Reviews tagging 'War'

Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday

4 reviews

mabellene's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional lighthearted 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

3.75

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emilywemily6's review

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hopeful 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? It's complicated

3.25

This could best be described as a cozy romance, and I don’t think that’s the vibe I’m looking for. This book was very character driven and slow, with a lot of dialogue and internal thoughts compared to scene description and plot. Also, one of the major plot points included on the back cover was introduced into the story at the 68% mark, which left no surprises to anticipate. I really loved the idea of Clem seeking Archie’s help with exploring her sexuality, but it came so late in the book that it felt like more of a secondary plot point than a major plot device. And while this book takes place in Regency England, it was greatly modernized to its detriment. It felt like a modern retelling of a classic story but set in the classic time period. Everything I love about Regency atmosphere, relationships, speech, etc. was watered down. It felt Regency only in name. I generally enjoyed the writing style and how to characters interacted, but it didn’t scratch the historical romance itch. The character viewpoints that aligned with modern times (vegetarianism, feminism, found family, etc.) were fun to read but took me out of the story a little because they were so heavy handed. Also, this book was advertised as a The Hangover-like guy’s trip, but the shenanigans were few and far between. The pacing was inconsistent as the story started off with some drama and a rescue, then turned into a turtle crawl. And I know that Simon was labeled as the quiet one, but he had zero personality while Effie and Archie had personalities, even if they weren’t super fleshed out. Sorry to complain so much, it just fell short in a lot of ways for me. 
I enjoyed the prose of the writing style even with the content being so modern- lots of nice metaphors and thoughtful commentary from the characters’ interactions. It also warmed my heart how Archie and Clem came together at the end of the book. The spicy scenes were tasteful and tender and complimented their relationship at that point in the story. Overall, this was cute and cozy, but slow and overtly modern to the point of detracting from the Regency vibes. I wanted either more ridiculousness or more subtlety. I would read the next but only if I didn’t know what else to read.
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samchase112's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted reflective 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? It's complicated

4.25

Positively delightful! The cover and title pairing got me on this one, and it delivered exactly what I wanted. I adored the characters and found family of this lovely little romance — especially the absolutely loveable pairing of Arch and Clem! I was giggling and smiling and waiting for them to get together; it might be one of my favorite instances of friends-to-lovers. Truly, every page of this book was a delight, and though there were strings that didn't quite wrap up (the Morgans' father, for example) they didn't really subtract from my enjoyment. All in all, a great time, and I can't wait for the next book!
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dezs_diary's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted 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

4.0

What happens on Earls Trip, stays on Earls Trip.

Thank you to Kensington Books & Netgalley for this eARC! 

The cover and title initially sold me on this book, and I was so happy to find a great story inside!
This modern take on historical romance had me giggling & staying up late. From the get-go, I was reminded of The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, which I absolutely loved! I was so excited to find a book that felt similar in voice and tone to that one.

I think where this book really shines is in its relationships, most especially in the friendships between the three Earls. They are such sweet, understanding, and supportive friends; I loved seeing them get into shenanigans together, as well as have tender heart-to-hearts. They really give found-family vibes, and I can’t wait for the rest of their stories!

I also thought the main characters had great chemistry. And the spice was done very well! 
And the ending was so sweet— I was holding back tears! Well done.

My critiques are two-fold.
Firstly, the pacing felt a bit slow at times. I think its a combination of this being a heavily character-driven novel and that the beginning started with such an action-packed bang.
Secondly, I didn’t love that Archie had to
give up his one hobby, espcially when it seemed to mean so much to him
. I think there were different ways to resolve that particular plot-point that wouldn’t have felt as forced. It was still an admirable gesture on his part, but it left me feeling a little uneasy.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I had a great time with these characters and I loved getting to know them; I’ll definitely be continuing with the series. I was delighted to read that the next book will follow Effie! Also, the title, “Manic Pixie Dream Earl”, is hilarious.
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