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mabelsyrup's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
i haven’t been this let down by a continuation since King of Greed… tho this one is far better.
My theory is that the author read some of the criticism given to An Extraordinary Union abt how “there wasn’t enough cool spy stuff” or “the romance took 90% of the spotlight and the rest was the war plot” and took it to heart cuz i can tell she tried to give more protagonism to the war and the skulkers and the home guard and Ewan’s counterintelligence and when i put it simply like that it sounds rly cool… but it kinda wasn’t? it felt like there was too much going on with Marlie’s heritage and coming to terms with it, her privilege (and lack thereof) and how it intersects with other black people, Ewan’s past with the Union, Ewan’s past with his father, their relationship and their philosophies that often clashed, Marlie reticence in admitting she’s been influenced by her white relatives, the invasion of her home and privacy, the obvious doubt about getting into an interracial relationship, Marlie reconnecting with her mum through her diaries in french and w Ewan while translating them, the reality of escaping from slavery, the skulkers, the Home Guard, Ewan and Cahill, the Quakers ITS A LOT FOR A 300 PAGE BOOK TF
I did enjoy my time reading this, Alyssa Cole sure knows how to make a simple sentence sound lyrical and Marlie and Ewan were sweet most of the time but I couldn’t connect w their romance 100% (aided by the fact that they say i love you literally within the last 40 pages, in fact Marlie only says it TO HERSELF during the epilogue); their push and pull slow burn ate sometimes but then it’d draggg (although i did like the fact that they were both virgins and as far we could see Ewan was the one left visibly shaken and fluttery)
I’m still picking up book three tho, i can’t wait to see bitter Daniel fold to a latina baddie💋
“He couldn’t look away from her for long though; he’d counted to five once, and that was the longest he’d lasted.”
“Ewan felt his cheeks flame at the nickname she’d given him after their first encounter: He’d requested Greek philosophy from her book cart, and when she handed him a book of mythology, he’d responded with a lengthy correction on the difference between the two. He hadn’t meant to; something about her had jangled his nerves. The more attentively she’d listened as he droned on about the difference between Homer and Hermagoras, the more donnish he’d become.” this dynamic>>
“Why should the poor yeomen fight for the rich slaver who can buy his way out of service while sacrificing those who have nothing to gain in this fight?”
“I’d always imagined that were I placed in a situation that called for bravery, some inner strength would come to the fore, but all I’ve learned in the past weeks is that I am able to tolerate more than I am driven to change. Perhaps I’m becoming a philosopher, too.”
“he’d looked at her as if he knew her, and it’d made her feel as if maybe she wanted him to? His blue eyes were pure ice, but when they’d rested on her she’d felt their heat. It’d been like the realization she had the first time she’d traveled into the winter cold without gloves: Ice could burn.”
“he knew American slavery to be a horrible stain upon the world. Would it be brushed away so cavalierly when people read of America in some distant future? Would it be a footnote, an aside?”
“I don’t have to transmute you into something good because you already are.”
My theory is that the author read some of the criticism given to An Extraordinary Union abt how “there wasn’t enough cool spy stuff” or “the romance took 90% of the spotlight and the rest was the war plot” and took it to heart cuz i can tell she tried to give more protagonism to the war and the skulkers and the home guard and Ewan’s counterintelligence and when i put it simply like that it sounds rly cool… but it kinda wasn’t? it felt like there was too much going on with Marlie’s heritage and coming to terms with it, her privilege (and lack thereof) and how it intersects with other black people, Ewan’s past with the Union, Ewan’s past with his father, their relationship and their philosophies that often clashed, Marlie reticence in admitting she’s been influenced by her white relatives, the invasion of her home and privacy, the obvious doubt about getting into an interracial relationship, Marlie reconnecting with her mum through her diaries in french and w Ewan while translating them, the reality of escaping from slavery, the skulkers, the Home Guard, Ewan and Cahill, the Quakers ITS A LOT FOR A 300 PAGE BOOK TF
I did enjoy my time reading this, Alyssa Cole sure knows how to make a simple sentence sound lyrical and Marlie and Ewan were sweet most of the time but I couldn’t connect w their romance 100% (aided by the fact that they say i love you literally within the last 40 pages, in fact Marlie only says it TO HERSELF during the epilogue); their push and pull slow burn ate sometimes but then it’d draggg (although i did like the fact that they were both virgins and as far we could see Ewan was the one left visibly shaken and fluttery)
I’m still picking up book three tho, i can’t wait to see bitter Daniel fold to a latina baddie💋
“He couldn’t look away from her for long though; he’d counted to five once, and that was the longest he’d lasted.”
“Ewan felt his cheeks flame at the nickname she’d given him after their first encounter: He’d requested Greek philosophy from her book cart, and when she handed him a book of mythology, he’d responded with a lengthy correction on the difference between the two. He hadn’t meant to; something about her had jangled his nerves. The more attentively she’d listened as he droned on about the difference between Homer and Hermagoras, the more donnish he’d become.” this dynamic>>
“Why should the poor yeomen fight for the rich slaver who can buy his way out of service while sacrificing those who have nothing to gain in this fight?”
“I’d always imagined that were I placed in a situation that called for bravery, some inner strength would come to the fore, but all I’ve learned in the past weeks is that I am able to tolerate more than I am driven to change. Perhaps I’m becoming a philosopher, too.”
“he’d looked at her as if he knew her, and it’d made her feel as if maybe she wanted him to? His blue eyes were pure ice, but when they’d rested on her she’d felt their heat. It’d been like the realization she had the first time she’d traveled into the winter cold without gloves: Ice could burn.”
“he knew American slavery to be a horrible stain upon the world. Would it be brushed away so cavalierly when people read of America in some distant future? Would it be a footnote, an aside?”
“I don’t have to transmute you into something good because you already are.”
book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
Book number two in the Loyal League series of Civil-War-era romances.
Marlie Lynch is a free woman who has been taken into the Lynch household as a member of the family. She’s always understood that her father was the plantation owner, though she and her mother lived far away. The old man is deceased and his heir Stephen has married and moved away, so Marlie and her older sister Sarah maintain the estate with a handful of servants … all freed slaves who are paid for their labor. Marlie’s primary contribution is the tonics and poultices she concocts from the plant knowledge passed down from her mother. With a Rebel prison camp in the neighborhood, Marlie begins to tend to the prisoners, and passing messages along to the Loyal League – Southerners who are against slavery and trying to help the Union. It’s at the prison that she meets Ewan McCall, a Union soldier with unique skills.
This is a pretty typical romance between two people of differing status, who join together with a common cause. Of course, they will have to fight against not only their mutual attraction, but the very real restrictions of the society in which they find themselves. I’m amazed they could find time for sex (or even for the desire for sex) given the dangers in which they find themselves, but if they can manage to have mutual orgasms in such a setting more power to them!
This is the second in a series, but I think it can easily be read as a standalone. I certainly didn’t feel that I was missing anything by not having read the first book.
Marlie Lynch is a free woman who has been taken into the Lynch household as a member of the family. She’s always understood that her father was the plantation owner, though she and her mother lived far away. The old man is deceased and his heir Stephen has married and moved away, so Marlie and her older sister Sarah maintain the estate with a handful of servants … all freed slaves who are paid for their labor. Marlie’s primary contribution is the tonics and poultices she concocts from the plant knowledge passed down from her mother. With a Rebel prison camp in the neighborhood, Marlie begins to tend to the prisoners, and passing messages along to the Loyal League – Southerners who are against slavery and trying to help the Union. It’s at the prison that she meets Ewan McCall, a Union soldier with unique skills.
This is a pretty typical romance between two people of differing status, who join together with a common cause. Of course, they will have to fight against not only their mutual attraction, but the very real restrictions of the society in which they find themselves. I’m amazed they could find time for sex (or even for the desire for sex) given the dangers in which they find themselves, but if they can manage to have mutual orgasms in such a setting more power to them!
This is the second in a series, but I think it can easily be read as a standalone. I certainly didn’t feel that I was missing anything by not having read the first book.
kefink's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
4.0
kstuber02's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
saranies's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty good story, although I think I liked the first one better. I'm certainly planning to read the third book in the trilogy.
emilyveryromance's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
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
5.0
hannahellen's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this but the ending was disappointing. It felt rushed and dry compared to the deliciously angsty, passionate narrative overall.
samlouise94's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Once again Cole delivers with a strong heroine and a hero who's obsessed with her! Watching Marlie discover her place in her loved one's eyes was heartbreaking, but her connection to her craft and her ability to heal was a strength I loved watching grow. And Ewan was incredibly lovable despite his over-reliance on logic. I was rooting for these two to get together sooner, but I'm happy with the pace they went at, as it felt authentic to their personalities.