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leniece94's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? No
3.5
After reading the first book, I knew that the second one would be even better, and I was right! I love the way that the earl and Jemina bond and fall in love, even as they navigated their flaws. This series is my first time reading historical romance, and I found it approachable, interesting and fun. I’m excited to see what’s next in the series!
cooliuscaesar451's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
pamelina's review against another edition
2.0
2/5
This book... How to properly explain my experience with this book?
I think, generally, I was very confused. I have not read the first book in this series, so that may be why I was so confused. I don't think this can be read as a standalone, and you should probably read the first one before this. I feel like I was really missing some context. I can't really fault the book for being part of a series, but I do wish there was more explanation at the beginning.
Once I kind of understood what was going on, I enjoyed the book a lot more. I really liked the focus on race throughout this book. The Hero is Black, and the Heroine is from Jamaica. Themes of race and interracial relationships were explored, which I haven't often read in historical romance novels. It was refreshing and so welcome.
I also liked the exploration of the role of women during this time and mental health. The book explored how women often had to fend for themselves in legal proceedings, and they didn't have agency in terms of their mental health. Any sort of mental illness, real or imagined by men in their lives, could get a woman imprisoned and no longer in control of her possessions or life. It honestly made me mad reading about it, and I'm glad that this book discussed it.
That's about where my praise ends. I didn't love the characters very much. I didn't like that Jemina consistently hit Daniel whenever she was upset. And I didn't understand why their conflict dragged out for so long. If they had just communicated better with one another, the majority of the conflict within this novel could have been avoided. Conflict fueled solely by poor communication doesn't really do it for me.
There were also some things left unfinished in this book, which I'm assuming will be cleared up in future books. So I would just caution people expecting this to be a typical romance book within a series; do not expect all loose ends to be tied up. You'll have to read the next book (I think) to get closure.
This book just wasn't what I was expecting. And the parts that I did like, while lovely, didn't make up for the confusion, inconsistent pacing, and general lack of structure the book had. I wish I had liked it more. I'm super willing to check out other books by this author in the future, but this one was just not right for me.
note: This book was provided to me by NetGalley and publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book... How to properly explain my experience with this book?
I think, generally, I was very confused. I have not read the first book in this series, so that may be why I was so confused. I don't think this can be read as a standalone, and you should probably read the first one before this. I feel like I was really missing some context. I can't really fault the book for being part of a series, but I do wish there was more explanation at the beginning.
Once I kind of understood what was going on, I enjoyed the book a lot more. I really liked the focus on race throughout this book. The Hero is Black, and the Heroine is from Jamaica. Themes of race and interracial relationships were explored, which I haven't often read in historical romance novels. It was refreshing and so welcome.
I also liked the exploration of the role of women during this time and mental health. The book explored how women often had to fend for themselves in legal proceedings, and they didn't have agency in terms of their mental health. Any sort of mental illness, real or imagined by men in their lives, could get a woman imprisoned and no longer in control of her possessions or life. It honestly made me mad reading about it, and I'm glad that this book discussed it.
That's about where my praise ends. I didn't love the characters very much. I didn't like that Jemina consistently hit Daniel whenever she was upset. And I didn't understand why their conflict dragged out for so long. If they had just communicated better with one another, the majority of the conflict within this novel could have been avoided. Conflict fueled solely by poor communication doesn't really do it for me.
There were also some things left unfinished in this book, which I'm assuming will be cleared up in future books. So I would just caution people expecting this to be a typical romance book within a series; do not expect all loose ends to be tied up. You'll have to read the next book (I think) to get closure.
This book just wasn't what I was expecting. And the parts that I did like, while lovely, didn't make up for the confusion, inconsistent pacing, and general lack of structure the book had. I wish I had liked it more. I'm super willing to check out other books by this author in the future, but this one was just not right for me.
note: This book was provided to me by NetGalley and publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
cdion's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
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
4.0
lilasbooknook's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
petrichor_pages's review against another edition
3.0
+ diverse historical romance
- it's a wild ride
I enjoyed this novel more than the first in the series because I knew what to expect. It's a wonderfully entertaining diverse historical romance. The story is absolutely wild, involving shipwrecks, amnesia, bedlam, and more, but that's half the fun of the book, I think. It's an absolutely convoluted plot relying on coincidence and miscommunication, but it was a lot of fun. You might enjoy the book more if you're interested in romances featuring parents.
- it's a wild ride
I enjoyed this novel more than the first in the series because I knew what to expect. It's a wonderfully entertaining diverse historical romance. The story is absolutely wild, involving shipwrecks, amnesia, bedlam, and more, but that's half the fun of the book, I think. It's an absolutely convoluted plot relying on coincidence and miscommunication, but it was a lot of fun. You might enjoy the book more if you're interested in romances featuring parents.
Spoiler
I do wish that it had been Jemina had been the one Daniel had been writing to :/toy_masterpiece's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
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
3.5
⭐🎧Audiobook Listener🎧⭐
It was a fun peak into these characters' lives filled with passion and mystery. Each of the main characters is very driven so it's like you know them by the time they make big decisions. The mystery was a little confusing but nothing a reread won't fix. And a reread there will be :))
It was a fun peak into these characters' lives filled with passion and mystery. Each of the main characters is very driven so it's like you know them by the time they make big decisions. The mystery was a little confusing but nothing a reread won't fix. And a reread there will be :))
kaymay's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lilacs_book_bower's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really appreciate seeing main characters who aren't white in historical romances, and also seeing the POV of people from the Caribbean islands. It is realistic to show that they did exist and belong, but did face struggles with racism and misogny. And the plot of the book could be really fun or emotional. However, I didn't especially care for the hero, there was the typical 'there would be no plot if the heroine and hero would just talk' issues, there is a lot of discussion of paperwork and lists, and the story is predictable with regards to the toddler's identity. A problem that I have had with Vanessa Riley's writing (this book and the first in the series too) is that it often feels disjointed. From scene to scene, I can usually follow along, but the action within the scenes and especially the dialogue doesn't flow for me. It feels like people will respond to someone's remark with a comment that doesn't reflect what was just said; it sometimes feels like people are having two different conversations (and not in the good, increasing tension way). I find myself constantly re-reading to try to track what is going on. I feel like this distances me from the characters, and makes it harder to like or enjoy them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Classism, Death, Colonisation, Confinement, Sexism, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, and Racism
Moderate: Slavery