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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
Fenella and Oswald were arranged to be married over a decade ago so when her husband wants a divorce to marry another, she turns to Oswald for help.
I really liked reading about Fenella and Oswald but surprisingly, I enjoyed the other parts of this book too. I found it entertaining watching Fenella balance court life and the politics that surround it. While there were a lot of characters to remember, I found myself following each of their side stories fairly easily too.
Oswald was great. He was a little rude at times but I just couldn’t help but like him. He never had any malice behind it and I loved watching him slowly adapt to behave better after Fenella came back into his life. He always seems to be thinking about Fenella and it was the small things that made him so loveable like hanging up her portrait she gave him when she was a teen. Also, we love a long time celibate man. Please I need more of these now!
Fenella was such a sweetheart. She was always just trying to do the right thing and make everyone happy. She was soft and kind but still very impressive with all the crap she had to put up with in the past. Often times these types of characters can get a little annoying with their doormat behaviour but it worked with her. She still had her own thoughts and opinions but just wanted to be a good wife and fit in and there’s nothing wrong with that.
It was a little slow at times, but having listened to it rather than read it, I never really minded the slower parts. Some slow parts I actually loved like the romance ( Slow-burn romances are >> ). It had low angst/drama but the parts we got were perfect. It wasn’t too much but it fit well with the development of the story. I just really enjoyed reading this book and now I have to jump back to the first one! I’ve heard it’s even better so I’m very excited!
I really liked reading about Fenella and Oswald but surprisingly, I enjoyed the other parts of this book too. I found it entertaining watching Fenella balance court life and the politics that surround it. While there were a lot of characters to remember, I found myself following each of their side stories fairly easily too.
Oswald was great. He was a little rude at times but I just couldn’t help but like him. He never had any malice behind it and I loved watching him slowly adapt to behave better after Fenella came back into his life. He always seems to be thinking about Fenella and it was the small things that made him so loveable like hanging up her portrait she gave him when she was a teen. Also, we love a long time celibate man. Please I need more of these now!
Fenella was such a sweetheart. She was always just trying to do the right thing and make everyone happy. She was soft and kind but still very impressive with all the crap she had to put up with in the past. Often times these types of characters can get a little annoying with their doormat behaviour but it worked with her. She still had her own thoughts and opinions but just wanted to be a good wife and fit in and there’s nothing wrong with that.
It was a little slow at times, but having listened to it rather than read it, I never really minded the slower parts. Some slow parts I actually loved like the romance ( Slow-burn romances are >> ). It had low angst/drama but the parts we got were perfect. It wasn’t too much but it fit well with the development of the story. I just really enjoyed reading this book and now I have to jump back to the first one! I’ve heard it’s even better so I’m very excited!
1 re-read: the original 5⭐ rating still stands!! There's a line from The Outsiders "He's so greasy he glides when he walks" and that, my friends, is Oswald Vawdrey in a nutshell. He's the most weasely, conniving, fucking lovesick fool and I 10,000% simp for him. He's a manipulative bastard that totally took advantage of Fen's situation to his own ends but damnit he IS squishy under it all. Poor Fen really went through the wringer in this book and I can't get enough of an FMC whose never had her good qualities noticed, finally be seen. Could the grovel at the end been better? Maybe. But damn, these two just sucked me in!
Original review: Good gravy I enjoying this book so fucking much! I became completely enamoured with Fen and Oswald. Found it really hilarious and adorable how obstinate Oswald was about falling for Fen - giving us a lot of prime clueless sap behavior. Really Oswald, can't quite put your finger on why you like seeing her in your robes so much? You lovesick fool! And Fen showing her backbone to her ex in the garden? Goddamn that was satisfying. What a fantastic story; it was steamy, I laughed and cried. Highly recommended 10/10 will definitely read again.
Original review: Good gravy I enjoying this book so fucking much! I became completely enamoured with Fen and Oswald. Found it really hilarious and adorable how obstinate Oswald was about falling for Fen - giving us a lot of prime clueless sap behavior. Really Oswald, can't quite put your finger on why you like seeing her in your robes so much? You lovesick fool! And Fen showing her backbone to her ex in the garden? Goddamn that was satisfying. What a fantastic story; it was steamy, I laughed and cried. Highly recommended 10/10 will definitely read again.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a pretty easy read, I enjoyed the smut scenes and the historical setting although it wasn’t immediately clear to me that it wasn’t set in reality‘s past.
The characters were likeable, but the amount of miscommunication or total lack of communication drove me up the wall after the third incident or so, I found it a bit overdone.
The characters were likeable, but the amount of miscommunication or total lack of communication drove me up the wall after the third incident or so, I found it a bit overdone.
*4.5* I haven’t read this series or any of Coldbreath’s books in order. Not that it matters, but it was delightful to hear about characters from other books I’ve read and go ‘Oooooh, that makes sense now!’ LOL!
This story was a beautiful, a slow moving, character driven, no-big-drama kinda story. It was also a second chance of sorts as these two were betrothed as teens. (I think she was 15 and he 19.) Separated by unknown acts, but most certainly a battle where the H was wounded so badly he almost didn’t survive and he lost some of his memories.
Fenella Thane has been married to an ass. She’s been celibate for over two years, and unbeknownst to her, he’s been cheating and plans to replace her, requesting an almost unheard of divorce from the King.
Oswald Vawdry is the King’s spy master. He’s quiet, but incredibly intelligent. He’s been celibate for ten years, and focuses most of his attention on running the kingdom behind the scenes for his King.
Fenella and Oswald grew up together as neighbors, and he was her first love. She wrote him poems, made detailed tapestries she gifted to him, and then he disappeared after a horrific battle when he was only 21. Fenella comes to him for help with her marriage/divorce issues, Oswald decides he will keep her.
As with most Coldbreath books, the steam here is perfection, and quite emotionally hot. Oswald is utterly taken with her, it’s delicious.
Listening to this book was so much fun. It made my working hours go by much faster! Anne Flosnik does such a great job at the male voice. Oswald’s voice just flows so smoothly at times I forgot I was listening to a women speaking!
This story was a beautiful, a slow moving, character driven, no-big-drama kinda story. It was also a second chance of sorts as these two were betrothed as teens. (I think she was 15 and he 19.) Separated by unknown acts, but most certainly a battle where the H was wounded so badly he almost didn’t survive and he lost some of his memories.
Fenella Thane has been married to an ass. She’s been celibate for over two years, and unbeknownst to her, he’s been cheating and plans to replace her, requesting an almost unheard of divorce from the King.
Oswald Vawdry is the King’s spy master. He’s quiet, but incredibly intelligent. He’s been celibate for ten years, and focuses most of his attention on running the kingdom behind the scenes for his King.
Fenella and Oswald grew up together as neighbors, and he was her first love. She wrote him poems, made detailed tapestries she gifted to him, and then he disappeared after a horrific battle when he was only 21. Fenella comes to him for help with her marriage/divorce issues, Oswald decides he will keep her.
As with most Coldbreath books, the steam here is perfection, and quite emotionally hot. Oswald is utterly taken with her, it’s delicious.
Listening to this book was so much fun. It made my working hours go by much faster! Anne Flosnik does such a great job at the male voice. Oswald’s voice just flows so smoothly at times I forgot I was listening to a women speaking!
Another solid entry!
You can’t even call Oswald grumpy, that man is ICE! COLD! But that’s a flavor I enjoy and separates him a bit from the other more conventionally aggro/possessive AC heroes who fly off the handle of the time. He retreats instead of lashing out, and BOY does that sting!! Of course, that also means words are his weapon of choice and he says some pretty nasty things to/about Fenella and I felt SO bad for that poor girl, especially cause she’s so sensitive!!! She was really going through it when she first got to court.
BUT I do think Oswald falls fastest and hardest out of the AC men I’ve read thus far. He and Fen had been married for like less than 3 business days and he was sitting across the table from her, looking like that meme of that boy with the veins popping out of his head, trying not to pounce of her. He’s crazy!! Just shaking, quaking, sweating…hilarious. Also shoutout to him for being the only one of these AC men with a J O B ! (Being a duke or a knight or whatever doesn’t count) It gave the “reconvening in the bed chamber at the end of the day” scenes a little more flavour cause they were actually doing things apart that needed reporting.
I personally found Fenella sweet and endearing but she is very naive and doe-eyed so if you don’t like that in a heroine, you should move along. In contrast to Mathilde, she doesn’t really become a stronger person (except for like two moments of backbone) throughout the course of the story, she’s plagued by her insecurities and frets about embarrassing Oswald until the very end. It didn’t bother me because I enjoy a pathetic figure, and she was just so damn earnest!
I will say that there’s far too much plot in this. There’s a lot of dead space what with all the court shenanigans and setting up the characters for subsequent books and the King/Queen’s tomfoolery and Oswald sorting out issues with his brothers (although that part was nice to see). The ending felt rushed and uneven, and there should’ve been more groveling. I wanted Oswald to serve Jeffree or Guy, but alas.
You can’t even call Oswald grumpy, that man is ICE! COLD! But that’s a flavor I enjoy and separates him a bit from the other more conventionally aggro/possessive AC heroes who fly off the handle of the time. He retreats instead of lashing out, and BOY does that sting!! Of course, that also means words are his weapon of choice and he says some pretty nasty things to/about Fenella and I felt SO bad for that poor girl, especially cause she’s so sensitive!!! She was really going through it when she first got to court.
BUT I do think Oswald falls fastest and hardest out of the AC men I’ve read thus far. He and Fen had been married for like less than 3 business days and he was sitting across the table from her, looking like that meme of that boy with the veins popping out of his head, trying not to pounce of her. He’s crazy!! Just shaking, quaking, sweating…hilarious. Also shoutout to him for being the only one of these AC men with a J O B ! (Being a duke or a knight or whatever doesn’t count) It gave the “reconvening in the bed chamber at the end of the day” scenes a little more flavour cause they were actually doing things apart that needed reporting.
I personally found Fenella sweet and endearing but she is very naive and doe-eyed so if you don’t like that in a heroine, you should move along. In contrast to Mathilde, she doesn’t really become a stronger person (except for like two moments of backbone) throughout the course of the story, she’s plagued by her insecurities and frets about embarrassing Oswald until the very end. It didn’t bother me because I enjoy a pathetic figure, and she was just so damn earnest!
I will say that there’s far too much plot in this. There’s a lot of dead space what with all the court shenanigans and setting up the characters for subsequent books and the King/Queen’s tomfoolery and Oswald sorting out issues with his brothers (although that part was nice to see). The ending felt rushed and uneven, and there should’ve been more groveling. I wanted Oswald to serve Jeffree or Guy, but alas.
adventurous
fast-paced
Fenella is served with divorce papers, and her only hope to save her home is her ex-fiance, Oswald Vawdrey. She doesn't think he's inclined to help her, but she's surprised. Not only does he have different intentions, Fen discovers that the divorce doesn't matter all that much.
I admit I was a little confused at first. These books take place in a medieval fantasy world, and some of the marriage paperwork involved confused me, but ultimately I very much enjoyed the book. Fen and Oswald are a perfect couple. Oswald is the ultimate spymaster, full of secrets, so he doesn't always allow his feelings to show. Fen struggles, wanting to prove herself to both Oswald and her ex-husband. It's another great book from Ms. Coldbreath.
I admit I was a little confused at first. These books take place in a medieval fantasy world, and some of the marriage paperwork involved confused me, but ultimately I very much enjoyed the book. Fen and Oswald are a perfect couple. Oswald is the ultimate spymaster, full of secrets, so he doesn't always allow his feelings to show. Fen struggles, wanting to prove herself to both Oswald and her ex-husband. It's another great book from Ms. Coldbreath.
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
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really liked it. I love the smut but sometimes I wish the main character had more self-esteem and communicated better and vice versa to the main lead, he needed to chill and communicate more; but apart from that, I loved everything about it.
emotional
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
