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alicejm's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A glorious exploration of an idea rarely seen in romance novels - can true love strike twice? This story deftly explores both grief and new love through the character of Antonia, who is struggling with the death of a most beloved husband when a stranger walks into her life. I find this to be the sweetest of the Roxton books - the child characters are given a lot of page time (and they are all charming and cute), and of course a lovely HEA. There are some frightening parts to do with medical abuse, so be aware of this when reading. The descriptions of every day life for the titled citizens of Georgian UK are interesting and very well researched. As with all Brant's books, the descriptions of clothing are especially delicious. I recommend this as a lazy, decadent day read.
ember_eyes_are_for_tigers's review
dark
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Antonia really goes through it in this book, and yet it’s by far the best one in this series.
The main characters are wonderfully fleshed out (which one can’t say for Deborah or Julian, although, perhaps they never had a personality to begin with) and the male leads is amazing. He is incredible, so good and understanding, that the only way he could exist would be by being a fictional character.
However, this book is a darker than the previous ones, dealing with Antonia’s grief and loss. And, I’m not someone that’s known for crying for books or films, however, I did end up crying at the beginning.
It does get better though!
The main characters are wonderfully fleshed out (which one can’t say for Deborah or Julian, although, perhaps they never had a personality to begin with) and the male leads is amazing. He is incredible, so good and understanding, that the only way he could exist would be by being a fictional character.
However, this book is a darker than the previous ones, dealing with Antonia’s grief and loss. And, I’m not someone that’s known for crying for books or films, however, I did end up crying at the beginning.
It does get better though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Gaslighting, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Medical trauma, Sexism, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Torture, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Miscarriage, Cancer, and Pregnancy
emma_caputi's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
writer595's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
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? No
4.5
larisa2021's review
4.0
4.5 Stars
Delicious consistent story that unravels from a taunt, frustrating, eminently painful place into a Happy New Beginning. Love the characters both new and old.
Sincerely hope one day the 7th Duke of Roxton's tale will be told, as well as his younger sister Juliana (the next Antonia).
Delicious consistent story that unravels from a taunt, frustrating, eminently painful place into a Happy New Beginning. Love the characters both new and old.
Sincerely hope one day the 7th Duke of Roxton's tale will be told, as well as his younger sister Juliana (the next Antonia).
jkh107's review
4.0
Some characters are lucky enough to have two romances written about them, I mean, love twice. When the Duchess of Roxton doesn't recover quickly from her beloved husband's death, her son leaps to the conclusion that she is deranged. However, the cure he orders is worse than the ailment, and Antonia must find her own cure...in the arms of a new lover! Another good read from Brant.
hinalovestoread's review
2.0
This review has many spoilers as I am mighty pissed because even with my reluctance to read this book, I was not hoping this mucked up a story.
I understand the change in Antonia as she had lost the major reason for living but the author ruined the other characters for me.
Julian, who was contrite about his actions and wanted to do everything to make amends and never hurt his parents again, has suddenly become an a-hole? Yes.
He may have technically been a virgin when he came to his marriage bed in the last book, the man never came across as prude. There is a difference between keeping the intimacies between two and being a prude, for crying out loud!
Deborah, who was a sweet dear, suddenly feels the need to challenge her mother in law's authority? Why? What had poor Antonia ever done to her or anyone to deserve that kind of behaviour?
The physician bit? I get that Julian wanted what was best for her but dude had to be told that he basically put his mother up on a platter to be sexually abused by a sadist. Jonathan and Deb decided not to tell Julian of it and that does not sit well with me. He needed to be told. He should have been made to suffer!
The audacity of the man to not even ask his mother for forgiveness when he found out about the wrong he had unintentionally done her!
That scene in the library? I would have slapped Julian if I was there! Not once but twice this man did all in his power to bring his mother to her deathbed and neither times an apology is to be seen!
Jonathan's character, in my estimation was hugely lacking. Though I am not against finding love more than once in life, I fail to see what Antonia saw in this guy. Yes, he is a good guy and all but you don't fall in love with every good person you come into contact with. And, no I do not have a problem with the age difference or the fact that Antonia is the older one in the couple.
It had been mentioned that Jonathan's first wife was his one true love and like Anotinia he too had fallen in love again, but do we get a glimpse into the life of his dead wife? No.
While Jonathan shares Anotnia with her one true love, her Renard, she doesn't share Jonathan with anyone. There are three in bed at any time and not four.
How this love is a diluted version of what Anotnia and Renard is made so stark in the fact that she writes (in the letter collection book) that she will be the Duchess on Kinross until she dies and is reunited with her Monseigneur.
Julian, who was contrite about his actions and wanted to do everything to make amends and never hurt his parents again, has suddenly become an a-hole? Yes.
He may have technically been a virgin when he came to his marriage bed in the last book, the man never came across as prude. There is a difference between keeping the intimacies between two and being a prude, for crying out loud!
Deborah, who was a sweet dear, suddenly feels the need to challenge her mother in law's authority? Why? What had poor Antonia ever done to her or anyone to deserve that kind of behaviour?
The physician bit? I get that Julian wanted what was best for her but dude had to be told that he basically put his mother up on a platter to be sexually abused by a sadist. Jonathan and Deb decided not to tell Julian of it and that does not sit well with me. He needed to be told. He should have been made to suffer!
The audacity of the man to not even ask his mother for forgiveness when he found out about the wrong he had unintentionally done her!
That scene in the library? I would have slapped Julian if I was there! Not once but twice this man did all in his power to bring his mother to her deathbed and neither times an apology is to be seen!
Jonathan's character, in my estimation was hugely lacking. Though I am not against finding love more than once in life, I fail to see what Antonia saw in this guy. Yes, he is a good guy and all but you don't fall in love with every good person you come into contact with. And, no I do not have a problem with the age difference or the fact that Antonia is the older one in the couple.
It had been mentioned that Jonathan's first wife was his one true love and like Anotinia he too had fallen in love again, but do we get a glimpse into the life of his dead wife? No.
While Jonathan shares Anotnia with her one true love, her Renard, she doesn't share Jonathan with anyone. There are three in bed at any time and not four.
How this love is a diluted version of what Anotnia and Renard is made so stark in the fact that she writes (in the letter collection book) that she will be the Duchess on Kinross until she dies and is reunited with her Monseigneur.
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