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dmrains's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This was exactly the right level of "spice" for me: not too explicit with descriptions for my ace brain & didn't feel like porn. Very sweet couple the way they both save each other and have complementary childhood trauma . Felt very late bloomer coming-of-age to me which I loved. I really identified with Charlotte đ
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, and Confinement
Moderate: Classism and Sexual content
Minor: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Death, Death of parent, and Violence
erebus53's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-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
3.75
This is the second book of the Dangerous Damsels series. It's quite similar to the first one, and has some recurring characters. This book pits two factions (both alike in indignation) namely the pirates and the witches (if witches existed). There is a starcrossed not-really-enemies to lovers plot wrapped in a rambling adventure or perhaps prolonged chase scene, as they try to find a magical amulet.. and don't forget about rescuing Tom!
The vibe of this is sort of Pride and Prejudice, meets Indiana Jones at Studio Ghibli (Kiki + Howl's moving castle?) only with explicit sex. It's always going to be a bit cinematic when you have swords and sorcery - telekinetic witches throwing things around, and pirates with guns and cannon zooming about in flying buildings.
As in the first book, the sexy-times are explicit... and so is the consent and the birth control. Swashbuckling is certainly married to the unbuckling of swashes... but will it lead to marriage? There are a couple of other players/factions introduced that stay mostly in the background, but I can see them becoming more important in the next book.
The vibe of this is sort of Pride and Prejudice, meets Indiana Jones at Studio Ghibli (Kiki + Howl's moving castle?) only with explicit sex. It's always going to be a bit cinematic when you have swords and sorcery - telekinetic witches throwing things around, and pirates with guns and cannon zooming about in flying buildings.
As in the first book, the sexy-times are explicit... and so is the consent and the birth control. Swashbuckling is certainly married to the unbuckling of swashes... but will it lead to marriage? There are a couple of other players/factions introduced that stay mostly in the background, but I can see them becoming more important in the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Sexual content, Gun violence, Confinement, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Violence, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, and Blood
khymihr's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Classism
overflowingshelf's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
5.0
CW: Child abuse; emotional abuse; violence; fire
I absolutely adored the unique writing style of India Holton in The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels and could not wait to start book two in the Dangerous Damsels series! This book was bonkers, chaotic, over-the-top, and so, so, so much fun. I didnât think it was possible, but I loved it even more than book one, as the romance really shines in this!
Miss Charlotte Pettifer is a witch and the prophesied next leader of the League of Gentlewomen Witches â a league that strives to improve the world in small ways by using magic to tidy, correct, and manipulate according to their notions of what is proper. They use the magic in subtle ways, not like the pirates in the Wisteria Society. When the long-lost amulet of Black Beryl is discovered, itâs up to Charlotte to ensure it does not fall into the wrong hands (i.e., pirate hands). Unfortunately, she keeps crossing paths with Alex OâRiley, a pirate who is no Mr. Darcy and harbors a bit of a grudge against Charlotte after stealing his briefcase. When the amulet mistakenly ends up in the wrong hands, Alex and Charlotte need to join forces to steal it back, though they cannot stop stealing from each other, including stealing each otherâs hearts.
You need to read this book series in order as each builds on the other, so I highly recommend checking out The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels before you read The League of Gentlewomen Witches. If you read out of order, I think youâll be very confused by the rules of the world and the backstory of many characters.
The writing style of this book follows the same vein as The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, which I absolutely adored. Holton has such a unique voice, and itâs unlike anything Iâve ever read before. I love how tongue-in-cheek and self-aware the writing is â I constantly found myself laughing at little quips here and there and had the biggest grin on my face the whole time while reading. The book never takes itself too seriously, so the over-the-top nature of the story works perfectly!
I absolutely adore every single character in this book. From our main characters down to the smallest bit players, each character has their own distinct personality and quirks. I seriously think I adored every character we met, even the villainous ones, as theyâre so fun to read about!
Speaking of characters, Charlotte and Alex are at the center of this story, and I adored both of them so much. Holton shared that she wrote Charlotte to be neurodivergent, and I definitely picked up on that while reading. I loved her unique view of the world â particularly her love of Jane Austen. It was also really great to see her come into her own and push off the expectations others had for her as she went on a wild journey with Alex. And Alex was so perfect for her! I loved how he adored her quirks. Heâs very much a loveable rogue with a bit of a tragic past, but the two balanced each other out so perfectly.
And, oh my god, the romance in this! I was LIVING for it. I enjoyed the romance in book one, but Holton knocked it out of the park with this one. First off â the BANTER. I cannot tell you how often I was squeeing out of pure joy watching Alex and Charlotte go head-to-head with each other. The verbal sparing, coupled with physical and magical sparing, led to some truly romantic and sexy moments. You get enemies-to-lovers as pirates and witches do not mix with literal knife-to-throat moments. And the CHEMISTRY! My goodness, the chemistry was bursting off the pages. And yes, this is open door with more than one sex scene, which I found sexier than the scenes in book one.
I also love how Holton subverted common romantic tropes in fun ways throughout the story. My favorite was her spin on the ever-popular âonly one-bed trope,â as she made that her own in a memorable way. This book knows itâs a romance and leans into that in the best possible way. There is even some breaking of the fourth wall regarding the romance, which I thought worked incredibly well here.
When it comes to the plot, it is a bit all over the place â and I mean that as they go all over the place! So much happens in this book, and Iâm amazed at how much Holton crammed into it with the action, adventure, and romance. I loved the adventure as you truly go on a RIDE with Alex and Charlotte in their quest to retrieve Black Berylâs amulet with lots of twists and turns. Things felt a tad chaotic sometimes, but it worked with the storyâs pace and added to the overall vibe, so I had no problem with it.
As I said in my review for The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, India Holton has such a fresh voice. I donât think Iâve ever read a book like this before, and I donât know if I ever will, as the style is so unique to Holton!
Iâm now anxiously awaiting the final book in the series, The Secret Service of Tea and Treason, which comes out later this month. I loved the scenes we got with the protagonists of the next book and cannot wait to see how the series wraps up! I highly recommend picking up this series now in preparation for the final book, as I think youâll have a rip-roaring fun time reading it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
beckyyreadss's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you, Michael Joseph Penguin Publishing, for sending this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is based on Charlotte Pettifer and she belongs to a secret society skilled in a very particular art. That is to say, although she canât say it too loudly, witchcraft. The League of Gentlewomen Witches strives to improve the world in small ways. Using magic, they tidy, correct and manipulate according to their notions of what is proper, entirely the pirates in the Wisteria Society. When the long lost amulet of Black Beryl is discovered, it is up to Charlotte as the future leader of the League, to make sure the powerful talisman does not fall into the wrong hands. Therefore, it is most unfortunate when she crosses paths with Alex OâRiley, a pirate who is no Mr. Darcy. With all the words scrambling after the amulet, Alex and Charlotte join forces to steal it together. If only they could keep their pickpocketing hands to themselves! If Alexâs not careful, he might just steal something else â like Charlotteâs heart. This book is a romance historical fiction.
Okay, if you are wanting a pirate, action-packed feminist book, donât read this book. Itâs a romance book with a bit of action. Not saying that I didnât enjoy this book, I just didnât expect it to be all romance and a bit of action. I wanted it the other way around. After I read the new book in the series, I knew what I was getting into, but I still really wanted a more action-packed novel. I liked Charlotte and Alexâs relationship. I loved Alex in the first book so seeing him as the main character in this book was funny as. He sort of reminds of Damon Salvatore as a private. I think this book would have been better if it was a slow burn as both books sort of have an insta love trope in it which I'm not really enjoying in this series. It could have been 100 more pages for the slow burn and I would have liked it more. I liked the multiple POVs during this book.
I just was expecting more and wanting more from this book and it just never happened. Hopefully the next book in this series is better.
Okay, if you are wanting a pirate, action-packed feminist book, donât read this book. Itâs a romance book with a bit of action. Not saying that I didnât enjoy this book, I just didnât expect it to be all romance and a bit of action. I wanted it the other way around. After I read the new book in the series, I knew what I was getting into, but I still really wanted a more action-packed novel. I liked Charlotte and Alexâs relationship. I loved Alex in the first book so seeing him as the main character in this book was funny as. He sort of reminds of Damon Salvatore as a private. I think this book would have been better if it was a slow burn as both books sort of have an insta love trope in it which I'm not really enjoying in this series. It could have been 100 more pages for the slow burn and I would have liked it more. I liked the multiple POVs during this book.
I just was expecting more and wanting more from this book and it just never happened. Hopefully the next book in this series is better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Child abuse
Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, and Gun violence
Minor: Confinement, Pregnancy, Blood, and Kidnapping
gimmiiie's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gun violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Pregnancy
aromarrie's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
the author quotes jane austen at the end in her vision for charlotte pettiferâs story and it was this: âIâm going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.â which just absolutely baffled me because what do you mean âno one but myselfâ will like her?? i love her, i loved charlotteâs pov and seeing her embrace her magic in a way that made her fellow witches gasp in horror at such lack of decorum and yetâshe was so free & buoyant with the energy that flowed through her that it made this story all the more thrilling.
even more so was seeing her make as many leaps as she did falling, sometimes letting her insecurities wrap around her in her worries that sheâs too different; that no one could possibly stand to be near her without her trying to diminish herself. seeing the way that alex made her literally feel like she could fly just from their first meeting alone, and then in all the soft & chaotic moments they share afterward, to see charlotte express herself with such fervor and bare nakedness as she & alex spark an intimacy with each other like no other, it was romantic as hell. it was everything to see how charlotte made alex feel like he could let his own barriers down due to his own traumatic history with a witch from his past; to have that history not be swept away amongst all the chaos that does reign in this story (itâs absolute madness) but rather actually get explored as he & charlotte grow closer to each other, charlotteâs own fears being shed in lightâit added such unmistakable depth to both of these characters and made their relationship one to be written in the stars and stretches across water.
for the author to be able to write such an achingly sweet romance and balance it so well with cheeky humor & explosive action between pirates & witchesâitâs an adventure i shouldâve expected from my positive reading experience with the first book and yet in this one, it just felt like it was on a whole other level. there were just as many new characters as there were old, and the ones i was already familiar with fueled the heart of this story even more, making me feel so swept up in all this drama that at its core, was exploring a love story between a pirate & witch, two people who should strictly be known as enemies and yet they canât seem to let go of their grip onto each otherâs hands at any moment.
i adore charlotte & alex so much, and i adore how much excitement this story gave me; it was really fun, and iâll always remember this for that.
even more so was seeing her make as many leaps as she did falling, sometimes letting her insecurities wrap around her in her worries that sheâs too different; that no one could possibly stand to be near her without her trying to diminish herself. seeing the way that alex made her literally feel like she could fly just from their first meeting alone, and then in all the soft & chaotic moments they share afterward, to see charlotte express herself with such fervor and bare nakedness as she & alex spark an intimacy with each other like no other, it was romantic as hell. it was everything to see how charlotte made alex feel like he could let his own barriers down due to his own traumatic history with a witch from his past; to have that history not be swept away amongst all the chaos that does reign in this story (itâs absolute madness) but rather actually get explored as he & charlotte grow closer to each other, charlotteâs own fears being shed in lightâit added such unmistakable depth to both of these characters and made their relationship one to be written in the stars and stretches across water.
for the author to be able to write such an achingly sweet romance and balance it so well with cheeky humor & explosive action between pirates & witchesâitâs an adventure i shouldâve expected from my positive reading experience with the first book and yet in this one, it just felt like it was on a whole other level. there were just as many new characters as there were old, and the ones i was already familiar with fueled the heart of this story even more, making me feel so swept up in all this drama that at its core, was exploring a love story between a pirate & witch, two people who should strictly be known as enemies and yet they canât seem to let go of their grip onto each otherâs hands at any moment.
i adore charlotte & alex so much, and i adore how much excitement this story gave me; it was really fun, and iâll always remember this for that.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Child abuse
amberinpieces's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Blood, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Cursing, Grief, and Death
fromjuliereads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
5.0
I loved this book so much đ mostly for the characters, let's be real. A badass witch subverting what is expected of her as the "good and proper girl"? Oof I feel that. Annnddd an Irish rogue pirate with a heart!? I CAN'T. The adventures were fantastic, I loved having characters from Wisteria show up. And there were SO MANY quotes from Austen and Shakespeare that I adored!
This is NOT an Austen retelling for anyone who thinks this BUT there are so many Austen lines reworked to fit this story and it is amazing and so much fun to keep an eye out for them! Plus Charlotte references Austen characters and books throughout which was so much fun!
I'm excited to see if there will be another spinoff!
This is NOT an Austen retelling for anyone who thinks this BUT there are so many Austen lines reworked to fit this story and it is amazing and so much fun to keep an eye out for them! Plus Charlotte references Austen characters and books throughout which was so much fun!
I'm excited to see if there will be another spinoff!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, and Sexual content
Minor: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
Kidnapping is more mentioned jokingly - as an excuse. It's not a violent or traumatic kidnapping. But the word is thrown around. The child abuse is brief mentions from the past of a character.purplepenning's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
"I beg your pardon," [Bixby] said without the least hint of apology in his voice, "but is this a romance or is it an adventure? For I will remind you, we are missing the ongoing action."
Charlotte and Alex exchanged a smiling glance.
"I think what this is defies definition," Charlotte said.
India Holton is back with another definition-defying historical fantasy romance farce â now with more magic! more derring-do! more iron-spined maiden aunts! more innuendo! more rogues and rakes! more petticoats and pilfering! and (to my great enjoyment) more skillfully bastardized classic prose (mostly Austen, with a bit of the Bard thrown in)!
Charlotte and Alex exchanged a smiling glance.
"I think what this is defies definition," Charlotte said.
India Holton is back with another definition-defying historical fantasy romance farce â now with more magic! more derring-do! more iron-spined maiden aunts! more innuendo! more rogues and rakes! more petticoats and pilfering! and (to my great enjoyment) more skillfully bastardized classic prose (mostly Austen, with a bit of the Bard thrown in)!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, and Sexual content
Minor: Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Violence