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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 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
emotional
sad
tense
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
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Catharina Maura and her team for the ARC of this book. It ended up being a 3 star read for me. Xavier and Sierra were the couple I’ve been waiting for since book 1.
Sierra and Xavier have turned being enemies into an art. Constantly trying to one up each other, Sierra has no clue that in truth, Xavier is carrying a torch for her. Like her siblings before, Sierra is awaiting her arranged marriage only to be shocked to find out it is the one man she can’t stand. Or is he?
Sounds good right? The beginning started off strong but things sort of fell apart for me once the arrangement/wedding happened.
Pros
Contemporary romance tries to do enemies to lovers but it always feels like a stretch. These two characters actually did feel like enemies so the trope made sense.
The way Xavier kept everything from their past interactions and gave her back the projects he took from her
Sierra and Xavier have turned being enemies into an art. Constantly trying to one up each other, Sierra has no clue that in truth, Xavier is carrying a torch for her. Like her siblings before, Sierra is awaiting her arranged marriage only to be shocked to find out it is the one man she can’t stand. Or is he?
Sounds good right? The beginning started off strong but things sort of fell apart for me once the arrangement/wedding happened.
Pros
Contemporary romance tries to do enemies to lovers but it always feels like a stretch. These two characters actually did feel like enemies so the trope made sense.
The way Xavier kept everything from their past interactions and gave her back the projects he took from her
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
emotional
hopeful
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
emotional
hopeful
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
I'm going to miss this series so much!! Thank you to Catharina Maura and team for the ARC.
I was eagerly waiting for Sierra and Xavier's book since the very beginning. Catharina Maura has teased so much of their interactions that we all wanted to see Sierra get her HEA. For the most part, this book really did highlight so much of the love that both Sierra and Xavier have in their families, their heavy physical attraction to each other, and their ability to become overzealous at a moment's notice. Basically, they are they definition of IS SOMEBODY GOING TO MATCH MY FREAK? Because Xavier matched Sierra's freak.
I got very frustrated with the amount of miscommunication in the first half of the book. Luckily, it didn't last the whole book but there were so many opportunities to come clean about things but people (Sierra) weren't listening! The last half of the book reminded me a lot of The Secret Fiancée
and The Temporary Wife combined, with trauma and grief really taking the forefront. I never thought I'd say this but I wish there were flashbacks! I wanted to learn more about the history of Xavier and Sierra. Since they had a long-time "rivalry" it would have been nice to see those moments in the past and maybe him pining more.
And maybe it's just me being sad the series was over, but I wish we got a small extended epilogue or update on the rest of the Windsors. I'm probably just being greedy lol.
That being said, Xavier did the big grovel and like all Catharina Maura's heroes, manages to win you (and Sierra) over once again. I'm weak for letters, especially from his POV. There's no doubt that Sierra and Xavier are meant to be and there is an enticing set-up to hand over the next series to Xavier's family. Can't wait to read more and re-read the whole series again and again.
RANKING THE WINDSORS SERIES
The Temporary Wife
The Unwanted Marriage
The Wrong Wife
The Secret Fiancée
The Devious Husband
The Broken Vows
I was eagerly waiting for Sierra and Xavier's book since the very beginning. Catharina Maura has teased so much of their interactions that we all wanted to see Sierra get her HEA. For the most part, this book really did highlight so much of the love that both Sierra and Xavier have in their families, their heavy physical attraction to each other, and their ability to become overzealous at a moment's notice. Basically, they are they definition of IS SOMEBODY GOING TO MATCH MY FREAK? Because Xavier matched Sierra's freak.
I got very frustrated with the amount of miscommunication in the first half of the book. Luckily, it didn't last the whole book but there were so many opportunities to come clean about things but people (Sierra) weren't listening! The last half of the book reminded me a lot of The Secret Fiancée
and The Temporary Wife combined, with trauma and grief really taking the forefront. I never thought I'd say this but I wish there were flashbacks! I wanted to learn more about the history of Xavier and Sierra. Since they had a long-time "rivalry" it would have been nice to see those moments in the past and maybe him pining more.
And maybe it's just me being sad the series was over, but I wish we got a small extended epilogue or update on the rest of the Windsors. I'm probably just being greedy lol.
That being said, Xavier did the big grovel and like all Catharina Maura's heroes, manages to win you (and Sierra) over once again. I'm weak for letters, especially from his POV. There's no doubt that Sierra and Xavier are meant to be and there is an enticing set-up to hand over the next series to Xavier's family. Can't wait to read more and re-read the whole series again and again.
RANKING THE WINDSORS SERIES
The Temporary Wife
The Unwanted Marriage
The Wrong Wife
The Secret Fiancée
The Devious Husband
The Broken Vows
A long-suffering grim with complex trauma who murders people and is a secret AoS / Gifts who wears grey sweatpants and IS A FULL FUCKING SIMP that writes her a NOVEL?
Put a fork in me, I’m done.
Put a fork in me, I’m done.
”
Lex grabs a bag and pulls out a bottle of whiskey. “Honestly, just release him,” he says, sounding defeated.
“Dion was right. He’s fucking smitten with her. What were we even thinking?”
"
—Laughed my ass out reading this lol. Even Lex is tired of Xavier being obsessed with her.
Lex grabs a bag and pulls out a bottle of whiskey. “Honestly, just release him,” he says, sounding defeated.
“Dion was right. He’s fucking smitten with her. What were we even thinking?”
"
—Laughed my ass out reading this lol. Even Lex is tired of Xavier being obsessed with her.