Reviews with content warning for Infertility - Thief of Shadows

Reviews tagging 'Infertility'

Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt

7 reviews

unsuccessfulbookclub's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

An absolutely bananas premise and plot line but some of the most intimate emotionally moving conversations between a couple I have read. Historical romance at its absolute finest.

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trashbinfluencer's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.75

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smuttymcbookface's review

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Being an impatient person, I read this as my first book in the series, and it has definitely convinced me to go back and try more!

I found the mixture of plot and romance perfectly balanced in this. It was wonderful to see strong characters express vulnerabilities, and watch the masks come down to humanise them.

The tension and intimacy scenes for this were beautifully written, and probably some of the best I've ever come across. There was vulnerability and mix-ups that added a touch of reality to them.

Two plots within the story cemented my love of the characters.

It was wonderful to read about a virgin hero in a historical romance that was happy to be guided, without shame. He was open about his lack of knowledge, but still confident so as not to betray his character. It was also wonderful to read about infertility in a raw and open manner, and to see the characters addressing it realistically. Isabel's painful relationship with Christopher, and her ability to speak about her guilt and shame, was beautiful.

All-in-all, I thought this was an amazing book that kept you guessing through it. Although some parts were a little too crude to read true (e.g. calling d'Arde a pedophile in public), there was so much reality in the characters, even with an almost-fantastical plot.

___

Re-read again, going through the series from the start this time. I've upped my rating to a 5. Winter's patience and Isabel's vulnerability were so beautifully written.

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onlyonebookshelf's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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allingoodtime's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective tense 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

The romance between Isabel (Lady Beckinhall) and Winter was everything I had hoped it would be, and more. I’m going to quickly say that this review does not have spoilers for this book, but does have spoilers for the previous books. So if you haven’t read the first few books in this series, please be aware and decide if you want to go further.

Not only does this story have romance, witty conversation, and intrigue, but it also has so many great lines. Not just in dialogue, but in descriptions as well.

“She was rumored to have been a beauty in her youth, but age had placed a hand on her face and pulled down, bringing with it the skin around her mouth, eyes, and neck.”

That is not my favorite, but it won’t cause any flags on my reviews on certain prudish sites. And it gives you an idea of what I’m talking about.

Winter is so dour in the previous books, other than some peeks of him trying to keep in his humor when around Isabel in the previous story. Turns out that a fire burns underneath that rigid exterior. Unlike many heroes who have hidden inner fire, Winter doesn’t ever let his burn freely, not even when he’s under the guise of The Ghost of St. Giles. He will open the door a crack to get the job done when out protecting the streets, but there is still a tether on that fire. So much so that Winter has taken a personal vow of celibacy to be the best protector he can be with no distractions. Isabel has what it takes to stoke those flames, leaving Winter questioning his vows, reasoning, and whether he can continue to be the anonymous Ghost.

This story starts with a good dose of danger and excitement. The chemistry between Winter and Isabel is off the charts but Winter cannot help but wonder if Isabel is attracted to him or the Ghost or both. There’s a sort of Zorro/Batman suspension of disbelief that has to happen with some of the closeness these two share at the start, but it works. As things progress, Winter isn’t sure if Isabel knows his secret. Once Isabel figures it out, she is uncertain if Winter knows she knows.

Some of the things Winter has to go through in this story broke my heart. The way certain people in the aristocracy treated him and thought of him got my ire up and made me want to scream. He is such a steady person, not letting others see his emotions. That Isabel and Winter can be their true selves with each other is lovely and touched my heart.

There are 12 books in this series and some of the children in the orphanage are getting older, I can see them coming back in later books as adults. I’m hoping to see Joseph Tinbox as an adult. Not to mention Mary Whitsun, Peach, and Christopher. I couldn’t help thinking, in this story more than in the previous stories, that the author is thinking well ahead for these characters. Maybe in this series or maybe in a whole new series.

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thesixthstation's review

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-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

5.0

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heydebigale's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

CW: miscarriage, infertility, unexpected pregnancy

Loved this book. Winter is a Masked vigilante *virgin* hero who is a million times better than Batman. Isabel is a widow who is about 6 years older than Winter.

There were some weird scenes in this book, but overall loved it.

I cannot stop reading this series!!!

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