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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Catherine has been brought up by her Chinese mother. Her English explorer father did not stick around. Her upbringing was unusual for a female and she is also deadly. Only one man has dared to love her, but as an English spy he deserts her.
The story takes up years later with them meeting again in England. She is on a mission to track down some jade tablets. He is engaged to be married. However, her nemesis is still trying to kill her and Leighton still has feelings for her and can't stay on the sidelines.
The story takes up years later with them meeting again in England. She is on a mission to track down some jade tablets. He is engaged to be married. However, her nemesis is still trying to kill her and Leighton still has feelings for her and can't stay on the sidelines.
http://allaboutromance.com/book-review/my-beautiful-enemy/
When one reads a lot and in a specific genre, after a while, there is seems to be a sameness about books that makes one almost indistinguishable from another. So when I picked up Sherry Thomas’ My Beautiful Enemy, I immediately knew this book was out of the ordinary. Think Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon meets Edith Wharton. That premise seems an unlikely combination for a winner, but in this case it absolutely works.
Ying-ying is the product of a liaison between an English gentleman and a Chinese courtesan. Her father died before she was born and her mother became the favorite concubine of a highly placed man in the Imperial Chinese court named Da-ren. Given the circumstances of her birth and her mixed heritage, Ying-ying’s prospects in the tightly woven Chinese culture were pretty dim. A British tutor taught her languages. Her Amah instructed her in the martial arts to give her an advantage in a world where women had few choices and Ying-ying is a master at her craft. She might have no prospects for a decent marriage, but she could be of use to the stepfather she revered. Ying-ying became a spy for her stepfather to help him navigate the very murky waters of the geo-political minefield that was the Far East in the latter part of the 19th century. She entered the “Great Game” and the players in this book are China, Russia and Great Britain. While on a mission for her stepfather in Chinese Turkestan, she encounters a “Persian” in the courtyard of an oasis.
Captain Leighton Atwood is no Persian, but a British intelligence officer spying in Chinese Turkestan. The road he traveled to get to this particular point in his life was somewhat convoluted. His father was a homosexual with a deep abiding love for his partner, but that partner had to flee to China and when Leighton was little more than a boy, he made the treacherous journey to China to visit a man he considered a great friend and second father. Unfortunately, this friend died before Leighton could see him, but the trip to China changed him. Leighton became a master linguist and entered into the military as a prime candidate to engage in the Great Game. Based in India, he travels throughout the east gathering intelligence for England. While eating at an oasis in Chinese Turkestan, he encounters a bold and brash Kazakh who he quickly surmises is a young woman. Intrigued, he suggests they travel together for both safety and companionship. Throughout their travels, neither reveals their name to the other, but a connection is still forged. When Leighton rescues Ying-ying from a band of bandits and nurses her back to health, the inevitable happens.
While I do not want to give away too much of the plot, suffice it to say that two spies for different countries are not always a great mix and Ying-ying discovers her Persian is not who she thinks he is. She feels betrayed and poisons Leighton. Fast forward eight years and Ying-ying is now Catherine Blade, traveling to England on a mission for her stepfather. After her arch nemesis Lin surfaces on the steam ship she is traveling on and attacks a fellow passenger named Mrs. Chase, fate intervenes. Catherine saves her life and comes under the protection of both Mrs. Chase and her friend Mrs. Reynolds. When they arrive in England, Catherine is shocked to find that the man she loved and the man she thought she killed is very much alive and engaged to Mrs. Chase’s daughter.
The story of Leighton and Catherine is told by alternating between the present day of 1891 and their initial meeting in 1883. Catherine was a tough nut to crack. She is very much Chinese in her outlook on life and holds her secrets and her feelings close to the vest. A crass and prickly exterior hides the heart of a great and honorable warrior and Thomas uses a deft hand to slowly peel back the layers Catherine cloaks herself in to discover the gem at the center. Leighton will probably make future lists of “best hero in a romance novel” – his character is that good. His honor and strength are subtle and not in your face, but as the reader gets to know this extraordinary character his innate goodness slowly seeps into your psyche and forges a permanent place in your heart. Thomas did not develop one major character to the detriment of another. She has created two strong, fully developed, and complicated individuals and that is the greatest strength of this book.
In addition, the setting is also a contender for strongest element as Thomas takes us on a tour of late 19th-century China and its western provinces. The descriptions are so lush and tangible the reader almost feels they are experiencing the landscape as a secondary character. The insight given into the East Asian mindset feels authentic and makes what some might consider an implausible series of coincidences feel not just plausible, but meant to be. Can you tell I loved this book!
There is very little to criticize in Sherry Thomas’ My Beautiful Enemy. My only quibble has to do with the development of Leighton’s fiancé Miss Chase. An event late in the book concerning this character seems to come out of nowhere and almost felt like an afterthought by the author. At 307 pages, this book is relatively short and I wish that Ms. Thomas had added a few more pages to delve into the character of Annabel Chase just a little more. Sherry Thomas could have added 200 more pages to this book and I would have kept reading well into the night for a chance to spend a few more hours with this delicious couple. Now I just have to get the kindle version of this book so I can take it with me wherever I go.
When one reads a lot and in a specific genre, after a while, there is seems to be a sameness about books that makes one almost indistinguishable from another. So when I picked up Sherry Thomas’ My Beautiful Enemy, I immediately knew this book was out of the ordinary. Think Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon meets Edith Wharton. That premise seems an unlikely combination for a winner, but in this case it absolutely works.
Ying-ying is the product of a liaison between an English gentleman and a Chinese courtesan. Her father died before she was born and her mother became the favorite concubine of a highly placed man in the Imperial Chinese court named Da-ren. Given the circumstances of her birth and her mixed heritage, Ying-ying’s prospects in the tightly woven Chinese culture were pretty dim. A British tutor taught her languages. Her Amah instructed her in the martial arts to give her an advantage in a world where women had few choices and Ying-ying is a master at her craft. She might have no prospects for a decent marriage, but she could be of use to the stepfather she revered. Ying-ying became a spy for her stepfather to help him navigate the very murky waters of the geo-political minefield that was the Far East in the latter part of the 19th century. She entered the “Great Game” and the players in this book are China, Russia and Great Britain. While on a mission for her stepfather in Chinese Turkestan, she encounters a “Persian” in the courtyard of an oasis.
Captain Leighton Atwood is no Persian, but a British intelligence officer spying in Chinese Turkestan. The road he traveled to get to this particular point in his life was somewhat convoluted. His father was a homosexual with a deep abiding love for his partner, but that partner had to flee to China and when Leighton was little more than a boy, he made the treacherous journey to China to visit a man he considered a great friend and second father. Unfortunately, this friend died before Leighton could see him, but the trip to China changed him. Leighton became a master linguist and entered into the military as a prime candidate to engage in the Great Game. Based in India, he travels throughout the east gathering intelligence for England. While eating at an oasis in Chinese Turkestan, he encounters a bold and brash Kazakh who he quickly surmises is a young woman. Intrigued, he suggests they travel together for both safety and companionship. Throughout their travels, neither reveals their name to the other, but a connection is still forged. When Leighton rescues Ying-ying from a band of bandits and nurses her back to health, the inevitable happens.
While I do not want to give away too much of the plot, suffice it to say that two spies for different countries are not always a great mix and Ying-ying discovers her Persian is not who she thinks he is. She feels betrayed and poisons Leighton. Fast forward eight years and Ying-ying is now Catherine Blade, traveling to England on a mission for her stepfather. After her arch nemesis Lin surfaces on the steam ship she is traveling on and attacks a fellow passenger named Mrs. Chase, fate intervenes. Catherine saves her life and comes under the protection of both Mrs. Chase and her friend Mrs. Reynolds. When they arrive in England, Catherine is shocked to find that the man she loved and the man she thought she killed is very much alive and engaged to Mrs. Chase’s daughter.
The story of Leighton and Catherine is told by alternating between the present day of 1891 and their initial meeting in 1883. Catherine was a tough nut to crack. She is very much Chinese in her outlook on life and holds her secrets and her feelings close to the vest. A crass and prickly exterior hides the heart of a great and honorable warrior and Thomas uses a deft hand to slowly peel back the layers Catherine cloaks herself in to discover the gem at the center. Leighton will probably make future lists of “best hero in a romance novel” – his character is that good. His honor and strength are subtle and not in your face, but as the reader gets to know this extraordinary character his innate goodness slowly seeps into your psyche and forges a permanent place in your heart. Thomas did not develop one major character to the detriment of another. She has created two strong, fully developed, and complicated individuals and that is the greatest strength of this book.
In addition, the setting is also a contender for strongest element as Thomas takes us on a tour of late 19th-century China and its western provinces. The descriptions are so lush and tangible the reader almost feels they are experiencing the landscape as a secondary character. The insight given into the East Asian mindset feels authentic and makes what some might consider an implausible series of coincidences feel not just plausible, but meant to be. Can you tell I loved this book!
There is very little to criticize in Sherry Thomas’ My Beautiful Enemy. My only quibble has to do with the development of Leighton’s fiancé Miss Chase. An event late in the book concerning this character seems to come out of nowhere and almost felt like an afterthought by the author. At 307 pages, this book is relatively short and I wish that Ms. Thomas had added a few more pages to delve into the character of Annabel Chase just a little more. Sherry Thomas could have added 200 more pages to this book and I would have kept reading well into the night for a chance to spend a few more hours with this delicious couple. Now I just have to get the kindle version of this book so I can take it with me wherever I go.
4 - Pretty different from most of the historical romances I have read and in a great way. I loved how Sherry merged Wu Xia themes into this novel. As someone who has watched Wu Xia dramas, I definitely felt the influence and it felt well researched and integrated.
The book is a romance but there is a large suspense / thriller aspect as well. Since there is a mystery, the beginning of the book was quite confusing. It is also written with more historical language which both adds to the confusion but also improves the theming of the book.
Once you get into the book though, it is absolutely worth it. It is both funny and intensely romantic. I also thought the miscommunication actually made so much sense and felt more tragic rather than frustrating. The two main characters were so down bad for each other and it was so cute.
Definitely recommend for people that like fantasy romance and are interested in historical.
The book is a romance but there is a large suspense / thriller aspect as well. Since there is a mystery, the beginning of the book was quite confusing. It is also written with more historical language which both adds to the confusion but also improves the theming of the book.
Once you get into the book though, it is absolutely worth it. It is both funny and intensely romantic. I also thought the miscommunication actually made so much sense and felt more tragic rather than frustrating. The two main characters were so down bad for each other and it was so cute.
Definitely recommend for people that like fantasy romance and are interested in historical.
This was the oddest thing. It was very comic book-like in its over-the-topness. The heroine was an absolute badass of the highest order. Like, a fighting Ninja. And I'm just not expecting that sort of thing in a book that looks so much like a typical Regency romance from its cover! It was bizarre, but in the end, a very good read.
4 stars.
4 stars.
adventurous
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This is a historical romance set in Victorian England and Qing dynasty China. I was swept away by this epic love story. I suggest reading The Hidden Blade, the prequel, first, for the backstory of the main characters, but it isn’t essential. FMC is the biracial daughter of a Chinese concubine, taught marital arts by her Amah, so that she can be independent. The English MMC has a talent for languages and a highly tuned awareness of his surroundings. They meet and fall in love in Chinese Turkestan, but become estranged. They encounter each other again 8 years later in England.
We get treated to suspense, cloak and dagger shenanigans, espionage, and wuxia inspired martial arts. I found it to be a real tearjerker. The writing is superb and I could not put this down.
TW: violence and murder (the villain murders a baby )
We get treated to suspense, cloak and dagger shenanigans, espionage, and wuxia inspired martial arts. I found it to be a real tearjerker. The writing is superb and I could not put this down.
TW: violence and murder (
adventurous
emotional
tense
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:
Yes
This novel features the deeply developed characters I’ve come to love from Sherry Thomas, with some extra action and adventure. The dual timeline of before and after the MC’s great love affair creates some delicious tension, making the resolution at the end all the better. I love how Sherry writes characters that confront the hypocrisy of society but still feel fully grounded in the world of the book. And the way the MC’s fall into, out of, and back into love is so swoony!
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ok I feel like this was sort of barely a romance but it was exciting and I've never read a histrom like it so points for originality for sure! I felt like the weaving of two timelines was very well done and despite the fact that it was a bit disorienting at the beginning (the blurb on the back cover sort of BARELY describes the actual book so being dropped into a kung fu battle on the deck of a storm-tossed steamer in the prologue was wild) I did enjoy it! Imo there was some unnecessary trauma inflicted on the MCs and they could have had sex on page more, but overall I liked it! If you've read a lot of historical romances and want to branch out, this would be a good option!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child death
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read the prequel… it is im fact not just a prequel. Very confusing without previous context.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
lighthearted
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I read this in one sitting— I couldn’t stay away!! The angst, the pining, the anguish!This book made me feel, and by the second chapter I was captivated by the characters and wanted to know everything about them and what would happen next. Long review incoming so the tl;dr is: A+ gender tomfoolery; the hint of fantasy in the Wuxia fighting styles was so fun; believable, witty, SMART banter grounded in who the characters are that shows how well they know each other; and the MMC is so down bad that I’m down bad for him. It’s dual POV and dual timeline that emphasizes points of intrigue that readers learn more about as the book continues. It’s also a different historical time period and location than usual, and I loved Ying-Ying’s (Catherine’s) agency in having goals completely removed from finding a man. Cons include how jarring the shift from the prologue to chapter one is and how the exposition was a bit confusing.
On to the promised long review (light spoilers ahead):
The longing and sorrow and passion and intrigue were so visceral! I felt bereft just reading about their past while knowing how their present looks, sorrowful about the FMC’s past and family, intrigued by what betrayal they kept referencing, enraptured by the story of how they met and fell in love, compelled by their clear pining and worry over each other even through their anger— and moreover I felt these things because I truly felt that both of them were justified in their emotions— their anger and longing and sorrow and everything. I couldn’t fully blame either and I felt for them both.
On to the promised long review (light spoilers ahead):
The longing and sorrow and passion and intrigue were so visceral! I felt bereft just reading about their past while knowing how their present looks, sorrowful about the FMC’s past and family, intrigued by what betrayal they kept referencing, enraptured by the story of how they met and fell in love, compelled by their clear pining and worry over each other even through their anger— and moreover I felt these things because I truly felt that both of them were justified in their emotions— their anger and longing and sorrow and everything. I couldn’t fully blame either and I felt for them both.
The book is different from most historical romance— it almost seems more fantasy-like in its high stakes and how it reminds me of Throne of Glass with such a vicious FMC with a past sprinkled with trauma and devastation, but it also has an MMC so down bad I was obsessed with their dynamic together— very black cat/ golden retriever but with nuance. The writing style is also incredibly evocative; the author so clearly and subtly SHOWS readers what the characters are doing and feeling even when those feelings might not be clear to the characters themselves yet.
I also really liked how the story switches between now (1891) and 8 years before to allow readers to unravel the mystery of the main characters’ relationship as well as their individual pasts. We are allowed to see through both of their eyes not only with the anger and complications of the present, but also the pining and emotional intensity of their first meeting (and some really top-notch banter), and then see how the edges of past and present emotions blur. I found myself trying to guess how and when they would learn certain revelations about each other!
The sheer number of coincidences was a bit unbelievable, especially having the prologue and first chapter back to back each featuring the FMC running into a man she thought was dead, but I liked that the author addresses the oddity by having the FMC not believe it either at first, and then the coincidences do play into the themes of fate more and more as the book continues so it makes more sense in the broader context of the story. And I actually grew to like the coincidences because it made their lives and their fates feel so intertwined that it heightened the intrigue and dramatic suspense when we as an audience knew something that they did not about just how connected they are.
I really love the visceral nature of the descriptions, too; “a hard, swift stare that made her feel as if someone had pushed her head underwater” and I immediately felt the “what had Leighton Atwood said to [his fiancé]? Every woman before you was a wrong woman” 😭
And “he looked at Catherine now. Pain suffused her, pain that had nothing to do with her injury— pain complicated with a twist of pleasure, like a drop of blood whirling and expanding in a glass of water.”
The depth of their feeling is described in a way that truly shows us how they feel; for example, “[she] would fade from mind, long enough for him to almost believe that she no longer mattered to him. To almost cease turning sharply in the street when a dark-haired woman of similar figure and gait passed by.”
I also love a book with a badass FMC who can easily kill a man but has made mistakes in her past and who has felt true devastation. Combine that with her running into the man who caused the devastation, who she thought was dead, who betrayed her and who she regrets killing, who now very clearly hates her, and it’s a recipe for a book I’m going to love.
And the way he’s pained to see the fire has gone out of her eyes!! 😭😭🙌🙌🙌 so good.
The moment I realized how down bad I was for the MMC was a moment showing how down bad he was for the FMC— The way he’s depicted in the past as revering her and how he recognized and loved her strength, recounting the one time she was hurt as “the first and only time he had ever had the care of someone stronger than himself” and that “he had been driven with the need to see her restored to her former glory” Gahhh too good. It’s so clear he can’t stop caring about her even as he tries to hate her (“was she injured? Was that why she had looked so fragile?”)— the author competently and subtly shows everything he’s feeling when even he does not yet recognize those feelings, at the same time as showing how good of a man he is and how in awe of her he was (and you better believe I love a man who worships at his lover’s feet). He would beg to have her knife at his throat and I love it.
I also really loved the queer representation; even if it was dead side characters’ plot, it still felt lovely and sorrowful and so important to the main characters’ lives and plots.
I don’t usually like miscommunication at all but it really works in this book— there’s realism behind the miscommunication (what with one thinking the other was dead as well as just: of course you’re going to bounce and not going to talk it out with someone you think is a spy in case they full on kill you or in case they’re gathering intel on you).
I don’t usually like miscommunication at all but it really works in this book— there’s realism behind the miscommunication
I also usually don’t love second chance but this was so. Good.
Lines that made me FEEL:
“You want someone to look after you?” “Sometimes,” she said, her heart thudding.
SO REAL!!
Oof these lines are making me feel things!! “He regarded her not as a mere girl, but as if she were his Rubicon, a boundary that, once crossed, would alter history.”
“For a moment it felt as if they stood on two sides of the Milky Way, separated by all the stars in the sky but without any flock of magpies to bridge the distance between them” 😭😭😭 and the way that line is between the quote about love that’s on the wedding invitation and what he told her 8 years before— “I am already yours. Forever.” ??? Devastating. 😭
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation
Minor: Sexual violence, Suicide