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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Reading for the first time in 2024 so some of the romance tropes from the 1990's are there. The setting is 15-16th Century England and Scotland which is a little earlier than the historical romances I normally read. This didn't worry with speaking customs from that time so that wasn't an issue (sometimes it makes reading a chore). Miscommunication is the prevailing trope and, as usual, it can be frustrating but it serves the plot. The threat of violence against women is throughout, and CONTENT WARNING there is the rape of a supporting character towards the end.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Old Skool and all that comes with it. Arranged, perhaps forced marriage, and dubious consent. But boy she puts him through the ringer . . . I loved that the heroine was the leader of a Scottish Clan, and that both the heroine and hero had emotional growing that was necessary. His alpha need to always be in charge got annoying, but at least the heroine recognized that as well.
And love the Scottish setting. A fun book for what it is.
And love the Scottish setting. A fun book for what it is.
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
So far this is the worst book I've EVER read. And I've read a lot of bad books.
(This review is full of spoilers)
In the beginning it had the potential to become a good enemies to lovers kind of book. The girl, (Bronwyn) hated the man she had to marry (Stephen), but he also didn't want to marry her.
I was so excited because she almost fell in love with another guy (Roger) while waiting for Stephen to show up at their wedding. And I thought that could be a good love traingle.
But then he showed up and immediately fell in love with her?? Just because he saw her once and thought she was hot??
And I SWEAR he is more hormonal and horny than 13 year old boys who just discovered girls. The ONLY thing he thought about throughout the whole book was her body and how to get her naked. Even when they were talking he wouldn't stop touching her, even when she didn't want it.
He basically raped her, forced her to sleep with him, threatened to kill her dog, injured her, etc. He injured her dog when it tried to protect her from HIM when he tried to rape her. He beat her, threatened to hurt her, made her feel stupid and worthless and so many more things...
Then he proceeded to tell everyone how feisty and arrogant she is. Everybody in this book thought that she is the problem in the marriage. Then he told them how he fell in love with her character. They are so toxic, he blames her for everything, he is ALWAYS jealous and tells her she is a slut if she even looks at other men. He blamed her once when a man tried to rape her. HE BLAMED HER. While other men were protecting her.
See the thing is, she can write good male characters, we have good men in this book, BUT THE LOVE INTEREST IS THE WORST OF THEM ALL. Yeah, the official villain raped a girl at the end of the book, but that is literally the same thing that Stephen did to the main character, it's just its okay when he does it. Their relationship is based on pure physical touch, that she hated at the beginning, but later she loved it. Which is fine, but then don't pretend they love each other for their personalities.
AFTER ALL OF THAT, he has the audacity to guilt trip her the entire time and make her think that SHE is selfish, that SHE is the problem, even when she did everything right.
And the author is cleary wanting us to like the characters, to believe in their love. She wants us to love Stephen and to praise him like every other character in the book did.
I think Jude is a woman-hater. I mean, the main character is likeable. She has a strong personality and is very confident. I love that, but you see its unbelievable to think that a dumb man can just do all of that to her, and she just lets it happen?
No no no.
If this book was more realistic, she wouldn't let him beat her and boss her around. He depended on HER. He became a leader when he married HER, not the other way around. That's why he should've listened to her.
The dialogue is just horrific. It's unrealistic and boring. I feel like I read the same sentence over and over throughout the whole book. And it was so annoying too, because every time our main characters meet new people, those people just awkwardly start asking them about their intimate stuff. So unrealistic.
And also, this book always says something, but it never shows us. She has the most boring style of writing I've ever read. She rarely uses adjectives and metaphors, like she just counts things that happened. AND she can't even do that right, because on one page she tells us that Scottish people are unwelcoming to English men and might attack them, even kill them. But at the next page, we see multiple Scottish people welcome and accept English men in the matter of days. There was even one character whose son got killed by the English, but when he came in contact with Stephen (who is English) he greeted him better than he greeted Bronwyn, whom he basically raised. I am just so angry this even got published. I have a feeling this was like her first draft and she was like, good enough. Yeah, no.
This shouldn't be out in the world.
(This review is full of spoilers)
In the beginning it had the potential to become a good enemies to lovers kind of book. The girl, (Bronwyn) hated the man she had to marry (Stephen), but he also didn't want to marry her.
I was so excited because she almost fell in love with another guy (Roger) while waiting for Stephen to show up at their wedding. And I thought that could be a good love traingle.
But then he showed up and immediately fell in love with her?? Just because he saw her once and thought she was hot??
And I SWEAR he is more hormonal and horny than 13 year old boys who just discovered girls. The ONLY thing he thought about throughout the whole book was her body and how to get her naked. Even when they were talking he wouldn't stop touching her, even when she didn't want it.
He basically raped her, forced her to sleep with him, threatened to kill her dog, injured her, etc. He injured her dog when it tried to protect her from HIM when he tried to rape her. He beat her, threatened to hurt her, made her feel stupid and worthless and so many more things...
Then he proceeded to tell everyone how feisty and arrogant she is. Everybody in this book thought that she is the problem in the marriage. Then he told them how he fell in love with her character. They are so toxic, he blames her for everything, he is ALWAYS jealous and tells her she is a slut if she even looks at other men. He blamed her once when a man tried to rape her. HE BLAMED HER. While other men were protecting her.
See the thing is, she can write good male characters, we have good men in this book, BUT THE LOVE INTEREST IS THE WORST OF THEM ALL. Yeah, the official villain raped a girl at the end of the book, but that is literally the same thing that Stephen did to the main character, it's just its okay when he does it. Their relationship is based on pure physical touch, that she hated at the beginning, but later she loved it. Which is fine, but then don't pretend they love each other for their personalities.
AFTER ALL OF THAT, he has the audacity to guilt trip her the entire time and make her think that SHE is selfish, that SHE is the problem, even when she did everything right.
And the author is cleary wanting us to like the characters, to believe in their love. She wants us to love Stephen and to praise him like every other character in the book did.
I think Jude is a woman-hater. I mean, the main character is likeable. She has a strong personality and is very confident. I love that, but you see its unbelievable to think that a dumb man can just do all of that to her, and she just lets it happen?
No no no.
If this book was more realistic, she wouldn't let him beat her and boss her around. He depended on HER. He became a leader when he married HER, not the other way around. That's why he should've listened to her.
The dialogue is just horrific. It's unrealistic and boring. I feel like I read the same sentence over and over throughout the whole book. And it was so annoying too, because every time our main characters meet new people, those people just awkwardly start asking them about their intimate stuff. So unrealistic.
And also, this book always says something, but it never shows us. She has the most boring style of writing I've ever read. She rarely uses adjectives and metaphors, like she just counts things that happened. AND she can't even do that right, because on one page she tells us that Scottish people are unwelcoming to English men and might attack them, even kill them. But at the next page, we see multiple Scottish people welcome and accept English men in the matter of days. There was even one character whose son got killed by the English, but when he came in contact with Stephen (who is English) he greeted him better than he greeted Bronwyn, whom he basically raised. I am just so angry this even got published. I have a feeling this was like her first draft and she was like, good enough. Yeah, no.
This shouldn't be out in the world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual harassment
emotional
lighthearted
I thought that the book was a little disappointing because of the characters' exaggerated emotions and responses. Bronwyn hasn't even met Stephen and hates him more than anyone else. I understand that she hates him because he is English, but we see her interacting with other Englishmen and she seems reserved and cool towards them. When he acts polite and friendly towards her, she responds with a caustic and very hateful reply. I mean he is trying to be polite and she just throws a knife at him. I mean isn't that a little bit melodramatic. The story line and the background characters were good. I liked Kristy and her whole family, they were really sweet and kind.
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This title gives me the ick. I've read one too many romance novels with creative descriptions of men's parts, but that is what I thought of every time I went to listen/read some more. Other than that... I really liked it. Fiesty heroine, man's man hero, definitely enjoyed!