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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
Another solid story from Eloisa James.
Silvester and Stella a match made in heaven? That’s what his mom thinks, but he only sees Stella as a friend. A friend with a lovely lower lip.
Stella thinks Silvester is very handsome and also a friend, a friend she’s upset with cause he keeps kissing her while professing his desire to marry someone else.
Stella has many insecurities (red hair and spectacles! Oh my!) and when the time comes she can’t believe that Silvester, a Duke, actually cares for her. He has to show her.
This books is a little messy, but I did enjoy it.
It says it can be read as a stand-alone but reading the two previous books is helpful.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC.
Silvester and Stella a match made in heaven? That’s what his mom thinks, but he only sees Stella as a friend. A friend with a lovely lower lip.
Stella thinks Silvester is very handsome and also a friend, a friend she’s upset with cause he keeps kissing her while professing his desire to marry someone else.
Stella has many insecurities (red hair and spectacles! Oh my!) and when the time comes she can’t believe that Silvester, a Duke, actually cares for her. He has to show her.
This books is a little messy, but I did enjoy it.
It says it can be read as a stand-alone but reading the two previous books is helpful.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love you Eloisa, but my feelings are so complicated.
Ok. Eloisa James is one of my very favorite authors. But this book just had so many things that aren’t for me. I really dislike time jumps, which this had. I usually prefer the hero’s POV, and I felt there wasn’t enough of that here.
The writing, of course, is phenomenal. The bones of great characters are there but you don’t get to see them shine in the framework of the plot. When it ended I honestly felt a little let down.
However, of course I recommend it, because it’s Eloisa James and even her meh books are better than most anything else!
Star Rating: 3/5
Tropes: Wallflower, curvy heroine
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
lighthearted
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
HE SAID, I’M GOING TO FUCK YOU IN EVERY ROOM THAT I OWN, AND THEN BROUGHT HER TO A HAUNTED HOUSE!!!?!?
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-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
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This story timeline overlaps with the previous book. Thank goodness the author explained it in the beginning of the book. I found the characters well developed and loved them falling into love at a time when women's rights were starting to be developed.
This is a book about two people learning to overcome their insecurities and getting to know themselves better along with each other. I see other reviewers were displeased with the hero’s initial attachment to another woman, but I found that worked well as a catalyst for the protagonists’ journey of self-discovery. Stella was ultimately far more preoccupied with Yasmin than Silvester ever was, and this rang true given her upbringing and consequent self-concept. I’m not sure Silvester’s failure to recognise love for what it was rang as true for me, but I suppose he hadn’t been raised to be emotionally self-aware.
The author’s note at the end adds interesting and useful context to the characters’ insecurities and motivations and I’d advise readers not to skip past it.
The timing of the book’s events overlaps to a great extent with those of the previous book in this series, The Reluctant Countess. I had forgotten most of that book and could still follow along very well with this one, so I don’t think it’s necessary to have read any of the previous instalments in this series before reading this.
For me, this is the best in the series so far. The protagonists’ relationship made sense to me - I could understand what they saw in each other, and that wasn’t entirely the case with the last instalment. The secondary characters were richly drawn and well developed. The writing sparkles in true Eloisa James style and I chuckled out loud more than once while reading. A pleasure overall.
The author’s note at the end adds interesting and useful context to the characters’ insecurities and motivations and I’d advise readers not to skip past it.
The timing of the book’s events overlaps to a great extent with those of the previous book in this series, The Reluctant Countess. I had forgotten most of that book and could still follow along very well with this one, so I don’t think it’s necessary to have read any of the previous instalments in this series before reading this.
For me, this is the best in the series so far. The protagonists’ relationship made sense to me - I could understand what they saw in each other, and that wasn’t entirely the case with the last instalment. The secondary characters were richly drawn and well developed. The writing sparkles in true Eloisa James style and I chuckled out loud more than once while reading. A pleasure overall.
This book was a fun romp and I truly enjoyed it, I just didn’t find anything super unique about it.
Stella is under no assumption that any gentlemen of the Ton will truly fall in love with her. After all she wears spectacles, has freckles and a stout figure. Silvester the Duke of Huntington can’t help but be intrigued by Stella and her sharp mind even though he plans to marry lady Yasmin. When Silvester kisses her at an event Stella doesn’t know what to think even though she can’t deny their attraction. After Yasmin elopes with his best friend Silvester corners Stella into marriage. But will they be able to work through their issues to establish a happy marriage?
I did enjoy this book, there were a lot of delightful scenes and supporting characters. I did feel Stella’s conflict about feeling second best and not truly chosen by the duke should have come to a conclusion a lot sooner and not strung out the entire book.
There were many poignant issues addressed that I appreciated such as self confidence, a woman choosing her own happiness and not bowing to societal norms. I very much appreciated all of these!
I enjoyed this book with it’s dynamic characters, steamy romance and extravagant events of the Ton!
I did enjoy this book, there were a lot of delightful scenes and supporting characters. I did feel Stella’s conflict about feeling second best and not truly chosen by the duke should have come to a conclusion a lot sooner and not strung out the entire book.
There were many poignant issues addressed that I appreciated such as self confidence, a woman choosing her own happiness and not bowing to societal norms. I very much appreciated all of these!
I enjoyed this book with it’s dynamic characters, steamy romance and extravagant events of the Ton!
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-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