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smuttymcbookface's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The love story between Cecilia and Ramsey was an enthralling read, with fun twists and enjoyable developments. Although I hadn't read the first book in the series, the references to the previous plot made it easy to follow.
The MMC, Ramsey, Lord Chief of Justice and the "Vicar of Vice", is a middle-aged man who's denied himself any of the 'vices' (women, gambling, addiction) due to an upbringing where he saw men die from them, and due to a similar instance in his past where he fell prey to one of them. He's cold, standoffish, and detests that he can't stop sexualising the FMC in everything she does.
Cecilia, the FMC, is an educated mathematician from an awful background where her father figure, Vicar Teague, punished her for being too large, too smart, too anything, as well as punishing her for his own faults and the faults of others. Saved from this upbringing by a mysterious benefactor, later disclosed to be her aunt, she went to schools and honed her impressive mind. Sweet and selfless, to a fault, it's easy to see why the hard Ramsey would fall for her.
I enjoyed the light craziness of the plot, from the scene where Cecilia pretended to be the Scarlet Woman, to the unfolding of the larger over-arching villain. I also enjoyed the time in the cabin, where Cecilia and Raymond grew closer together.
However, I did not enjoy that the only "flaws" of Cecelia were that she was larger, smart, and too nice. I liked reading about a curvy FMC, and a MMC (amongst others) that enjoyed her appearance, but her depiction was flawlessly inhuman.
In addition, Ramsey's inability to think of her in anyway but sexual, and the derogatory narrative that him being Scottish meant he was "closer to wild animals than most men" were quite hard to read without the balance of something else. Cecilia was not viewed as a woman but as a desirable body; something the narrative of her being clever and independent was supposed to protect her from. It was almost disappointing that his appreciation of this amazing woman never moved past her sweetness and her body.
The MMC, Ramsey, Lord Chief of Justice and the "Vicar of Vice", is a middle-aged man who's denied himself any of the 'vices' (women, gambling, addiction) due to an upbringing where he saw men die from them, and due to a similar instance in his past where he fell prey to one of them. He's cold, standoffish, and detests that he can't stop sexualising the FMC in everything she does.
Cecilia, the FMC, is an educated mathematician from an awful background where her father figure, Vicar Teague, punished her for being too large, too smart, too anything, as well as punishing her for his own faults and the faults of others. Saved from this upbringing by a mysterious benefactor, later disclosed to be her aunt, she went to schools and honed her impressive mind. Sweet and selfless, to a fault, it's easy to see why the hard Ramsey would fall for her.
I enjoyed the light craziness of the plot, from the scene where Cecilia pretended to be the Scarlet Woman, to the unfolding of the larger over-arching villain. I also enjoyed the time in the cabin, where Cecilia and Raymond grew closer together.
However, I did not enjoy that the only "flaws" of Cecelia were that she was larger, smart, and too nice. I liked reading about a curvy FMC, and a MMC (amongst others) that enjoyed her appearance, but her depiction was flawlessly inhuman.
In addition, Ramsey's inability to think of her in anyway but sexual, and the derogatory narrative that him being Scottish meant he was "closer to wild animals than most men" were quite hard to read without the balance of something else. Cecilia was not viewed as a woman but as a desirable body; something the narrative of her being clever and independent was supposed to protect her from. It was almost disappointing that his appreciation of this amazing woman never moved past her sweetness and her body.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Pedophilia
Minor: Suicide
procrastinatewithreading's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was my first Kerrigan Byrne book and my second Scottish historical romance. The content is dark (definitely check for CWs, but be aware that kidnapping and selling children into sexual slavery is a major plot point) and the plot moves quickly. Cecilia meets Ramsey, the Vicar of Vice (Lord Chief Justice) and they have chemistry, however, her inheritance of a gambling hell/school for women comes between them. The issues I had with this book are a few:
-the comparison of Ramsey to an animal- it is stated often and frequently and it seems to be a correlation to his being Scottish. I found it distracting and possibly offensive.
-the traveling from London to Scotland, which can apparently happen quickly/easily at this time?
-the pacing is so fast that it feels like nothing gets fully developed, it is just wrapped up or left to be handled in another book
The things I loved about this book:
-Positive female friendships
-Fully formed female MC who is enhanced by circumstances but not formed by them (her inheritance did not make her re-evaluate her life or give up anything)
-Found family, especially Jean-Yves and Phoebe
Overall this book will definitely be loved by some and disliked by others. Perhaps reading all 3 books in the series would help me connect better with the characters and understand the fast pace of the story line.
-the comparison of Ramsey to an animal- it is stated often and frequently and it seems to be a correlation to his being Scottish. I found it distracting and possibly offensive.
-the traveling from London to Scotland, which can apparently happen quickly/easily at this time?
-the pacing is so fast that it feels like nothing gets fully developed, it is just wrapped up or left to be handled in another book
The things I loved about this book:
-Positive female friendships
-Fully formed female MC who is enhanced by circumstances but not formed by them (her inheritance did not make her re-evaluate her life or give up anything)
-Found family, especially Jean-Yves and Phoebe
Overall this book will definitely be loved by some and disliked by others. Perhaps reading all 3 books in the series would help me connect better with the characters and understand the fast pace of the story line.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Body shaming and Child abuse
Minor: Alcoholism and Rape
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