libertine and a gamester and a drunkard and a jilt, he thinks her a blue stocking, physically unattractive , proud and dignified. Thrown together by chance at a dinner they get caught in a thunderstorm whilst walking around the gardens. Lady Mornington is terrified of storms and Lord Waite comforts her the only way he knows how. I had some issues with Lord Waite's methods - if a woman is incoherent with terror is she really in a fit state to give consent? But she makes it clear that she feels she forced herself on him.
Anyway, it is a case of opposites attract complete with another man, an interfering aunt and deep family rifts.
Of course Lord Waite's obnoxious behaviour is as a result of his past which gradually starts to emerge.
I have to confess that I teared up a few times whilst reading this.
I found A Counterfeit Betrothal to be ok but didn't warm to any of the characters. A young woman tries to reconcile her parents by pretending to be engaged.
Her parents have been estranged for 14 years after her father went to a wedding alone, got drunk and was shamed into sleeping with another woman.
The young woman pretends to be engaged to a childhood frenemy - of course what is clear to the reader is that he has feelings for her and is using the fake engagement as an excuse to get closer to her.
I found the young woman to be, quite frankly, TSTL and her parents to be rather pathetic.
I enjoyed The Notorious Rake much more. Lady Mornington and Lord Waite have unfavourable preconceptions about each other. She thinks him a libertine and a gamester and a drunkard and a jilt, he thinks her a blue stocking, physically unattractive , proud and dignified. Thrown together by chance at a dinner they get caught in a thunderstorm whilst walking around the gardens. Lady Mornington is terrified of storms and Lord Waite comforts her the only way he knows how. I had some issues with Lord Waite's methods - if a woman is incoherent with terror is she really in a fit state to give consent? But she makes it clear that she feels she forced herself on him.
Anyway, it is a case of opposites attract complete with another man, an interfering aunt and deep family rifts.
Of course Lord Waite's obnoxious behaviour is as a result of his past which gradually starts to emerge.
I have to confess that I teared up a few times whilst reading this.
rjordan19's review against another edition
3.0
A Counterfeit Betrothal:
Open me for review:
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline:
Open me for review:
Spoiler
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: