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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
The story took way too long to give the reader a chance to figure out what was going on ...
I thought I read this but of course it was just a preview of chapter one that I'd read in a previous book. It was diverting and I love Stephen, as always, and can't wait for his book!
I love Grace Burrowes, especially her more recent work, but lately my enthusiasm has been waning and I think I've pinpointed why. It's because she writes her characters in such a way that they always seem witty and self-possessed, never flustered or emotional unless she explicitly states, "She is angry" or "He is sad." The dialogue exchanges focus so much on the actions a character takes between sentences and the implications behind the words themselves. I never get the sense that anyone is shouting or teasing or being at all emotional. I end up envisioning every character elegantly sitting or standing with totally blank faces and calm voices, occasionally raising an eyebrow or smiling when the narration specifically says so. Does that make any sense??
Basically, nothing feels intense until we're told that something is intense. This sometimes works but after too many stories told in exactly this way, they just feel a bit bland and low stakes. Don't get me wrong, I love that the drama and misunderstandings are usually rational and resolved quickly or, at the least, satisfactorily and villains are not always evil murderers, but too much the other way makes the problems seem trivial sometimes too, like the characters are just being difficult and melodramatic for the sake of it. It's a little frustrating.
I don't know. I'm still interested in her characters and stories, but...I don't know.
I love Grace Burrowes, especially her more recent work, but lately my enthusiasm has been waning and I think I've pinpointed why. It's because she writes her characters in such a way that they always seem witty and self-possessed, never flustered or emotional unless she explicitly states, "She is angry" or "He is sad." The dialogue exchanges focus so much on the actions a character takes between sentences and the implications behind the words themselves. I never get the sense that anyone is shouting or teasing or being at all emotional. I end up envisioning every character elegantly sitting or standing with totally blank faces and calm voices, occasionally raising an eyebrow or smiling when the narration specifically says so. Does that make any sense??
Basically, nothing feels intense until we're told that something is intense. This sometimes works but after too many stories told in exactly this way, they just feel a bit bland and low stakes. Don't get me wrong, I love that the drama and misunderstandings are usually rational and resolved quickly or, at the least, satisfactorily and villains are not always evil murderers, but too much the other way makes the problems seem trivial sometimes too, like the characters are just being difficult and melodramatic for the sake of it. It's a little frustrating.
I don't know. I'm still interested in her characters and stories, but...I don't know.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Part of the Rogues to Riches series.
Lady Althea Wentworth was born into poverty. With an abusive drunkard for a father, she was forced to take her younger siblings to the streets and beg. She is no stranger to poor treatment and ridicule.
Despite having achieved success and fortune due to luck, hard work and perseverance, when her elder brother Quinn was discovered to be the last descendant of the Dukes of Walden, Althea and her family gained a title, but not the respect of the society tabbies of London.
Althea is snubbed and belittled by jealous people, even though she is kind and generous. She's finally had enough, and after enduring five years of nasty behaviour, she decides to stay at her Yorkshire estate rather than return to her family in London for the Season. Unfortunately even those in her local society treat her with disdain. She's seen as an upstart, a threat to their own social manipulations. All she wants is to fit in and at the beginning of the book she's happy to accept the scraps of their attention and even overlook their disrespect.
Althea's nearest neighbour is the reclusive and mysterious Duke of Rothhaven. Nathaniel is rarely seen other than galloping his horse across the countryside at dawn or dusk. He does not enter society and he rejects all invitations and turns away all visitors to his estate.
As the sister of a duke, Althea decides the Duke of Rothhaven is the best person to offer advice on what she's doing wrong and help her fit in. He of course, doesn't want a bar of it. The two eventually spend time together and both realise that being yourself and being happy with that is so much better than trying to contort yourself into someone else's mould.
There are reasons why Nathaniel feels he must remain a recluse. He is protecting his loved ones. In doing so, he has placed himself in a difficult situation where a future with the delightful Althea seems completely out of reach.
This book contains mildly descriptive love scenes.
Lady Althea Wentworth was born into poverty. With an abusive drunkard for a father, she was forced to take her younger siblings to the streets and beg. She is no stranger to poor treatment and ridicule.
Despite having achieved success and fortune due to luck, hard work and perseverance, when her elder brother Quinn was discovered to be the last descendant of the Dukes of Walden, Althea and her family gained a title, but not the respect of the society tabbies of London.
Althea is snubbed and belittled by jealous people, even though she is kind and generous. She's finally had enough, and after enduring five years of nasty behaviour, she decides to stay at her Yorkshire estate rather than return to her family in London for the Season. Unfortunately even those in her local society treat her with disdain. She's seen as an upstart, a threat to their own social manipulations. All she wants is to fit in and at the beginning of the book she's happy to accept the scraps of their attention and even overlook their disrespect.
Althea's nearest neighbour is the reclusive and mysterious Duke of Rothhaven. Nathaniel is rarely seen other than galloping his horse across the countryside at dawn or dusk. He does not enter society and he rejects all invitations and turns away all visitors to his estate.
As the sister of a duke, Althea decides the Duke of Rothhaven is the best person to offer advice on what she's doing wrong and help her fit in. He of course, doesn't want a bar of it. The two eventually spend time together and both realise that being yourself and being happy with that is so much better than trying to contort yourself into someone else's mould.
There are reasons why Nathaniel feels he must remain a recluse. He is protecting his loved ones. In doing so, he has placed himself in a difficult situation where a future with the delightful Althea seems completely out of reach.
This book contains mildly descriptive love scenes.
He held her as a man holds a woman from whom he has no secrets.
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. Both the characters were adorable. I loved the heroine. I love how she speaks her mind and didn’t bow down to the hero and grumpiness since the beginning.
I liked their banter and interactions from the beginning. ->”Do not flatter yourself, Your Grace. Only a fool would seek to procreate with a petulant, moody, withdrawn, arrogant specimen such as you.”
-> “Thank you, Rothhaven, for being an eccentric, reclusive, crotchety demon. You really are a lovely man. Enjoy the cheese.”
She was relatable and fun. - “Good God, she was so earnest. Of course, polite society had no idea what to do with her.” I also loved how the hero was a bit of a goner for her, even from the start. It didn’t feel too rushed or out of place.
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. Both the characters were adorable. I loved the heroine. I love how she speaks her mind and didn’t bow down to the hero and grumpiness since the beginning.
I liked their banter and interactions from the beginning. ->”Do not flatter yourself, Your Grace. Only a fool would seek to procreate with a petulant, moody, withdrawn, arrogant specimen such as you.”
-> “Thank you, Rothhaven, for being an eccentric, reclusive, crotchety demon. You really are a lovely man. Enjoy the cheese.”
She was relatable and fun. - “Good God, she was so earnest. Of course, polite society had no idea what to do with her.” I also loved how the hero was a bit of a goner for her, even from the start. It didn’t feel too rushed or out of place.
The only reason I’m giving it 3.25 stars is because, towards the end, when the preparations for the ball start in the heroine’s household, it just gets boring. The plot feels stuck, like the author isn’t sure which direction to take or what to do with the story. It all felt stale.
As for the ending, I hoped for more. There’s no happily ever after, just a hfn. The hero proposed, but I wanted a longer glimpse into their future. To get that, I’ll have to read the next book, which wasn’t what I had in mind originally.
Side note: Another thing I didn’t like was the casual colonial mention. Like in this dialogue: ‘Don’t care to know whose son has gone out to India to make his fortune or who has become engaged to whom.’ While I understand it’s a reflection of the time, the offhand colonial reference felt unnecessary, uncomfortable and left a bad taste.
💌 This dialogue: “You’re magnificent. In appearance, she might not be remarkable from an artistic perspective—but she was beautiful to him—but her direct gaze, the lovely listening quality of her touch, the intensity of her lovemaking made him ache.” Hero called her what? 🤨
💌 This dialogue: “You’re magnificent. In appearance, she might not be remarkable from an artistic perspective—but she was beautiful to him—but her direct gaze, the lovely listening quality of her touch, the intensity of her lovemaking made him ache.” Hero called her what? 🤨
Ending: hfn (no epilogue)
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a enjoyable read, even though I was starting to get bored in the last 30% because the solution to the conflict felt so easy to me (AKA making Robbie the Duke of Rothhaven rather than doing this whole conspiracy to keep him hidden ). I also thought that not enough was done to Lady Phoebe at the end after she completely dragged Althea’s name through the mud. I just kinda wanted more out of this story, but I did have fun reading it. I have enjoyed reading about the Wentworth family even if I dnfed the first book in this series about Quinn.
I really liked the other books I’ve read in this series. This one was just okay (more like 2-1/2 stars). It felt like driving down a straight two lane road in the middle of nowhere, where you keep hoping there will be something interesting to see soon. Maybe a town or some nice scenery. Then after trudging along for a long, long time, you top a hill only to discover some guy on a tractor is now in front of you. So much for it getting better as it goes on. It doesn’t.