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wicked_nyx's review against another edition
5.0
What a wonderful book!
Once upon a time, I read historical romance by the wheelbarrow-ful, and this book reminded me why I loved some of them.
The synopsis is not entirely accurate, as the compromising situation was not stumbled upon blindly - at least not by the Duke of Courtland. He saw that he had a choice and chose to step into the situation, fully and completely aware that to do so, meant he would be marrying Harmony. While it is not spelled out in the book, I believe he continued on because he truly wanted to marry Harmony, but she was so thoroughly unsuitable for a man of his rank that the only possibility of the match had to happen through the rules and strictures of the society they inhabitted.
I loved Harmony and her bookish ways, probably because I identify with both her intellectual pursuits as well as her social akwardness. Her mother died when she was very young, and her father was absent and indulgent, so she never had cause or chance to develop the social skills that the other young ladies of her set did in childhood. She knows that she does not fit, but also believes if she can manage through this last season she will be settled in the country to study and read and not be expected to continue with any activities of the ton. She truly does not understand that the compromising situation truly will force a marriage between herself and the Duke, and when she does, she is horrified at saddling someone of his station with a wife like herself. Her guilt and her belief that he will someday come to despise who she is, is both completely believable in context and palpable to the reader.
Court, unlike so many heroes in this genre of fiction, is not perfect. He is delightfully flawed, without the overwhelming angst of so many written about today. He makes mistakes, and in his desire to have Harmony be accepted by the ton he attempts to "fix" her, without realizing that "fixing" her will make her not be the Harmony that he loves.
The secondary characters are interesting as well, and flawed as they should be. So often the secondary characters in this genra are one-dimensional, either good or bad with no gray area in their actions. The secondary characters in this book are multi-dimensional and the reader can see them as real people, not just props to show the primary characters good or bad qualities.
Yes, this is a domestic discipline themed book, but it is also a wonderful story of two lonely people who find each other when neither was looking or expecting it.
Once upon a time, I read historical romance by the wheelbarrow-ful, and this book reminded me why I loved some of them.
The synopsis is not entirely accurate, as the compromising situation was not stumbled upon blindly - at least not by the Duke of Courtland. He saw that he had a choice and chose to step into the situation, fully and completely aware that to do so, meant he would be marrying Harmony. While it is not spelled out in the book, I believe he continued on because he truly wanted to marry Harmony, but she was so thoroughly unsuitable for a man of his rank that the only possibility of the match had to happen through the rules and strictures of the society they inhabitted.
I loved Harmony and her bookish ways, probably because I identify with both her intellectual pursuits as well as her social akwardness. Her mother died when she was very young, and her father was absent and indulgent, so she never had cause or chance to develop the social skills that the other young ladies of her set did in childhood. She knows that she does not fit, but also believes if she can manage through this last season she will be settled in the country to study and read and not be expected to continue with any activities of the ton. She truly does not understand that the compromising situation truly will force a marriage between herself and the Duke, and when she does, she is horrified at saddling someone of his station with a wife like herself. Her guilt and her belief that he will someday come to despise who she is, is both completely believable in context and palpable to the reader.
Court, unlike so many heroes in this genre of fiction, is not perfect. He is delightfully flawed, without the overwhelming angst of so many written about today. He makes mistakes, and in his desire to have Harmony be accepted by the ton he attempts to "fix" her, without realizing that "fixing" her will make her not be the Harmony that he loves.
The secondary characters are interesting as well, and flawed as they should be. So often the secondary characters in this genra are one-dimensional, either good or bad with no gray area in their actions. The secondary characters in this book are multi-dimensional and the reader can see them as real people, not just props to show the primary characters good or bad qualities.
Yes, this is a domestic discipline themed book, but it is also a wonderful story of two lonely people who find each other when neither was looking or expecting it.
katmorrisey's review against another edition
3.0
Very close to 3.5. Very close. But alas, I had a really big issue with Court and it was hard -heck it's still hard- to get over that. What he did...god. I still hate him a lot for it! Which makes me even madder cause by the end I liked him. Kinda. AGH!!!
Anyway, this was a really...interesting book. I've read a lot of erotica, romance of many sub genres, etc, so nothing in it surprised...except when I wanted to kill Cortland with my bare hands. And by kill him I mean to do so slowly. I could barely contain my anger. And holy hell if I'd been Harmony I'd have...well, I don't know if I would have forgiven him so.
I'm glad he got his head on straight, finally. And the epilogue was amazing. I really loved it, and loved seeing how he became much more "silly". He totally needed to loosen up. (Oh and the Dowager redeemed herself, finally. I almost felt bad for her even...and the surprise match for her? That cracked me up in the best way! :D)
Anyway, this was a really...interesting book. I've read a lot of erotica, romance of many sub genres, etc, so nothing in it surprised...except when I wanted to kill Cortland with my bare hands. And by kill him I mean to do so slowly. I could barely contain my anger. And holy hell if I'd been Harmony I'd have...well, I don't know if I would have forgiven him so.
I'm glad he got his head on straight, finally. And the epilogue was amazing. I really loved it, and loved seeing how he became much more "silly". He totally needed to loosen up. (Oh and the Dowager redeemed herself, finally. I almost felt bad for her even...and the surprise match for her? That cracked me up in the best way! :D)
sadie_rae's review against another edition
2.0
This was an ok read, but not quite what I was hopping for. I admit that I had high hopes for this book but it just didn't develop in the ways that I was looking for. Harmony is a indulged and much loved child of her father, but in truth she comes off as a brat. Her mother died when Harmony was ten or so and for some reason it doesn't seem like she ever had a governess or aunt to help her. She is socially awkward, abrupt, nu-educated in the simplest of thing(for her time), and single minded in getting her way. Courtland is single minded as well which for him is mostly a good thing, right up until he end's up beating Harmony in anger. Yeah... I just never really felt that connection between them, if I had maybe it wouldn't have come off as so harsh. idk. 2 stars
taurina's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
serialromancelibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
*** Book Q & A***
* How did the book make you feel?: Although there were parts of this book that greatly frustrated me, I enjoyed it.
* How do you feel about how the story was told?: The plot was well-paced. The characters, setting, and dialogue were all well-written and entertaining. I enjoyed this author’s take on regency romance.
* What did you think about the main characters?: I liked Court until he became overly heavy-handed (many would argue abusive). Also, I wished he had groveled more. I wanted to like Harmony, and I liked her for standing up for herself, but I didn’t like that she was often TSTL. Her impulsiveness could’ve killed her TWICE without Court’s intervention. The dog thing was absolutely absurd too. I was rolling my eyes!
* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: I enjoyed the angst. I also enjoyed how the evil MIL came around. She became one of my fave characters.
* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: wallflower bride, shotgun wedding, h doesn’t think she’s good enough for H
* What did you think about the ending?: I enjoyed it, but I was a bit disappointed in Harmony for insisting that Court should continue disciplining her harshly after everything! I also needed more grovel from Court.
* What is your impression of the author?: I definitely would like to read more.
Possible Triggers and Safety: physical abuse
* How did the book make you feel?: Although there were parts of this book that greatly frustrated me, I enjoyed it.
* How do you feel about how the story was told?: The plot was well-paced. The characters, setting, and dialogue were all well-written and entertaining. I enjoyed this author’s take on regency romance.
* What did you think about the main characters?: I liked Court until he became overly heavy-handed (many would argue abusive). Also, I wished he had groveled more. I wanted to like Harmony, and I liked her for standing up for herself, but I didn’t like that she was often TSTL. Her impulsiveness could’ve killed her TWICE without Court’s intervention. The dog thing was absolutely absurd too. I was rolling my eyes!
* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: I enjoyed the angst. I also enjoyed how the evil MIL came around. She became one of my fave characters.
* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: wallflower bride, shotgun wedding, h doesn’t think she’s good enough for H
* What did you think about the ending?: I enjoyed it, but I was a bit disappointed in Harmony for insisting that Court should continue disciplining her harshly after everything! I also needed more grovel from Court.
* What is your impression of the author?: I definitely would like to read more.
Possible Triggers and Safety: physical abuse
ela_35's review against another edition
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
I liked the idea of this book, but it felt like Court and Harmony didn’t suit each other at all.
The beginning was fine, but the book started to drag a bit as nothing really happens. Court and Harmony get married and for most of the book it shows how everyone disapproves of Harmony, and Court and Harmony sleeping together.
The thing that made me dislike this book was how Court was apparently attracted to Harmony and how different she was, but when they got married, after he got over them sleeping together, he wanted to change her. He called it ‘improving her’, which I didn’t understand as the things he found interesting about her, were also the things he wanted to get rid of now. For a part of the book, he forgets about the fact that his wife is a person and listens to the ton and his mother when they say that she is a disgrace.
Also, I didn’t like how one of the scenes show a family dinner where Court’s mother scolds him for how he was treating Harmony. She was the one who told him that it was humiliating to have Harmony as a daughter in law and that he has embarrassed her in front of the ton by marrying a nobody like Harmony. I really didn’t like Court’s mother, and the fact that she takes no responsibility for her actions annoyed me.
I thought that this book would be interesting, but I didn’t like the characters and I thought that Court and Harmony’s relationship shouldn’t have happened. They wanted different things and Court wanted Harmony to still be interesting but also change so that she would fit into society.
izziede's review against another edition
1.0
The relationship between the hero and heroine is fantastic, the banter and the irritation then love. But I didn't get the 'spankings' too much for me.
I think it goes too far, he ends up coming across quite cruel.
I think it goes too far, he ends up coming across quite cruel.
maggie_the_reader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A slow start, then a quick escalation. I was going to give it 5 stars until I came to the epilogue. I hate epilogues. Also, I wish Annabel Joseph made her heroes suffer a bit more when they go to too far... but maybe that’s just the masochist in me (or maybe the sadist?).