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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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
*Contains general spoilers *
I think that either this book was marketed in the wrong genre, or the author perhaps couldn't decide which genre to write in. It was too dark, gothic at turns, and full of themes of depression, suicide, alcoholism, abuse, managing a learning disability to have the lightness of a romance (in the modern terms or romance with a HEA). And yet, it did not delve deeply enough into those darker themes to be literary fiction. The darker themes overshadowed the romance so much so that it seemed almost secondary. And by the end of the novel, I was not at all convinced that Anthony had a grasp on his alcoholism. In my opinion, you cannot introduce such a plethora of deeply intense and dark themes, and then lightly resolve them. The resolutions seemed so quick in contrast to all the build-up. At the end, I felt neither the happy effervescence of a romance HEA nor the fulfilling catharthis of deep and intense themes being resolved. I think this novel could have benfitted from being longer and with more exploration of the deeper themes, and therefore a more realistic relationship resolution that feels happier by the end. And then not to be marketed with a light and floral cover. I liked the writing and the themes, but they just weren't explored satisfactorily. This is more historical fiction that needed more work, with a romance as part of the drama and the trauma.
I think that either this book was marketed in the wrong genre, or the author perhaps couldn't decide which genre to write in. It was too dark, gothic at turns, and full of themes of depression, suicide, alcoholism, abuse, managing a learning disability to have the lightness of a romance (in the modern terms or romance with a HEA). And yet, it did not delve deeply enough into those darker themes to be literary fiction. The darker themes overshadowed the romance so much so that it seemed almost secondary. And by the end of the novel, I was not at all convinced that Anthony had a grasp on his alcoholism. In my opinion, you cannot introduce such a plethora of deeply intense and dark themes, and then lightly resolve them. The resolutions seemed so quick in contrast to all the build-up. At the end, I felt neither the happy effervescence of a romance HEA nor the fulfilling catharthis of deep and intense themes being resolved. I think this novel could have benfitted from being longer and with more exploration of the deeper themes, and therefore a more realistic relationship resolution that feels happier by the end. And then not to be marketed with a light and floral cover. I liked the writing and the themes, but they just weren't explored satisfactorily. This is more historical fiction that needed more work, with a romance as part of the drama and the trauma.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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
medium-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-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:
Complicated
EXTREMELY romantic in the "the lengths to which one will go for love" sense. A+.
lighthearted
This book started off strong and had all the pieces I love in a romance. A bluestocking who has grand dreams but is low born. A rouge with a heart of gold but lots of flaws. And yet sadly, this book just didn't work for me.
I wanted to love Anthony. A bad boy with a heart of gold. A rouge who’s had a tough go of it. Lost his mother, his big brother, his sister. Suffered in a pointless war. Everyone thought him stupid. Just the kind of hero I love to root for. But sadly, I just couldn’t root for him. So disappointing as a hero. He did too little too late for Kate (and ended up doing nothing for Effie) and was too passive, except for the horse (which was one of many subplots that went nowhere and really had no point). His “light bulb” moment, that moment that every rouge has to have, didn’t happen until 80%.
There were also a lot of random secondary characters that got a lot of attention, but then never went anywhere. Like why didn’t Anthony’s so-called best friend help him? Slap him upside the head? Or his not-really-a-butler, army buddy? Why didn't he give Anthony the tough love speech? But neither the best friend nor the butler was ever developed that far. They got quite a few pages and mentions, but those characters went nowhere. The over-characterization of minor characters diminished Anthony’s potential character development.
Had Anthony’s light bulb moment come before 80%, it would have worked better. Sadly, 2.75 star read rounded up to 3.
Total 5 stars for the narrator, Mary Jane Wells, who is one of my absolutely fave narrators.
I wanted to love Anthony. A bad boy with a heart of gold. A rouge who’s had a tough go of it. Lost his mother, his big brother, his sister. Suffered in a pointless war. Everyone thought him stupid. Just the kind of hero I love to root for. But sadly, I just couldn’t root for him. So disappointing as a hero. He did too little too late for Kate (and ended up doing nothing for Effie) and was too passive, except for the horse (which was one of many subplots that went nowhere and really had no point). His “light bulb” moment, that moment that every rouge has to have, didn’t happen until 80%.
There were also a lot of random secondary characters that got a lot of attention, but then never went anywhere. Like why didn’t Anthony’s so-called best friend help him? Slap him upside the head? Or his not-really-a-butler, army buddy? Why didn't he give Anthony the tough love speech? But neither the best friend nor the butler was ever developed that far. They got quite a few pages and mentions, but those characters went nowhere. The over-characterization of minor characters diminished Anthony’s potential character development.
Had Anthony’s light bulb moment come before 80%, it would have worked better. Sadly, 2.75 star read rounded up to 3.
Total 5 stars for the narrator, Mary Jane Wells, who is one of my absolutely fave narrators.
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Everything came together a bit too neatly in the end for my taste and I want a big fan out how Anthony's alcoholism was handled. I know there wasn't a Victorian era AA but the dude never even admitted he had an issue
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-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