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sarag19's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 out of 5 Stars
I have been so highly anticipating this book and to say I was left wanting more is an understatement. And I don't say that in a good way even if I did like the book in the end.
Lady Helen and her crew are in Bath waiting out her wedding to Selburn while still trying to track down the Grand Deceiver. It is clear that the author did a great deal of research on the Regency period. Everything from parties to clothing styles to the gossip of the day is put out in great detail and you can feel how much the author really likes the time period. So I have to give her a great deal of credit for creating such a beautiful crafted world in her book, focusing on the way society works, especially for women with their clothes and gossip. Unfortunately its in these periods that I felt my eyes glaze over and my brain start to tune out. It was great in the first book as the world was established and okay in pieces in the second book but by the third book my interest in gossip and clothing style is gone and I wanted the fight between the Grand Reclaimer and Grand Deceiver. This is what the entire story has been building up to and by the time we get to it, its almost blink and its over.
I still liked the majority of the characters but I feel that this book suffered from what so many other books seem to when they get to the final battle. Characters that are dumbed down and oblivious to what is going on around them just for the sake of the plot. There are so many far to convenient conflicts that rise and neither Helen or Carlston take a step back and think "Hmm... How interesting that these things designed to keep us apart keep popping up once we come together. Maybe we should stay together." I would have been okay if this was a straight period romance but its not.
The fact I didn't pitch my book across the room at that moment is still beyond me. The fact that Helen, who seems to be so observant in the first two books doesn't see the truth before her is maddening. I wanted my strong Helen who stood up to her uncle back, who peeked her head up from time to time throughout the book. Its clear from the beginning what the authors end game is with regards to the marriage but its still frustrating. Carlston and Helen deserved their happiness and while they get it in the end, I would have loved to see maybe a tiny epilogue with them out loving life and kicking ass.
Overall, I still really liked this series and the characters and the world that the author has created. I just wish there had been more with a better paced story.
I have been so highly anticipating this book and to say I was left wanting more is an understatement. And I don't say that in a good way even if I did like the book in the end.
Lady Helen and her crew are in Bath waiting out her wedding to Selburn while still trying to track down the Grand Deceiver. It is clear that the author did a great deal of research on the Regency period. Everything from parties to clothing styles to the gossip of the day is put out in great detail and you can feel how much the author really likes the time period. So I have to give her a great deal of credit for creating such a beautiful crafted world in her book, focusing on the way society works, especially for women with their clothes and gossip. Unfortunately its in these periods that I felt my eyes glaze over and my brain start to tune out. It was great in the first book as the world was established and okay in pieces in the second book but by the third book my interest in gossip and clothing style is gone and I wanted the fight between the Grand Reclaimer and Grand Deceiver. This is what the entire story has been building up to and by the time we get to it, its almost blink and its over.
I still liked the majority of the characters but I feel that this book suffered from what so many other books seem to when they get to the final battle. Characters that are dumbed down and oblivious to what is going on around them just for the sake of the plot. There are so many far to convenient conflicts that rise and neither Helen or Carlston take a step back and think "Hmm... How interesting that these things designed to keep us apart keep popping up once we come together. Maybe we should stay together." I would have been okay if this was a straight period romance but its not.
Spoiler
Its pretty obvious from the first book that Selburn is going to be the main bad guy and I found it actually humorous that the only one that seems to see something wrong is her uncle! He states clearly that Selburn is mad for wanting her and in this society that the author has taken so much time to craft, it makes a lot of sense. Selburn doesn't like who Helen is and will not play second fiddle to a woman, there is even a scene that Selburn declares that he would force himself upon her and Helen, strong Helen, just sits there and says nothing.Overall, I still really liked this series and the characters and the world that the author has created. I just wish there had been more with a better paced story.
readingwithhippos's review against another edition
4.0
A fitting end to the series. The audio performances by Fiona Hardingham are delightful.
erinarkin20's review against another edition
5.0
The Dark Days Deceit is the final book in the Lady Helen series by Alison Goodman and if you haven’t read the first two books yet, I’m not sure we can still be friends…just kidding…kind of. I really do wish more people I know would read these books because I love them, and they will be on my favorites shelf forever. For those of you reading who have not read the first two books, please know that I can’t promise not to spoil but no spoilers ahead for the final book…I promise! With that said, don’t hate me when I don’t tell you ALL THE THINGS.
This book picks up where we left off with Lady Helen and Lord Carlston now bonded as the Grand Reclaimer, but they are still trying to figure out how it works. Now in Bath, the Dark Days club are searching for the Grand Deceiver and oh yeah, Helen is preparing to marry the Duke of Selburn. There are just a few things going on in Helen’s life and things are definitely not easy.
I will truly miss these characters – of course Helen and Carlston are my absolute favorites and I can’t even tell you about all the things that happen with these two because Goodman put so many twists and turns into this book that just when she had me thinking one thing, something else happened to make me need to put the book down and regroup. Of course, since Helen is getting married, the tension between them due to their feelings for each other is something else.
Helen has been through so much in this series and she has grown so much since the first book. No longer is she the sheltered, young girl who only wants to make a good marriage match. She has a purpose and by the time this book starts, she is determined to do whatever she can to protect those around her. One of the keys to this story though is the people who surround Helen and help her because she never would have made it this far without them all. Of course, there is Carlston but from Hammond and Lady Margaret to Darby, Delia, Quinn, and even Pike – they all play key roles throughout the book and in Helen’s life and help shape her to become who she needs to be in this final book.
As Helen, Carlston, and the club get closer to figuring out who the Grand Deceiver is, things don’t always go as well as one would hope. I’m not going to lie, there are a lot of ups and downs for the characters and not everyone makes it out of this story, but you’ll have to read it to see just how things end up for everyone.
I would also like to call out that Goodman had to have done a crazy amount of research for this series as everything related to the Regency era and even the locations these characters inhabited felt real and while I’m not an expert, it felt authentic to me.
That’s it – I can’t say anymore without potentially giving something away, so I am going to stop here. I will close with saying that if you enjoy a book that is a combination of paranormal, magic, danger, and deceit, you need to pick this up as soon as possible. This book had everything I wanted in a final book and while I am sad this series is complete, I loved it. This will definitely not be the last book I read by Alison Goodman, that’s for sure. With this series she has made it on to my favorite author list and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
Thank you to the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book picks up where we left off with Lady Helen and Lord Carlston now bonded as the Grand Reclaimer, but they are still trying to figure out how it works. Now in Bath, the Dark Days club are searching for the Grand Deceiver and oh yeah, Helen is preparing to marry the Duke of Selburn. There are just a few things going on in Helen’s life and things are definitely not easy.
I will truly miss these characters – of course Helen and Carlston are my absolute favorites and I can’t even tell you about all the things that happen with these two because Goodman put so many twists and turns into this book that just when she had me thinking one thing, something else happened to make me need to put the book down and regroup. Of course, since Helen is getting married, the tension between them due to their feelings for each other is something else.
Helen has been through so much in this series and she has grown so much since the first book. No longer is she the sheltered, young girl who only wants to make a good marriage match. She has a purpose and by the time this book starts, she is determined to do whatever she can to protect those around her. One of the keys to this story though is the people who surround Helen and help her because she never would have made it this far without them all. Of course, there is Carlston but from Hammond and Lady Margaret to Darby, Delia, Quinn, and even Pike – they all play key roles throughout the book and in Helen’s life and help shape her to become who she needs to be in this final book.
As Helen, Carlston, and the club get closer to figuring out who the Grand Deceiver is, things don’t always go as well as one would hope. I’m not going to lie, there are a lot of ups and downs for the characters and not everyone makes it out of this story, but you’ll have to read it to see just how things end up for everyone.
I would also like to call out that Goodman had to have done a crazy amount of research for this series as everything related to the Regency era and even the locations these characters inhabited felt real and while I’m not an expert, it felt authentic to me.
That’s it – I can’t say anymore without potentially giving something away, so I am going to stop here. I will close with saying that if you enjoy a book that is a combination of paranormal, magic, danger, and deceit, you need to pick this up as soon as possible. This book had everything I wanted in a final book and while I am sad this series is complete, I loved it. This will definitely not be the last book I read by Alison Goodman, that’s for sure. With this series she has made it on to my favorite author list and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
Thank you to the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
erinarkin20's review against another edition
5.0
I love this series and the audio is one of my favorites. If you haven't listened to a book narrated by Fiona Hardingham, you should go listen to this series...not only do you get a great narrator, but you get a fantastic book too! This will be on my "books I will love forever" shelf...forever. :)
gregoreads's review against another edition
3.0
A satisfactory ending, but The Dark Days Pact remains the best out of the series. Overall I’m really glad I kept reading this series after I found myself uninspired by book one. I ended up feeling invested in all the characters and impressed with the world building and all the wrenches that kept getting thrown into the characters’ plans. The ultimate twist I found really obvious, so it was kind of tedious to have to keep reading for so long waiting for everyone else to catch up, but it still worked narratively. My only other real complaint is that the description and internal monologue were excessive and bogged down the pacing (as it did in all three books) and the first half was unnecessarily long for what it accomplished; this could have been a much shorter book and still had the same impact, I think. I do appreciate how very well researched these books are, though, right down to the very day. Altogether, I’m really glad to have read this series!
emiann2023's review against another edition
5.0
Whooooaaaa. That was one hell of a ride.
I was pleasantly happy to be right about Selburn and Elise, although I did not see the Margaret/Delia twist coming.
I am actually overall very happy with how it all turned out, and while I can't fault the ending between Carlston and Helen, I wish there had been more. So much more. Still, I liked what we got. But, if Alison wants to write more about these two, I will definitely read it. Preferrably happy fluff and weddings and babies. Just sayin. 😁😆😊
I was pleasantly happy to be right about Selburn and Elise, although I did not see the Margaret/Delia twist coming.
I am actually overall very happy with how it all turned out, and while I can't fault the ending between Carlston and Helen, I wish there had been more. So much more. Still, I liked what we got. But, if Alison wants to write more about these two, I will definitely read it. Preferrably happy fluff and weddings and babies. Just sayin. 😁😆😊
clarissep's review against another edition
3.0
EXHAUSTING BACK AND FORTH. MY GOODNESS. The ending was a bit rushed but I enjoyed the twist. Overall a decent series not as strong as her Eon/Eona.
ljstrain28's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this series! I kind of wish there was more because I enjoyed the characters so much, but it was also wrapped up nicely. Thanks for the fun read!
freesien's review against another edition
1.0
What a huge let down! The ending of book 2 set up so many interesting story lines and none of them came to fruition. It was all boring crap about wedding preparations. And all of that Elise stuff was super soap opera-y. Furthermore, all the chemistry Helen and Carlston had in the previous books was suddenly gone and their romance fell flat. Also, there was no romantic pay off from all of that pining from afar and "forbidden love".
The pacing was soooo slow but at least there was some nice action going on at the end. And the Grand Deceiver reveal was meh. I predicted one half, so yeah.
Such a disappointment.
The pacing was soooo slow but at least there was some nice action going on at the end. And the Grand Deceiver reveal was meh. I predicted one half, so yeah.
Such a disappointment.