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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
Meet Emmie and Will, childhood friends who at the very beginning of the book enter in to a marriage of convenience so that Emmie can live in her childhood home, Winnover Hall. If she marries quickly and then has a child within five years, her salty old grandfather, the Duke, will allow her to stay there for the rest of her life.
Jump ahead eight years and the reader finds out that, while the marriage has been a success in that Will is well-respected politically and Emmie runs a household like a champ, they do not have children. It hasn't been a problem until now, as her grandfather's birthday party approaches, she and Will will have to present the children that she made up 7 and 5 years ago.
So of course, the partners go to an orphanage to borrow some children to quickly bring up to speed in the ways of the Ton. Hijinks and romance ensue, and while the whole premise isn't exactly believable, it does make for a delightful, quick read. I loved each of the characters and that—unlike a traditional romance—we got to hear the children's perspectives, as well as a sweet below stairs subplot. This book was exactly what I needed: an enjoyable romp.
Thanks to NetGalley for the eBook!
Jump ahead eight years and the reader finds out that, while the marriage has been a success in that Will is well-respected politically and Emmie runs a household like a champ, they do not have children. It hasn't been a problem until now, as her grandfather's birthday party approaches, she and Will will have to present the children that she made up 7 and 5 years ago.
So of course, the partners go to an orphanage to borrow some children to quickly bring up to speed in the ways of the Ton. Hijinks and romance ensue, and while the whole premise isn't exactly believable, it does make for a delightful, quick read. I loved each of the characters and that—unlike a traditional romance—we got to hear the children's perspectives, as well as a sweet below stairs subplot. This book was exactly what I needed: an enjoyable romp.
Thanks to NetGalley for the eBook!
This book was such a pleasure to read. I thoroughly enjoyed the witty banter and quick wit of the two children, Rose and George through the novel. The FMC and MMC, Emmie and Will Pershing were an amazing team from the start. Friends who use each other for an end goal. Emmie needed to keep her family home after her father died. Her grandfather would grant it to any family member who marrying next and produce an heir within 5 years. Unwilling to lose to her snotty cousin, Emmie turns to her best friend and rising political star, Will Pershing. Will needs a partner to help with his political career and Emmies family home is close to London, making the commute to work easier. Both seemed to be doing great, until the time came for Emmie’s grandfathers birthday in which he wanted all his family, down to great-grandchildren to attend. The twist? Emmie and Will tried to have children but failed so Emmie wrote to her family and grandfather that they actually DID have kids. She made up entire lives of 2 children, one boy, George, and one girl, Flora.
Will learns about this requirement to keep the home and the made up children that Emmie has been keeping up on over the years and determined to keep the home, they hatch a plan to procure 2 children for the party. After a few failed attempts, the Pershing’s acquire George and Rose, siblings in care at an orphanage for their plans.
George and Rose have been fending for themselves all their lives and agree to help the Pershing’s as long as they learn upper class skills and are placed with a good family in the end. All seems to go well until their 18 year old problematic, thieving brother, James, comes into the picture. James threatens to tell everyone about the Pershing’s plan and ultimately let them lose their home.
The story was wonderful and seemed original. It was told from multiple POV’s and you really were rooting for their plan to work. Unfortunately, it felt annoying after the billionth time of Emmie and Will continually stating that they couldn’t adopt the children themselves. Even up to the almost end of the story, they would not even consider it. In the end, after falling in love with the children George and Rose, they do keep the kids. Which like, DUH! We knew this would happen.
I love the sorry otherwise, but that constant annoyance and the plot of James, coupled with the entire plan falling apart within 3 pages was just too much. Additionally, there was a side love story that took up a lot of space within the story that I just was not interested in. I would definitely read this author again though!
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Griffin for providing me with the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Will learns about this requirement to keep the home and the made up children that Emmie has been keeping up on over the years and determined to keep the home, they hatch a plan to procure 2 children for the party. After a few failed attempts, the Pershing’s acquire George and Rose, siblings in care at an orphanage for their plans.
George and Rose have been fending for themselves all their lives and agree to help the Pershing’s as long as they learn upper class skills and are placed with a good family in the end. All seems to go well until their 18 year old problematic, thieving brother, James, comes into the picture. James threatens to tell everyone about the Pershing’s plan and ultimately let them lose their home.
The story was wonderful and seemed original. It was told from multiple POV’s and you really were rooting for their plan to work. Unfortunately, it felt annoying after the billionth time of Emmie and Will continually stating that they couldn’t adopt the children themselves. Even up to the almost end of the story, they would not even consider it. In the end, after falling in love with the children George and Rose, they do keep the kids. Which like, DUH! We knew this would happen.
I love the sorry otherwise, but that constant annoyance and the plot of James, coupled with the entire plan falling apart within 3 pages was just too much. Additionally, there was a side love story that took up a lot of space within the story that I just was not interested in. I would definitely read this author again though!
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Griffin for providing me with the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Perhaps 3.5ish stars — your enjoyment of this will hinge entirely on how much you like plucky orphans, a broad cast of characters, and com over your rom. In retrospect, the dad joke in the title and the heroine referring to the hero's dick as "that... thing" with horror while reflecting on their wedding night should've clued me into this being a closed-door screwball comedy as opposed to a historical romance. The author left me all the clues, Mr. Policeman.
This book feels entirely mislabeled/mismarketed given how much attention is actually paid to the ostensible main ship, which. Is a shame! I love that Will and Emmie fall in love over a shared cause and mutual admiration for one another's cleverness! I adore people catching feelings after marrying for convenience! Instead, the most attention is paid to the orphans and their concern over their future, which is not unwarranted but makes for an anxious, sometimes unpleasant read.
It says something about Enoch's writing, however, that I still found this compulsively readable and rooted for the characters even as I felt the romance only partially baking and the inherent selfishness of the Pershings' endeavor to keep their home. I think swathes of the middle veered into repetition and there were far more POVs than needed — whither the sterner editorial hands in publishing!! — but I believed Will and Emmie falling for George and Rose and vice versa; I buy them as a little family unit. I also love that the kids feel like kids, especially orphans accustomed to running cons and fending for themselves.
Ultimately, I don't regret giving the book a try and would perhaps try another of Enoch's titles. But I will definitely be reading the reviews first.
This book feels entirely mislabeled/mismarketed given how much attention is actually paid to the ostensible main ship, which. Is a shame! I love that Will and Emmie fall in love over a shared cause and mutual admiration for one another's cleverness! I adore people catching feelings after marrying for convenience! Instead, the most attention is paid to the orphans and their concern over their future, which is not unwarranted but makes for an anxious, sometimes unpleasant read.
It says something about Enoch's writing, however, that I still found this compulsively readable and rooted for the characters even as I felt the romance only partially baking and the inherent selfishness of the Pershings' endeavor to keep their home. I think swathes of the middle veered into repetition and there were far more POVs than needed — whither the sterner editorial hands in publishing!! — but I believed Will and Emmie falling for George and Rose and vice versa; I buy them as a little family unit. I also love that the kids feel like kids, especially orphans accustomed to running cons and fending for themselves.
Ultimately, I don't regret giving the book a try and would perhaps try another of Enoch's titles. But I will definitely be reading the reviews first.
Eight years ago, Emmaline proposed to her best friend William Pershing, so that she could inherit her beloved home. Since they married, she has managed William’s highly successful career and their home and they have gone about living their mostly-separate-lives. But now that they have been summoned to the birthday party of the Duke of Welshire—the family patriarch—Emmaline breaks it to William that she has also been spinning a complicated web of lies to her entire family. It turns out that, in order for their home not to pass to her cousin, William and Emmaline were meant to bear offspring. Which they never did. So she invented some, and now they were expected to present them to the Duke at his party. The couple settles on the practical solution of borrowing two orphans from an orphanage in London (George, 8, and Rose, 5), and training them to behave as well-brought-up members of the British aristocracy. What could go wrong? A lot, as the reader will find out.
This was a delightfully closed-door romance that also touches on various other kinds of love.
The premise and style seemed silly at first—almost a slapstick comedy of errors. But as it progressed I found that it was implemented gracefully and realistically. It explored the psychology and motivations of the various characters and their emotions. I appreciated how it seamlessly moved between the various characters’ perspectives, giving the reader a chance to see the bigger picture—it’s a different way to provide an omniscient perspective than having each character magically intuit the motivations of all the other characters (as is often the case in this genre). Despite all their flaws, the characters were easily lovable. I found the book to be deeply satisfying.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from NetGalley and the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
This was a delightfully closed-door romance that also touches on various other kinds of love.
The premise and style seemed silly at first—almost a slapstick comedy of errors. But as it progressed I found that it was implemented gracefully and realistically. It explored the psychology and motivations of the various characters and their emotions. I appreciated how it seamlessly moved between the various characters’ perspectives, giving the reader a chance to see the bigger picture—it’s a different way to provide an omniscient perspective than having each character magically intuit the motivations of all the other characters (as is often the case in this genre). Despite all their flaws, the characters were easily lovable. I found the book to be deeply satisfying.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from NetGalley and the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was so cute! 4.5 or 4.75 stars - adorable, charming, and funny. I flew through this and read it in less than 24 hours. I loved the ridiculous plot and the kids were hilarious and funny and totally believably lovable. I really enjoyed this. Despite being set in Regency England, it reminded me of L.M. Montgomery and made me want to reread Anne of Green Gables or a short story collection.
Emmeline and William choose a marriage of convenience so that she can keep her childhood home because her grandfather has some wacky rules about who is allowed to occupy the house. The story centers around the fact that they were required to have children by their 5th year of marriage or they had to give up their home. Now eight years in with zero children, Emmeline is forced to reveal to William that she created fictional children, Malcolm and Flora when her grandfather announces that all of his grandchildren and their children must come to his home for his birthday. They end up renting a pair of children, George and Rose Fletcher, from a London orphanage (they literally pay the orphanage to 'borrow' the children) and chaos ensues.
There are a lot of POVs, which I am not ever really into. There are 4 subplots happening at the same time as the main plot, which makes it difficult to really get emotionally invested in the characters.
I wouldn't even really consider this to be a romance novel. Emmeline and William have a lack of chemistry, which I believe comes from all the looping plot lines but I could not have cared less if they developed feelings for each other.
I felt like the inclusion of James Fletcher, George and Rose's older brother, did nothing to further the plot. The entire time I was reading I just wanted him to be gone already.
I kind of liked the romantic subplot between Hannah and Billet, but again, there wasn't enough time spent building their chemistry for that relationship to feel fully developed.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There are a lot of POVs, which I am not ever really into. There are 4 subplots happening at the same time as the main plot, which makes it difficult to really get emotionally invested in the characters.
I wouldn't even really consider this to be a romance novel. Emmeline and William have a lack of chemistry, which I believe comes from all the looping plot lines but I could not have cared less if they developed feelings for each other.
I felt like the inclusion of James Fletcher, George and Rose's older brother, did nothing to further the plot. The entire time I was reading I just wanted him to be gone already.
I kind of liked the romantic subplot between Hannah and Billet, but again, there wasn't enough time spent building their chemistry for that relationship to feel fully developed.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was just okay for me. Bland married couple (the main characters) with no spark between them and barely improve over the course of the book. The two miscreant orphans who trash talk and steal from them are the highlight!
Short answer: 4 stars is generous. more accurately would be around a 3.25. Had so much quirky and interesting potential and then sort of sputtered along until the end.
Emmeline and William are two folks with very little personality or charm, who we are somehow supposed to believe are the center of this "historical romance". They are in a transactional marriage of convenience, wherein Emmeline is touted as a phenomenal hostess - so good, in fact, that it is the direct reason why William is a successful schmoozer of sorts. Neither appear to have many interesting qualities or passions, nor do they have any friendships of substance with anyone at all.
In order to stay living at her childhood home, they were required to have children They did not and instead lied about it. The time has come for them to present their children to the recluse grandfather and the book plot is based on them renting orphans to play the part and having calamity ensue.
I thought more of the story would center around the children's antics once they got to the grandfather's home. However, almost zero of that happened. The entirety of the book was side plots, a "surprise" brother of the orphans whose entire storyline felt like it pulled away from the actual intended plot and did not add anything of value to drive the story.
There was almost no romance in the entire story. I'm not referring to spice, of which there was also none. This should've been set-up as a historical comedy of errs, sans a romance angle, and I think it would've landed with target audiences much better.
The first half starts off fun, their voices are clear and quicker witted, they had funny awkward interactions with their neighbors and their children which had me thinking it was going to be a delightful ruckus of events.
Then it starts to drag on, and on, and on. Additional side plots that weren't relevant and didn't move the story along, James - as a whole - detracted so much from the story it was distracting. Overall, it was a bit disappointing of a read and I now realize why it took me SO long to muddle my way through it.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this story in exchange for my honest review.
Sidenote regarding ONLY the audiobook version: Please never let this narrator do a child's voice again. I'm so sorry but it was so comically bad I could not focus on what George or Rose were saying most of the time, as it sounded like a little hoarse gremlin yipping in my ear. >.<
Emmeline and William are two folks with very little personality or charm, who we are somehow supposed to believe are the center of this "historical romance". They are in a transactional marriage of convenience, wherein Emmeline is touted as a phenomenal hostess - so good, in fact, that it is the direct reason why William is a successful schmoozer of sorts. Neither appear to have many interesting qualities or passions, nor do they have any friendships of substance with anyone at all.
In order to stay living at her childhood home, they were required to have children They did not and instead lied about it. The time has come for them to present their children to the recluse grandfather and the book plot is based on them renting orphans to play the part and having calamity ensue.
I thought more of the story would center around the children's antics once they got to the grandfather's home. However, almost zero of that happened. The entirety of the book was side plots, a "surprise" brother of the orphans whose entire storyline felt like it pulled away from the actual intended plot and did not add anything of value to drive the story.
There was almost no romance in the entire story. I'm not referring to spice, of which there was also none. This should've been set-up as a historical comedy of errs, sans a romance angle, and I think it would've landed with target audiences much better.
The first half starts off fun, their voices are clear and quicker witted, they had funny awkward interactions with their neighbors and their children which had me thinking it was going to be a delightful ruckus of events.
Then it starts to drag on, and on, and on. Additional side plots that weren't relevant and didn't move the story along, James - as a whole - detracted so much from the story it was distracting. Overall, it was a bit disappointing of a read and I now realize why it took me SO long to muddle my way through it.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this story in exchange for my honest review.
Sidenote regarding ONLY the audiobook version: Please never let this narrator do a child's voice again. I'm so sorry but it was so comically bad I could not focus on what George or Rose were saying most of the time, as it sounded like a little hoarse gremlin yipping in my ear. >.<