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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was pretty cute! I enjoyed the characters a lot. I was really apprehensive at first, since "forced to marry due to compromise" is one of my least favourite tropes, but it was handled well. I just wish the whole "ooo dramatic past" was not part of the book. A girl can be shy WITHOUT needing a reason? It doesn't have to hinge on a big moment that cemented it all. It would have been nicer without that part, I think, and if it had just delved on Viola overcoming/learning to work with her own shyness.
medium-paced
A lovely read and a fun book, I especially loved the duke learning to find his humanity. All the childhood heartbreak and damage it did was a bit too sad for me, but otherwise a great story
Parts of this book were cute and fluffy, but overall it felt lackluster. How many times have I read about a Duke how had a terrible childhood and now it affects him in the emotions department? How many times have I read about a heroine who is so kindhearted that she adopts strange animals like cows and a crow? Worse of all, those parts of the characterization fell so flat throughout the book. It's supposed to provide context to the characters' motivations... but it really didn't.
I liked Viola so this was an okay part to the series. Hero was a bit unlikable at first but a good romance
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via Edelweiss. This in no way impacted on my view.
Another Regency Era romance that I've devoured while the country is on lockdown. Say Yes To The Duke follows Viola Astley, step daughter to the Duke of Lindlow, and member of the notorious Wilde family. She's always felt like an outlier in the family, believing herself not to be a proper Wilde, and has struggled to be in company of those not in her family. The first ball she went to, she was sick in public, and since then, she's always felt queasy in the company of others. When the new vicar arrives at Lindow, and Viola finds herself comfortable with him, and able to talk without feeling ill, she thinks he could be perfect for her - the only problem, he's already engaged to Miss Pettigrew, the daughter of a bishop. While in London for her debut with stepsister Joan, she asks Mr Marlowe to accompany them in the hopes of getting closer to him, and proving she would be his perfect wife. At the same time, Devin Lucas Augustus Elstan, Duke of Wynter, is in town to find a wife, and his main aim is that his wife must be the daughter of a Duke. Initially setting his eyes on Joan, he starts to look at Viola when she stands up to him, and he'll stop at nothing to woo her into agreeing to be his Duchess. Will Viola realise that Devin is perfect for her, and even though she'll be a Duchess, Wynter has never been like most Dukes, and that she is a true Wilde at heart, if not in name.
Viola and Devin were the best couple! I adored how they met - with Viola overhearing him talk about herself and her family, and confronting him, and the vibe between them was swoony and definitely full of chemistry. Devin knew that Viola was feeling like an outsider, and worked as hard as he could to convince her that she is a Wilde, and shouldn't be hiding in the corner, thinking about a vicar, when her place is at his side, taking charge just like she did when she put him to task on their first meeting. And once they got together, the romancing didn't stop. Devin keep proving to her, again and again, that she was loved, and wasn't a wallflower, but instead was a force to be reckoned with. The subplot of Marlowe's relationship with his horrid fiancee, Miss Pettigrew, and the shy but kind Lady Caitlin was a nice reprieve from Devin and Viola's story at times, and I'm glad this was added to the story. I haven't read any of James' books before, but my library has the other Wildes of Lindow Castle books to reserve, so whenever it's open again, I'll be reading them! James is definitely an author I'll be looking out for.
Another Regency Era romance that I've devoured while the country is on lockdown. Say Yes To The Duke follows Viola Astley, step daughter to the Duke of Lindlow, and member of the notorious Wilde family. She's always felt like an outlier in the family, believing herself not to be a proper Wilde, and has struggled to be in company of those not in her family. The first ball she went to, she was sick in public, and since then, she's always felt queasy in the company of others. When the new vicar arrives at Lindow, and Viola finds herself comfortable with him, and able to talk without feeling ill, she thinks he could be perfect for her - the only problem, he's already engaged to Miss Pettigrew, the daughter of a bishop. While in London for her debut with stepsister Joan, she asks Mr Marlowe to accompany them in the hopes of getting closer to him, and proving she would be his perfect wife. At the same time, Devin Lucas Augustus Elstan, Duke of Wynter, is in town to find a wife, and his main aim is that his wife must be the daughter of a Duke. Initially setting his eyes on Joan, he starts to look at Viola when she stands up to him, and he'll stop at nothing to woo her into agreeing to be his Duchess. Will Viola realise that Devin is perfect for her, and even though she'll be a Duchess, Wynter has never been like most Dukes, and that she is a true Wilde at heart, if not in name.
Viola and Devin were the best couple! I adored how they met - with Viola overhearing him talk about herself and her family, and confronting him, and the vibe between them was swoony and definitely full of chemistry. Devin knew that Viola was feeling like an outsider, and worked as hard as he could to convince her that she is a Wilde, and shouldn't be hiding in the corner, thinking about a vicar, when her place is at his side, taking charge just like she did when she put him to task on their first meeting. And once they got together, the romancing didn't stop. Devin keep proving to her, again and again, that she was loved, and wasn't a wallflower, but instead was a force to be reckoned with. The subplot of Marlowe's relationship with his horrid fiancee, Miss Pettigrew, and the shy but kind Lady Caitlin was a nice reprieve from Devin and Viola's story at times, and I'm glad this was added to the story. I haven't read any of James' books before, but my library has the other Wildes of Lindow Castle books to reserve, so whenever it's open again, I'll be reading them! James is definitely an author I'll be looking out for.
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The hero and heroine are friends first, which I think is delightful. And the heroine overcomes her shyness under her own power, not because the hero fixes it for her. Instead he supports her when she needs a break from socializing and so on, which I appreciated.
There's nothing terribly deep or unexpected here, but it's a fun read. Though I would have preferred if the vicar and Miss Pettigrew actually stayed together and fell in love. Idk, it felt a little mean-spirited to have this character who everyone agrees is The Worst, even her fiance, when she hasn't really done anything particularly villainous.
I am wild about the Wildes and I want to be part of this family! This story is the 5th in the series, and it was just as delightful and enjoyable as the preceding books. This story is a character driven romance with bit of angst and small amount of external drama. At the beginning of the story, Viola and Devin are each dealing with their personal issues and insecurities as they to come together and eventually fall in love. I love this couple and one of my favorite aspects about this story is how they continue to grow, individually and as a couple, by honestly addressing and talking about their issues and insecurities with love, commitment, and support. Great story!