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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
slow-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
Awww that one is so sweet!
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence
Minor: Pregnancy, War
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Sexual content, Abandonment
Minor: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
The characters become real. they are well written, the events make sense. a overall wonderful story. I will read it again.
*This review is based on a advanced reader's copy of the book I won through Goodreads FirstReads Giveaways.*
Sophia Fry, having been orphaned at the age of fifteen, has spent the last several years being passed between relatives and generally being ignored. She became known as The Mouse, and generally faded into the background, observing rather than participating.
Vincent Hunt, Viscount Darleigh, was blinded in battle at the age of seventeen. He runs from his overprotective and smothering mother and sisters when they hatch plans to marry him off. Seeking solace at his boyhood home, he is soon descended upon by the locals, including the Marches--Sophie's aunt, uncle, and cousin, Henrietta. They are truly nasty people. A plan to trap Vincent into marrying Henrietta is thwarted by Sophie, and when she occurs the wrath of her aunt and uncle, Vincent steps in and offers to marry Sophie.
This was a very sweet book. Not angsty at all, just really sweet. I enjoyed watching Sophie and Vincent fall in love, and seeing the way they both broke out of their shells and blossom--Vincent, with the help of Sophie finding a freedom and independence he'd not know since he'd been blinded, and Sophie, realizing, through marriage to Vincent, a blind man, that true beauty is not the same as physical beauty, and that she herself is a true beauty. It brought tears to my eyes more than once.
I've said before in reviews that I relish those books that are not overly angsty, the ones that have no huge hurdles threatening to separate our couple, ones that are sweet, nice books--like this one. I like my angst as much as the next person, but books like this one are such a treat for me. Plus...I'm a sucker for a marriage of convenience story. So there's that, as well.
Mary Balogh's writing, as usual, is excellent. She has fast become a favorite author of mine. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Sophia Fry, having been orphaned at the age of fifteen, has spent the last several years being passed between relatives and generally being ignored. She became known as The Mouse, and generally faded into the background, observing rather than participating.
Vincent Hunt, Viscount Darleigh, was blinded in battle at the age of seventeen. He runs from his overprotective and smothering mother and sisters when they hatch plans to marry him off. Seeking solace at his boyhood home, he is soon descended upon by the locals, including the Marches--Sophie's aunt, uncle, and cousin, Henrietta. They are truly nasty people. A plan to trap Vincent into marrying Henrietta is thwarted by Sophie, and when she occurs the wrath of her aunt and uncle, Vincent steps in and offers to marry Sophie.
This was a very sweet book. Not angsty at all, just really sweet. I enjoyed watching Sophie and Vincent fall in love, and seeing the way they both broke out of their shells and blossom--Vincent, with the help of Sophie finding a freedom and independence he'd not know since he'd been blinded, and Sophie, realizing, through marriage to Vincent, a blind man, that true beauty is not the same as physical beauty, and that she herself is a true beauty. It brought tears to my eyes more than once.
I've said before in reviews that I relish those books that are not overly angsty, the ones that have no huge hurdles threatening to separate our couple, ones that are sweet, nice books--like this one. I like my angst as much as the next person, but books like this one are such a treat for me. Plus...I'm a sucker for a marriage of convenience story. So there's that, as well.
Mary Balogh's writing, as usual, is excellent. She has fast become a favorite author of mine. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Really sweet. Not much to it, plot wise. But I was glad to see they didn’t misunderstand each other and jump to the wildest conclusions. I believed they cared for each other and it was very sweet.
And Vincent’s blindness felt really thoughtfully done. And I felt his panic.
And Vincent’s blindness felt really thoughtfully done. And I felt his panic.
CUTE BUT EVERYONE BEING A NICE PERSON WAS FRANKLY A BONER KILLER
lighthearted
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
This is a 3.5 star, rounded up to 4, read for me. It's a wonderfully realistic portrayal of blindness, PTSD, and making accommodations happen in the Regency era. There's no magical cure to blindness, like so many books have. Vincent is totally and utterly blind and not down about it. Does it help that is handsome, grew up with no expectations of becoming the heir, and tremendously rich and well-loved? Of course. But these healthy friendships and familial relationships also keep him down to earth.
While I found the heroine, Sophia, a bit less interesting, she learns to take up space in this tale, having grown up quiet and timid as a mouse, with no one to look after her. It is fun that she is a nontraditionally attractive main character - boyish looking, small and not too shapely, and with a terrible haircut- and not suddenly turned magnificent via "She's All That" montage.
As far as marriage-of-convenience stories go, I enjoy the pacing,. It does suffer that typical "one character loves the other and feels sad the other obviously doesn't feel the same" trope for the last quarter of the book, which got a bit annoying.
The Survivors' Club seems like a very promising series - it covers the lives of 6 men and 1 woman, all seriously wounded during the Napoleonic Wars, who recover together at a countryside estate. Based on what I read in this book, I will definitely stick with the series.
While I found the heroine, Sophia, a bit less interesting, she learns to take up space in this tale, having grown up quiet and timid as a mouse, with no one to look after her. It is fun that she is a nontraditionally attractive main character - boyish looking, small and not too shapely, and with a terrible haircut- and not suddenly turned magnificent via "She's All That" montage.
As far as marriage-of-convenience stories go, I enjoy the pacing,. It does suffer that typical "one character loves the other and feels sad the other obviously doesn't feel the same" trope for the last quarter of the book, which got a bit annoying.
The Survivors' Club seems like a very promising series - it covers the lives of 6 men and 1 woman, all seriously wounded during the Napoleonic Wars, who recover together at a countryside estate. Based on what I read in this book, I will definitely stick with the series.