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fareee_dah's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
hijinx_abound's review
3.0
What should the most beautiful woman in all of England do to thwart her fathers determination to marry her off:
1. Convince possible suitors that
A. That the firstborn son of your line will have webbed feet
B. That the full moon provokes murderous rage in every other generation of females in your line
C. Feign blindness
D. Paint spots on your visage, claim you have the pic and are barren.
And when you push your father to the end of his patience and he sets up a tournament with you as the prize, you cut your hair, blacken your teeth, and disguise all other attributes that you are lauded for.
Listen, this book firmly falls into old school romance. You have phrases such as “fragile cup of her womb already overflowed with nectar for him,” “the scalding bounty of her husbands seed””, and “the love of his lifetime spilled from his lions.”
However, I must admit to still being entertained by the lengths that Holly goes to to hide the beauty that has plagued her for all her life.
1995 me ate this prose with a spoon and enjoyed every bite. 2023 me acknowledges that there are issues but setting that aside, I enjoyed the beats of the story. The curse, the stubbornness, the determination.
1. Convince possible suitors that
A. That the firstborn son of your line will have webbed feet
B. That the full moon provokes murderous rage in every other generation of females in your line
C. Feign blindness
D. Paint spots on your visage, claim you have the pic and are barren.
And when you push your father to the end of his patience and he sets up a tournament with you as the prize, you cut your hair, blacken your teeth, and disguise all other attributes that you are lauded for.
Listen, this book firmly falls into old school romance. You have phrases such as “fragile cup of her womb already overflowed with nectar for him,” “the scalding bounty of her husbands seed””, and “the love of his lifetime spilled from his lions.”
However, I must admit to still being entertained by the lengths that Holly goes to to hide the beauty that has plagued her for all her life.
1995 me ate this prose with a spoon and enjoyed every bite. 2023 me acknowledges that there are issues but setting that aside, I enjoyed the beats of the story. The curse, the stubbornness, the determination.
ria_mhrj's review
3.0
I am really enjoying my forage through Teresa Medeiros's back catalogue. She has a nice style, successfully grounding some fairly ridiculous romance tropes and crafting a believable bond between her central pair. I liked the idea behind Fairest of Them All, asking questions about beauty, faith and fidelity, though I wish some aspects had been explored a little more deeply. Nevertheless, this book was charming as always and I eagerly await my next dose of Ms Medeiros's writing.
audrey042's review against another edition
2.0
J’ai choisi cette romance en raison du titre et plus spécifiquement du terme « malédiction ». J’ai toujours aimé les histoires de magie, de sorcières et de malédiction. J’espérais donc que cet aspect du roman serait très important histoire de rendre la lecture pas trop pénible. Hélas, la malédiction est bien présente mais vous découvrirez qu’elle n’est pas forcément celle que l’on croit. Par conséquent, si comme moi vous espéreriez une bonne dose de magie et de fantastique, je vous conseille de passer votre tour.
En évoquant le Pays de Galles, le résumé m’avait laissé espérer de belles descriptions de paysages. J’avoue sur ce point une certaine naïveté de ma part, les romans d’amour n’étant pas forcément réputés pour leurs qualités littéraires. Pour ne pas être déçus, n’en espérez donc pas.
Les scènes de sexe ne sont heureusement pas trop présentes. C’est un bon point pour moi mais peut-être que pour les personnes intéressées par ce type d’ouvrage, ce n’en est pas un… J’ai par contre été agacée par la banalisation du viol et très sceptique face aux réactions de Lady Holly de Chastel vis-à-vis des maltraitances psychologiques et physiques de son époux.
J’ai toutefois été agréablement surprise par le style de l’auteur. La plume n’est pas magnifique mais l’écriture n’est pas lourde et le vocabulaire pas trop simpliste.
En résumé, je suis contente d’avoir su respecter l’objectif du mois. Il m’a permis d’une part, de confirmer mon manque d’appétence pour les romances pures tout en me permettant de venir à bout de certains de mes préjugés. Je m’étais en effet attendue à un style d’écriture épouvantable alors que, sans faire d’étincelles, la plume de l’auteure est tout à fait acceptable.
En évoquant le Pays de Galles, le résumé m’avait laissé espérer de belles descriptions de paysages. J’avoue sur ce point une certaine naïveté de ma part, les romans d’amour n’étant pas forcément réputés pour leurs qualités littéraires. Pour ne pas être déçus, n’en espérez donc pas.
Les scènes de sexe ne sont heureusement pas trop présentes. C’est un bon point pour moi mais peut-être que pour les personnes intéressées par ce type d’ouvrage, ce n’en est pas un… J’ai par contre été agacée par la banalisation du viol et très sceptique face aux réactions de Lady Holly de Chastel vis-à-vis des maltraitances psychologiques et physiques de son époux.
J’ai toutefois été agréablement surprise par le style de l’auteur. La plume n’est pas magnifique mais l’écriture n’est pas lourde et le vocabulaire pas trop simpliste.
En résumé, je suis contente d’avoir su respecter l’objectif du mois. Il m’a permis d’une part, de confirmer mon manque d’appétence pour les romances pures tout en me permettant de venir à bout de certains de mes préjugés. Je m’étais en effet attendue à un style d’écriture épouvantable alors que, sans faire d’étincelles, la plume de l’auteure est tout à fait acceptable.
emilyhei's review
4.0
Holly de Chastel has no plan of being married off to any of the suitors who want to claim her hand. Her beauty is spoken of through the lands, but Holly doesn't want to be married so she can be a trophy on the arm of an arrogant man, she wants to be free. Holly comes up with a plan to ward off her father's next attempt only to have it backfire.
Sir Austyn of Gavenmore has no qualms of taking a plain wife, in fact he embraces it. His family is cursed into rages of jealousy and doomed marriages when the wife is beautiful, he wants happiness and children and to break this awful curse. When he takes the hand of Holly, her ugliness is a bit much but given time he finds himself falling for intellect, but when the truth is revealed that Holly is stunningly beautiful will Austyn be able to forgive the betrayal.
Enjoyable story, had a moment midway through that I could not stop cracking up. Holly goes from spoiled and determined to determined and falling for her husband. Austyn is a gentleman to Holly, until the betrayal and than he turns into pure alpha male who is confused by his feelings of wanting nothing to do with his wife and wanting her so desperately his skin is on fire. Always a guaranteed good time reading a Teresa Mederios book.
Sir Austyn of Gavenmore has no qualms of taking a plain wife, in fact he embraces it. His family is cursed into rages of jealousy and doomed marriages when the wife is beautiful, he wants happiness and children and to break this awful curse. When he takes the hand of Holly, her ugliness is a bit much but given time he finds himself falling for intellect, but when the truth is revealed that Holly is stunningly beautiful will Austyn be able to forgive the betrayal.
Enjoyable story, had a moment midway through that I could not stop cracking up. Holly goes from spoiled and determined to determined and falling for her husband. Austyn is a gentleman to Holly, until the betrayal and than he turns into pure alpha male who is confused by his feelings of wanting nothing to do with his wife and wanting her so desperately his skin is on fire. Always a guaranteed good time reading a Teresa Mederios book.
sarcrawsh's review
2.0
I think I may finally be tiring of the romance genre. Which makes me sad, because I really, really love it.
I did not, however, really, really love this book. There was far too much emphasis on looks and character was an afterthought to beauty. I give props to Holly for actually working to destroy her beauty rather then simply don a disguise. But it was ludicrous that a quick dunk in water and nothing else would suddenly make her beautiful again.
Also, I didn't love Austyn. What a wuss, man.
I did like the writing and I'd be willing to give the author another try.
I did not, however, really, really love this book. There was far too much emphasis on looks and character was an afterthought to beauty. I give props to Holly for actually working to destroy her beauty rather then simply don a disguise. But it was ludicrous that a quick dunk in water and nothing else would suddenly make her beautiful again.
Also, I didn't love Austyn. What a wuss, man.
I did like the writing and I'd be willing to give the author another try.
summerlithi's review
5.0
Really enjoyed it. Exactly my kind of premise, though I can see certain parts rubbing some people the wrong way. Couldn’t condone much of it in the real world but that’s why it’s a fantasy.
llina's review
3.0
áá...nějak jsem nemohla Holly přijít na chuť, ono bát tak krásná, že se všichni přetrhnou, aby udělali co chcete, je strašnej problém...:D
book_grinch's review
1.0
This was my first Teresa Medeiros book, and considering all I've read of this author in the meanwhile, I think I should have learned my lesson by now.
This one...well it started out somewhat funny and then it ended in a violent crash and burn.
For me situations that involve domestic abuse, and any type of violence should not be be seen as romantic.
This one...well it started out somewhat funny and then it ended in a violent crash and burn.
For me situations that involve domestic abuse, and any type of violence should not be be seen as romantic.
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