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solaana's review against another edition
4.0
Ok that was a rather rollicking read. I do love novels that read like travel journals.
chirson's review against another edition
3.0
The first half was decent albeit weaker than the prequel, and the flashbacks were quite fun (with the exception of the instachange instaconflict), but the plot of the second half... it felt like a list of plot points at times. The characters spent years apart and angry, but now they resolve their differences and just know they should be back together because fate. The story requires a lot of suspension of disbelief on a plot level, and I guess that is to be expected (though I'd much prefer it if that second meeting occurred through Herb or at least because they are both searching for the jade tablets rather than fully independently) but the emotions shouldn't require the same thing in a romance. And they did. The engagement resolves too neatly (he discovers the lady was a shitty human, so it's okay to break things off and leave her... to be destitute and possibly unmarriageable?), the dead baby gets ultimately glossed over... I don't know, it felt like a huge deadline had come too soon for Sherry Thomas, and that's a pity because the characters and the setting and the ideas deserved better.
(I still like her a lot though, not gonna lie.)
(I still like her a lot though, not gonna lie.)
wildwolverine's review against another edition
4.0
Picking up where The Hidden Blade started, My Beautiful Enemy chronicles how Ying-Ying and Leighton Atwood met, fell in love, fell apart, reunited, and came back together. It's a beautiful, moving story while also touching on a lot social and political topics that would have been relevant to the time period, setting it apart from other romance novels. The blended wuxi (Chinese martial arts novel) and romance novel elements worked really harmoniously together, and I highly recommend this book, with some caveats.
When you meet Ying-Ying/Catherine Blade and Leighton Atwood, the two are already exes. Their reunion is bittersweet, and the way it's described - Ying-Ying is shocked that she didn't succeed in killing him after all - only makes me want to read on further. Honestly, I don't think this story could've worked any other way. Leighton was always dignified and honorable with regards to his fiancee while slowly falling back in love with Ying-Ying. For her part, Ying-Ying was equal parts devoted to her work and to Leighton. Their emotions were palpable, and I really felt for them. The writing between these two is well done!
This book stands apart from other romance novel because of the strong wuxia elements threaded throughout the story. Ying-Ying's commitment to her mission and her devotion to her blended family is unique to Eastern cultures, but it's no less poignant for being unfamiliar. Even though I didn't grow up in the same structures or with the same values, I felt how torn Ying-Ying was between personal desire and duty. For his part, Leighton had the same dilemmas, and while this initially tore them apart, it also brought them back together. It really was quite fulfilling.
So, what are my caveats? Well, readers may recognize this story, as it is very heavily "inspired" by the wuxia film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, if Ziyi Zhang's character then went to England in the latter half of the story. The whole cave scenes were pretty much lifted straight from the movie, complete with bandits. Rest assured. As this is a romance novel, it ends on a happier note than the film does.
Another point that irritated me is the character of Leighton Atwood's fiancée, Miss Chase. She seemed well-written until it was no longer convenient for her to be so.
I know the prequel is only a novella, but I highly recommend reading it before this novel. There are lots of characters and references in the prequel that really aid in understanding this novel. You could read this as a standalone, but you would miss so much of the growth and sacrifice of these characters if you read them out of order. The two stories together create a wonderful and compelling story with a heartfelt romance at its core.
When you meet Ying-Ying/Catherine Blade and Leighton Atwood, the two are already exes. Their reunion is bittersweet, and the way it's described - Ying-Ying is shocked that she didn't succeed in killing him after all - only makes me want to read on further. Honestly, I don't think this story could've worked any other way. Leighton was always dignified and honorable with regards to his fiancee while slowly falling back in love with Ying-Ying. For her part, Ying-Ying was equal parts devoted to her work and to Leighton. Their emotions were palpable, and I really felt for them. The writing between these two is well done!
This book stands apart from other romance novel because of the strong wuxia elements threaded throughout the story. Ying-Ying's commitment to her mission and her devotion to her blended family is unique to Eastern cultures, but it's no less poignant for being unfamiliar. Even though I didn't grow up in the same structures or with the same values, I felt how torn Ying-Ying was between personal desire and duty. For his part, Leighton had the same dilemmas, and while this initially tore them apart, it also brought them back together. It really was quite fulfilling.
So, what are my caveats? Well, readers may recognize this story, as it is very heavily "inspired" by the wuxia film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, if Ziyi Zhang's character then went to England in the latter half of the story. The whole cave scenes were pretty much lifted straight from the movie, complete with bandits. Rest assured. As this is a romance novel, it ends on a happier note than the film does.
Another point that irritated me is the character of Leighton Atwood's fiancée, Miss Chase. She seemed well-written until it was no longer convenient for her to be so.
Spoiler
Miss Chase starts out as a sweet yet intelligent woman who very much cares for Leighton yet recognizes she is losing him to Catherine Blade (Ying-Ying). When this happens, she doesn't meekly stand aside or fall in love with someone else, which is typical of romance novels to absolve the hero of guilt. Miss Chase fights to keep Leighton in the ways that would've been socially acceptable for her to do so. Yet, Thomas falls victim to tired romance tropes, and if Miss Chase can't be an angel, she must be a devil in disguise. Without explanation, she is turned into a villain and then summarily dismissed as someone who only wanted Leighton's money, despite there never being any evidence to this. It felt very cheap, lazy, and it really derailed the story for me.I know the prequel is only a novella, but I highly recommend reading it before this novel. There are lots of characters and references in the prequel that really aid in understanding this novel. You could read this as a standalone, but you would miss so much of the growth and sacrifice of these characters if you read them out of order. The two stories together create a wonderful and compelling story with a heartfelt romance at its core.
upturnedroots's review against another edition
4.0
Those with unfinished business will meet on narrow paths.
"There is nothing here that isn't rightfully mine."
He was here. Was he also rightfully hers?
"You will have no disputes from me on that account," he said.
Wow. This book needs to be adapted into a miniseries. An absolutely remarkable blend of genres, and I am going to read the first book for sure to learn more about the characters' origin stories. I loved the wuxia elements and I felt like I was watching a classic English espionage film for this entire story with the great use of flashbacks. A great change of pace to read about Asian settings for a historical romance as well.
The idea of her in a violent fury did not bother him, but the possibility of losing her trust did.
I feel like I didn't get to learn Captain Leighton Atwood as well through his POV as I got to know Catherine, but this is a very unique story that will stay with me for a while. Tread carefully, there are some dark moments, and this is coming from someone fond of angst in historical romance - although I prefer it come from the purity of emotion, not grief.
All excellent remedies are bitter to swallow.
This is my first Sherry Thomas novel, but I've ordered more from her backlist, and I am excited to try her Lady Sherlock series as well. I've only heard great things about this author's writing!
"There is nothing here that isn't rightfully mine."
He was here. Was he also rightfully hers?
"You will have no disputes from me on that account," he said.
Wow. This book needs to be adapted into a miniseries. An absolutely remarkable blend of genres, and I am going to read the first book for sure to learn more about the characters' origin stories. I loved the wuxia elements and I felt like I was watching a classic English espionage film for this entire story with the great use of flashbacks. A great change of pace to read about Asian settings for a historical romance as well.
The idea of her in a violent fury did not bother him, but the possibility of losing her trust did.
I feel like I didn't get to learn Captain Leighton Atwood as well through his POV as I got to know Catherine, but this is a very unique story that will stay with me for a while. Tread carefully, there are some dark moments, and this is coming from someone fond of angst in historical romance - although I prefer it come from the purity of emotion, not grief.
All excellent remedies are bitter to swallow.
This is my first Sherry Thomas novel, but I've ordered more from her backlist, and I am excited to try her Lady Sherlock series as well. I've only heard great things about this author's writing!
annestef1a's review against another edition
5.0
This book is a literal GEM–you know, those novels with great plot, searing chemistry and heartbreaking romance, powerful characters, amazing storyline, but has low ratings and few reviews– I just can't believe My Beautiful Enemy isn't Sherry Thomas's best work because this is just as good to be adapted as a series or movie.
This is about two spies who fell in love and was seperated by their country, family, and opposing duty. Only to be reunited in the point of life where everything has changed. A tale of love, lost and sacrifice–and Good God! I'm such a sucker for these.
"The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl are lovers who cannot be together, so they spend their lives on opposite banks of the Silver River, which is what the Chinese call the Milky Way."
“But on the seventh day of the seventh moon of the year, a flock of magpies form a bridge across the river, and they are briefly reunited, before they must each return to their own bank for the long wait to begin again.”
“It is up to the beholder to decide whether the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl are about to reunite, or about to part again,” said Catherine...
“What is your verdict, Captain? Joyous reunion or more heartrending separation?”
o(〒﹏〒)o
This is about two spies who fell in love and was seperated by their country, family, and opposing duty. Only to be reunited in the point of life where everything has changed. A tale of love, lost and sacrifice–and Good God! I'm such a sucker for these.
"The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl are lovers who cannot be together, so they spend their lives on opposite banks of the Silver River, which is what the Chinese call the Milky Way."
“But on the seventh day of the seventh moon of the year, a flock of magpies form a bridge across the river, and they are briefly reunited, before they must each return to their own bank for the long wait to begin again.”
“It is up to the beholder to decide whether the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl are about to reunite, or about to part again,” said Catherine...
“What is your verdict, Captain? Joyous reunion or more heartrending separation?”
o(〒﹏〒)o
lynseyisreading's review against another edition
4.0
This was the oddest thing. It was very comic book-like in its over-the-topness. The heroine was an absolute badass of the highest order. Like, a fighting Ninja. And I'm just not expecting that sort of thing in a book that looks so much like a typical Regency romance from its cover! It was bizarre, but in the end, a very good read.
4 stars.
4 stars.
erinarkin20's review against another edition
4.0
My Beautiful Enemy is the first historical romance I have read by Sherry Thomas and I have to say I will absolutely read more. I have read her YA Fantasy and loved it so I’m not at all surprised that I enjoyed this story. Yes, it is definitely a different genre but Thomas does a wonderful job of developing these characters and I loved that this book didn’t fall into the standard historical romance formula.
Catherine Blade is new to England and on a mission. She is hunting down two jade tablets that someone she knew had in his possession. Unfortunately when he passed away, she had no idea where to find them and her hunt has led her to England. As her ship docks and her travel companions bring her with them ashore, she ends up face to face with the only man she has ever loved…and lost.
I liked Catherine. As a woman growing up in 19th century China, she clearly is not considered your normal young woman. She is a fighter and independent but as the step-daughter of a very influential man, she is kept locked away for a good portion of her life. When she finally does get the opportunity to spread her wings, she crosses paths with someone she refers to as the “Persian” (if you didn't guess, this is Leighton) and eventually they come to rely on each other…and then fall in love. The challenge is that they both have secrets and as they make assumptions and/or find more out about the other, they end up making decisions that impact the rest of their lives.
As I mentioned, Catherine is tough and when she does realize she loves the Persian, she is willing to give up everything she has ever known for him. She is loyal and despite the bravado she has, she is also vulnerable and I was right there with her for all the ups and downs she experienced.
Trust me when I say there is a lot going on in this story. As I mentioned, Catherine is on a mission but she also has an assassin tracking and threatening her. At the same time, when she runs into her “Persian” she is dealing with all of the emotions that come with that reunion. Due to some circumstances around their split, Catherine never thought she would see him again. In addition to all of this, she is faced with the fact that the man she has always loved is now engaged to another woman who, although she is friendly, is definitely not a fan of their covert conversations.
I don’t want to give everything away here so I won’t say much more but I have to say I loved how Thomas wove current time together with the chapters from the past. It really showed how Catherine/Ying Ying and Leighton ended up meeting and eventually ending up in love. It also gave just enough background to show me why they both faced the challenges they did. If there was one thing I wanted to know more about, it was Leighton’s backstory. Thomas told us how he ended up living with his uncle while his younger brother left with his mother, but I wanted to know more about why that was the case…hopefully I didn’t just miss it. Maybe just a minor plot point but still, I was confused as to why this was the case.
Another thing I enjoyed was how Thomas takes the reader to China and India versus just basing this in England. Based on my limited exposure, it seems very rare that historical romance ventures into these locations and it was great to learn more about those locations/cultures.
If you enjoy historical romance, definitely check this one out. Sherry Thomas creates some interesting characters who face some pretty daunting challenges while still keeping the “romance” feel to it. I loved the layers Thomas created within this story and look forward to reading more of her books from this genre.
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Romance for the review copy.
Catherine Blade is new to England and on a mission. She is hunting down two jade tablets that someone she knew had in his possession. Unfortunately when he passed away, she had no idea where to find them and her hunt has led her to England. As her ship docks and her travel companions bring her with them ashore, she ends up face to face with the only man she has ever loved…and lost.
I liked Catherine. As a woman growing up in 19th century China, she clearly is not considered your normal young woman. She is a fighter and independent but as the step-daughter of a very influential man, she is kept locked away for a good portion of her life. When she finally does get the opportunity to spread her wings, she crosses paths with someone she refers to as the “Persian” (if you didn't guess, this is Leighton) and eventually they come to rely on each other…and then fall in love. The challenge is that they both have secrets and as they make assumptions and/or find more out about the other, they end up making decisions that impact the rest of their lives.
As I mentioned, Catherine is tough and when she does realize she loves the Persian, she is willing to give up everything she has ever known for him. She is loyal and despite the bravado she has, she is also vulnerable and I was right there with her for all the ups and downs she experienced.
Trust me when I say there is a lot going on in this story. As I mentioned, Catherine is on a mission but she also has an assassin tracking and threatening her. At the same time, when she runs into her “Persian” she is dealing with all of the emotions that come with that reunion. Due to some circumstances around their split, Catherine never thought she would see him again. In addition to all of this, she is faced with the fact that the man she has always loved is now engaged to another woman who, although she is friendly, is definitely not a fan of their covert conversations.
I don’t want to give everything away here so I won’t say much more but I have to say I loved how Thomas wove current time together with the chapters from the past. It really showed how Catherine/Ying Ying and Leighton ended up meeting and eventually ending up in love. It also gave just enough background to show me why they both faced the challenges they did. If there was one thing I wanted to know more about, it was Leighton’s backstory. Thomas told us how he ended up living with his uncle while his younger brother left with his mother, but I wanted to know more about why that was the case…hopefully I didn’t just miss it. Maybe just a minor plot point but still, I was confused as to why this was the case.
Another thing I enjoyed was how Thomas takes the reader to China and India versus just basing this in England. Based on my limited exposure, it seems very rare that historical romance ventures into these locations and it was great to learn more about those locations/cultures.
If you enjoy historical romance, definitely check this one out. Sherry Thomas creates some interesting characters who face some pretty daunting challenges while still keeping the “romance” feel to it. I loved the layers Thomas created within this story and look forward to reading more of her books from this genre.
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Romance for the review copy.
diaryofthebookdragon's review against another edition
3.0
Well, this was surprisingly almost plain historical suspense romance. :( After reading the beautiful [b:The Hidden Blade|22751852|The Hidden Blade (The Heart of Blade Duology, #1)|Sherry Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1405922335l/22751852._SX50_.jpg|42298214] I was expecting something completely different.
emilyveryromance's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
In this story, Thomas creates a world full of exciting immediate dangers, big political drama, and intimate personal tragedies. Our main characters really go through it, but their connection to one another feels so deeply important and inevitable, making a lot of the angst easier to stomach than in some *other* Sherry Thomas books (glares in 'Ravishing the Heiress'). This one has got so many of the best tropes: a road trip through the desert, hidden identities, long lost loves returning from the dead (my FAVORITE), and secrets that if revealed would change absolutely everything. It's also got a treasure hunt, suitcases rigged to kill, and many really excellent martial arts moments. An exquisite historical romance.
rkoz's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
4.5