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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
Lucy Parker is such a special romance author. I wish everyone was on to her, and I wish her books were in more libraries. (We order her books from Amazon, but some libraries don't use Amazon, and since she's such a niche author, I think lots of selectors just don't know about her.)
Anyway, the thing I love about Parker is that her heroes and heroines are fucking sensible-ass human beings. No one RUNS AWAY to A DESERTED ISLAND when there is a miscommunication. People get angry and upset, and it's not all fun and games, but like rational human beings, they say things like, "I'm not happy with you right now, and we have to talk, but this isn't over." That's what real people in love do. They don't go running off harum-scarum to who-knows-where without TALKING to someone first. And then the people talk it out: "I was trying to protect you." "Don't do that, you bloody idiot." (Also, no one pretends it's not love when it clearly is. Maybe people sometimes do that in real life, but that's annoying as fuck to me. Don't be a emotionally dead dumbass, romance-novel hero or heroine. It's not cute.)
Does that mean that books seem less conflict-ridden? Yes. Is the love story any less good for it? NO. I think they're just lovely love stories. The way people interact is just...lovely.
(Also, two HUGE thumbs up for the scene where Freddy tells Griff that penetrative sex is off the table because her cycle causes her some pain during certain times of the month. Yes! Yes yes yes! Yes to communication in sex lives! Yes to women who don't constantly want a penis inside them! Yes to a man who totally gets it! Yes to getting off without penetration! Yes to these sorts of conversations being normalized!)
Anyway, the thing I love about Parker is that her heroes and heroines are fucking sensible-ass human beings. No one RUNS AWAY to A DESERTED ISLAND when there is a miscommunication. People get angry and upset, and it's not all fun and games, but like rational human beings, they say things like, "I'm not happy with you right now, and we have to talk, but this isn't over." That's what real people in love do. They don't go running off harum-scarum to who-knows-where without TALKING to someone first. And then the people talk it out: "I was trying to protect you." "Don't do that, you bloody idiot." (Also, no one pretends it's not love when it clearly is. Maybe people sometimes do that in real life, but that's annoying as fuck to me. Don't be a emotionally dead dumbass, romance-novel hero or heroine. It's not cute.)
Does that mean that books seem less conflict-ridden? Yes. Is the love story any less good for it? NO. I think they're just lovely love stories. The way people interact is just...lovely.
(Also, two HUGE thumbs up for the scene where Freddy tells Griff that penetrative sex is off the table because her cycle causes her some pain during certain times of the month. Yes! Yes yes yes! Yes to communication in sex lives! Yes to women who don't constantly want a penis inside them! Yes to a man who totally gets it! Yes to getting off without penetration! Yes to these sorts of conversations being normalized!)
I adored watching this gruff, grumpy, and haughty-nosed theater critic turn into a squishy mess for the bubbly and engaging stage actress! Watching an icy hero melt for a heroine is one of my favorite things!
The many allusions to Austen’s work and the sheer elan takes with using theater as another character in her story is a joy to read!
Also, I'm going to use this book as a "bridge to romance" for some of my friends and library patrons who are mystery fans. There is just enough suspense to make them happy, while also introducing them to the romance genre! While the sex scenes are definitely on page, I feel they are super joyful and I wouldn't think too hard about "who" I recommend this too.
There is a fabulous moment where the heroine tells the hero she cannot enjoy penetrative sex during a certain time of the month, and the way he reacts is A+ consent at its very best!
While this is book 4 in a series, I’ve *gasp* not read the others, and this one completely stands alone. I’m definitely going to be picking up the others though!
I received a free copy in exchange for a fair review! Thank you!
The many allusions to Austen’s work and the sheer elan takes with using theater as another character in her story is a joy to read!
Also, I'm going to use this book as a "bridge to romance" for some of my friends and library patrons who are mystery fans. There is just enough suspense to make them happy, while also introducing them to the romance genre! While the sex scenes are definitely on page, I feel they are super joyful and I wouldn't think too hard about "who" I recommend this too.
There is a fabulous moment where the heroine tells the hero she cannot enjoy penetrative sex during a certain time of the month, and the way he reacts is A+ consent at its very best!
While this is book 4 in a series, I’ve *gasp* not read the others, and this one completely stands alone. I’m definitely going to be picking up the others though!
I received a free copy in exchange for a fair review! Thank you!
Lucy Parker is absolutely brilliant and I love her characters so much! I had to slowly read this one, because I didn’t want it to end and now I’m sad because it’s over, but it’s ok because I can reread everything while waiting for Nick and Sabrina’s history, which I’m absolutely DELIGHTED about already!
A Lucy Parker instant classic. A weapons-grade grumpus of a hero, a heroine made up of pure sunbeams, and enough laugh-out loud lines to make anyone around you wonder what’s so damn funny all the time.
It also had character conflict that was incredibly deeply rooted and well drawn. Simply put, I loved it.
It also had character conflict that was incredibly deeply rooted and well drawn. Simply put, I loved it.
Oh, how I enjoyed this one!
And don't get me wrong, I did like the romance in this. But...what truly made this book for me was this...atmosphere. Of lazy summers past, stolen kisses and passions sheltered forever on yellow pages of dusty letters, families intertwined by fate, star-crossed lovers, mysteries unraveling like an avalanche of long-forgotten feelings.
I'm being just a tad dramatic here but that's what it felt like in a way and I really think that author did a bloody good job of conveying this special feel to this story. Aristocratic family on verge of financial ruin, mansion that still remembers the times of past glory, a romance budding amidst the drama of the play that's rehearsed on the grounds and dramatic mystery being slowly uncovered by our main characters.
It feels almost too mundane to go over how the characters and the romance were written after such an introduction, so I will make a quick job of it. Similar to the pattern of the previous installments, besides from romance, we have a strong focus on individual growth of both characters. Both Freddie and Grif make mistakes but they own up to them and more importantly, they don't just talk "at each other" when they argue, they actually listen and draw conclusions.
I freaking love it.
One more thing worth mentioning - realistic (or at least more realistic than most romance novels) approach to sex. Characters (especially female character) are mentioned having past relationships and they are not all rubbish and unsatisfactory (what I'm playing at here is this annoying thing a lot of authors do where they have the heroine who either has never had any experience or never had any GOOD experience with sex, as if having an orgasm with someone else in the past was the gravest sin).
Anyway -
Apart from that, there are other small things written into smut that made this stand out - no "magic touch" where the heroine sets off in a fanfare of bliss after one touch from the hero. Nope, they both have to work for it. No weirdly acrobatic figures that are impossible to achieve in normal life. Actually, there's even a scene where Freddie laughs off Grif's proposition to go on top, claiming she currently has no thigh strength to do that.
It was all just so refreshing!
Colour me intrigued at clues about next book and its characters as well because I am so looking forward to reading Sabrina's (Freddie's sister) story, which will hopefully end up being enemies to lovers with that sneaky journalist as her LI.
All in all, this series has been a breath of fresh air and I recommend anyone, who likes contemporary romance or is just looking for something fun AND well-written, to take a hefty breath of this one.
it's making me sad that I'm giving this book only 3 stars because the main romance is sf cute and funny. it's based on the Slytherin/Hufflepuff trope which I adore!! I loved that Griff was such a grump and he fell for someone like Freddy who is basically sunshine incarnate. I have been waiting for this book since I heard about it and the author definitely delivered on the romance. but she also added 3439843 side-arcs that just bogged down the whole narrative. idgaf about the cliché actor drama found in every entertainment industry related romance book. I just wish we had more of Griff and Freddy :/
Carino. La storia d’amore è sentita e l’ambientazione nella campagna inglese crea una bella suggestione.