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3.22 AVERAGE
3.22 AVERAGE
fast-paced
i honestly don’t know what i expected after a shit show of the previous book
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While not as spicy as I expected, this was a cute follow up to the first. It ended in a happy and satisfying way.
While I thought the plot of this book would be interesting, it felt like it dragged on and on for too long. It felt like the same storyline over and over for 450 pages.
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Four years ago as we closed the last page on The Mister, there has only been one question on everyone’s minds. What happens next? The ‘happy for now’ ending has only served for the endless requests from readers across the world to know what happens next after Maxim Trevelyan trekked his way across Europe to Alessia Demachi’s hometown of Kukës, Albania.
Wonder no more, dear readers. The next chapter of Maxim & Alessia’s story is here and we will see them go from boss/employee, earl/cinderella, Mister/Miss to husband & wife, lord & lady and Mister and Missus. Living beyond the fairytale and showing us what happens after the shoe fits and the happily ever after.
Maxim and Alessia were unlike any other literary couple—with a few exceptions—that I have fallen so hard and in love with in all my years as a reader. Their story resonated with me so much so with its realism in terms with many aspects of the story, it gave the readers—and myself—exactly what was promised to us by the author herself. A story which takes us back to the roots of the our beloved genre with a true strangers-to-lovers, slow burn, opposites attract, Cinderella-esque romance that will be a favourite of mine and other readers for many years to come.
Some consider The Mister to be a ‘cliffhanger’ of an ending. Not this reader. I very much see it in the ‘happy for now’ trope category. The outcome didn’t leave us wondering what would happen next in the sense of it being a mystery, as with an engagement the next step is of course, marriage. It was a case of actually reading about what would happen on the lead up to—and after—the big day itself.
This is where The Missus comes in. This is our chance to see what happens after the reformed rake got the girl, and after the ’happily ever after’ once the glass slipper had fit.
The Missus picks up immediately where things left off from The Mister, bringing us right back to where we left Maxim and Alessia four years ago. Mercifully we weren’t subjected to a major skip back in time to go the long way round to where we were left, Erika flawlessly continues the story with great ease and fluidity as if she hadn’t even stopped writing between the two stories. The transition is seamless. It feels like no time at all has passed for myself in the real world opening up this next instalment. I hope other readers feel the same as I do.
A return to Maxim and Alessia also meant a return to the familiar in terms of phrases and places both. Reading the familiar and favourite faces once more plastered a smile on my face, remembering how often we’ve quoted them in the time between both books. Praise must also be given here to Erika for injecting and executing a handful of new Albanian phrases, sentences and words for us to learn and in my case, attempt to pronounce. The same grace was also bestowed upon Albanian traditions and culture. Great time and care has gone into giving us the true essence of small-town, non-stereotypical Albanian life, culture and the people within both. I leaned a great deal from the inclusivity about Albanian culture and the wonderful country it comes from, which I am extremely pleased about. It’s never too late to learn something new. Even in a romance novel.
Several new elements are in fact added into The Missus, giving it the feel of an independent book while also being part of a series. Where it is not in standalone territory, the new elements within this book allow The Missus to stand on its own two feet, so to speak, beside its predecessor. For example, Maxim’s transformation from rake to gentlemen. A rake redeemed. Where we saw a few of his many exploits in The Mister, we witness is transition from playboy rake to the gentleman he was inside now brought to the surface. His transformation is an overnight miracle in the name of one Alessia Demachi. She was and is his reason to change himself and his now former ways, all in the name of love.
Alessia too, goes through her own transformation. This book is where she truly comes into her own and keeps on going. She showed incredible potential to be this person she is now when we first met her in The Mister—for example her determination to survive, to keep going when things got tough & to adapt to a new lifestyle—, and that potential has had time and ability to grow and be applied to various scenarios and circumstances in this book. Everything she was before was a bud waiting to blossom under the right conditions and environment, and those were very much written into The Missus and her character development is honest-to-book-gods off-the-charts! As she was Maxim’s reason to change, he is as much hers as is her own will and desire to change. Despite being from a family where the men speak and the women listen, there is no forcing Alessia to do anything against her will. Maxim stands by her side and is very much her equal, giving input and opinion as an equal rather than as someone of higher social status. With his support, she knows the person she was and wants to be as she was able to keep parts of both people rather than moulding herself into someone completely new. Her shyness, naiveté and reserved nature all slowly melt away over the course of this book, leaving in their place an admirable, inspirational and awe-inspiring woman and character.
Lord and Lady Trevethick are very much the dynamic duo. Together there isn’t anything they can’t face—and like with life in general, speed bumps and unexpected turn of events are aplenty—, and they’ll do it with trust, communication and plenty of trial-and-error. Just like any couple in any capacity would do here in the real world. Maxim and Alessia are two unforgettable and unique characters who only come around in the book world once in a blue moon. We all have our favourite couples from past, present and overall reads, though every now and then one or two come up who will be with us forever no matter how many characters or books come after them. Maxim and Alessia are those characters for me.
One thing that sets The Missus apart from The Mister in quite a big way, is the between-the-sheets action. Or rather, action everywhere. With the room to be more creative and adventurous in and out of the bedroom, Maxim and Alessia more than make up for lost time and I lived for every spontaneous, numerous, repeat performance moment. Among the many things Erika is an absolute mistress at doing, it’s giving us all the steam and spice created on the page. Part of this ties in with Alessia’s character development as she is often the initiator—no complaints there—, setting the precedence for women, literary or not, to go after what they want in the name of passion and pleasure. Some of the moments were quite creative and amusing both. Again, you learn something new every day.
With any read, comes either a bombshell or a climax (or two, or ten), perhaps a plot twist or two thrown in for good measure. This read had all three and will leave readers far from bored but thoroughly entertained with the unexpected revelations and surfaced secrets. When as a reader you think you’ve read everything that could ever be read, you’re sometimes proven wrong and I can hand on heart say that my own personal guesses as to where things could go or what might happen were proven wrong. And I loved it. Erika injected into The Missus moments that were very much a plausibility both in and out of the page, rather than being a tool for the storyline or plot. That essence of realism is what made The Mister resonate so well with readers, and I was very much pleased too see this carry on into The Missus as well. These twists and turns were far from ridiculous or unrealistic, and it was an experience I’m glad to have had reading them as each one came up along the way.
What also came up which I’m glad to have noticed was the nod in a few, subtle ways to a certain other book series. Certain words/phases very familiar to us Erika readers were slipped in slyly and I hope my fellow readers will pick up on those words/phrases that I have spotted myself. It was lovely to see these mini tributes, if you will, to such a beloved series.
It has always been said that ‘good things come to those who wait’, and after gladly waiting these last four years for the next chapters of Maxim & Alessia’s journey to continue, a very good thing came to this reader who waited in earnest. Going into The Missus open-minded allowed me not to compare this to The Mister in the sense of ‘will it be as good or better than The Mister’. Although part of this series, it was always my intention to view and think of it independently while within the series as their story continues. If I thought I was besotted and more with The Mister, The Missus goes one step further and currently owns my whole heart, body and soul. Its truly indescribable just how much I love every aspect of The Mister and now The Missus. I would need a whole other review just to talk about it, but I will say this:
Erika has braved the world outside of the familiar and fan favourite, and has come up triumphant and has more than demonstrated why she is so beloved by readers across the world for over a decade now. Her ability to tell a story, write a romance and show love in all of its forms is without a doubt unparalleled. She’s telling the stories she wants to tell, for her and not for anyone else or demanded by anyone else—which I admire and respect so much. Maxim & Alessia’s story as well as the world of The Mister and The Missus has brought together both fairytale and reality to give us something truly once-in-a-lifetime, something we can love and cherish for as long as we all live, and for us to pass down our love of to future generations and readers both. I implore any readers of romance, true romance, to pick up both of these books and discover the glorious magic within their pages. If The Missus is proof of what Erika really wants to get out here into our beautiful bookish world, then I cannot wait for what she has in store for us next in the coming years. I, for one, will be here at her side—albeit from a distance—ready to support someone who as a friend and an author both, deserves all the love in return for what she is gifting to us. Her.
Now that I know what happens in The Missus after remaining curious for the last four years, making friends along the way and creating endless memories from this wonderful ride, I know what I will personally be hoping for from our beloved author at some point in the near future.
I’m tickled pink to not only have found my favourite book(s) in The Missus but also as it currently stands, my top read of this year. Without a shadow of a doubt.
Before The Missus’ release, the question was already on the fingertips of many readers as to where things will go from here after we’ve closed the last page. It will not be down to me to spoil anything or to lead anyone into falsely thinking or assuming anything, but I will leave you all with this final thought…
‘The best things in life come in threes. Like dreams, friends and memories’ - Mencius.
Faleminderit, Erika. Unë jam shumë krenar për ju.
Wonder no more, dear readers. The next chapter of Maxim & Alessia’s story is here and we will see them go from boss/employee, earl/cinderella, Mister/Miss to husband & wife, lord & lady and Mister and Missus. Living beyond the fairytale and showing us what happens after the shoe fits and the happily ever after.
Maxim and Alessia were unlike any other literary couple—with a few exceptions—that I have fallen so hard and in love with in all my years as a reader. Their story resonated with me so much so with its realism in terms with many aspects of the story, it gave the readers—and myself—exactly what was promised to us by the author herself. A story which takes us back to the roots of the our beloved genre with a true strangers-to-lovers, slow burn, opposites attract, Cinderella-esque romance that will be a favourite of mine and other readers for many years to come.
Some consider The Mister to be a ‘cliffhanger’ of an ending. Not this reader. I very much see it in the ‘happy for now’ trope category. The outcome didn’t leave us wondering what would happen next in the sense of it being a mystery, as with an engagement the next step is of course, marriage. It was a case of actually reading about what would happen on the lead up to—and after—the big day itself.
This is where The Missus comes in. This is our chance to see what happens after the reformed rake got the girl, and after the ’happily ever after’ once the glass slipper had fit.
The Missus picks up immediately where things left off from The Mister, bringing us right back to where we left Maxim and Alessia four years ago. Mercifully we weren’t subjected to a major skip back in time to go the long way round to where we were left, Erika flawlessly continues the story with great ease and fluidity as if she hadn’t even stopped writing between the two stories. The transition is seamless. It feels like no time at all has passed for myself in the real world opening up this next instalment. I hope other readers feel the same as I do.
A return to Maxim and Alessia also meant a return to the familiar in terms of phrases and places both. Reading the familiar and favourite faces once more plastered a smile on my face, remembering how often we’ve quoted them in the time between both books. Praise must also be given here to Erika for injecting and executing a handful of new Albanian phrases, sentences and words for us to learn and in my case, attempt to pronounce. The same grace was also bestowed upon Albanian traditions and culture. Great time and care has gone into giving us the true essence of small-town, non-stereotypical Albanian life, culture and the people within both. I leaned a great deal from the inclusivity about Albanian culture and the wonderful country it comes from, which I am extremely pleased about. It’s never too late to learn something new. Even in a romance novel.
Several new elements are in fact added into The Missus, giving it the feel of an independent book while also being part of a series. Where it is not in standalone territory, the new elements within this book allow The Missus to stand on its own two feet, so to speak, beside its predecessor. For example, Maxim’s transformation from rake to gentlemen. A rake redeemed. Where we saw a few of his many exploits in The Mister, we witness is transition from playboy rake to the gentleman he was inside now brought to the surface. His transformation is an overnight miracle in the name of one Alessia Demachi. She was and is his reason to change himself and his now former ways, all in the name of love.
Alessia too, goes through her own transformation. This book is where she truly comes into her own and keeps on going. She showed incredible potential to be this person she is now when we first met her in The Mister—for example her determination to survive, to keep going when things got tough & to adapt to a new lifestyle—, and that potential has had time and ability to grow and be applied to various scenarios and circumstances in this book. Everything she was before was a bud waiting to blossom under the right conditions and environment, and those were very much written into The Missus and her character development is honest-to-book-gods off-the-charts! As she was Maxim’s reason to change, he is as much hers as is her own will and desire to change. Despite being from a family where the men speak and the women listen, there is no forcing Alessia to do anything against her will. Maxim stands by her side and is very much her equal, giving input and opinion as an equal rather than as someone of higher social status. With his support, she knows the person she was and wants to be as she was able to keep parts of both people rather than moulding herself into someone completely new. Her shyness, naiveté and reserved nature all slowly melt away over the course of this book, leaving in their place an admirable, inspirational and awe-inspiring woman and character.
Lord and Lady Trevethick are very much the dynamic duo. Together there isn’t anything they can’t face—and like with life in general, speed bumps and unexpected turn of events are aplenty—, and they’ll do it with trust, communication and plenty of trial-and-error. Just like any couple in any capacity would do here in the real world. Maxim and Alessia are two unforgettable and unique characters who only come around in the book world once in a blue moon. We all have our favourite couples from past, present and overall reads, though every now and then one or two come up who will be with us forever no matter how many characters or books come after them. Maxim and Alessia are those characters for me.
One thing that sets The Missus apart from The Mister in quite a big way, is the between-the-sheets action. Or rather, action everywhere. With the room to be more creative and adventurous in and out of the bedroom, Maxim and Alessia more than make up for lost time and I lived for every spontaneous, numerous, repeat performance moment. Among the many things Erika is an absolute mistress at doing, it’s giving us all the steam and spice created on the page. Part of this ties in with Alessia’s character development as she is often the initiator—no complaints there—, setting the precedence for women, literary or not, to go after what they want in the name of passion and pleasure. Some of the moments were quite creative and amusing both. Again, you learn something new every day.
With any read, comes either a bombshell or a climax (or two, or ten), perhaps a plot twist or two thrown in for good measure. This read had all three and will leave readers far from bored but thoroughly entertained with the unexpected revelations and surfaced secrets. When as a reader you think you’ve read everything that could ever be read, you’re sometimes proven wrong and I can hand on heart say that my own personal guesses as to where things could go or what might happen were proven wrong. And I loved it. Erika injected into The Missus moments that were very much a plausibility both in and out of the page, rather than being a tool for the storyline or plot. That essence of realism is what made The Mister resonate so well with readers, and I was very much pleased too see this carry on into The Missus as well. These twists and turns were far from ridiculous or unrealistic, and it was an experience I’m glad to have had reading them as each one came up along the way.
What also came up which I’m glad to have noticed was the nod in a few, subtle ways to a certain other book series. Certain words/phases very familiar to us Erika readers were slipped in slyly and I hope my fellow readers will pick up on those words/phrases that I have spotted myself. It was lovely to see these mini tributes, if you will, to such a beloved series.
It has always been said that ‘good things come to those who wait’, and after gladly waiting these last four years for the next chapters of Maxim & Alessia’s journey to continue, a very good thing came to this reader who waited in earnest. Going into The Missus open-minded allowed me not to compare this to The Mister in the sense of ‘will it be as good or better than The Mister’. Although part of this series, it was always my intention to view and think of it independently while within the series as their story continues. If I thought I was besotted and more with The Mister, The Missus goes one step further and currently owns my whole heart, body and soul. Its truly indescribable just how much I love every aspect of The Mister and now The Missus. I would need a whole other review just to talk about it, but I will say this:
Erika has braved the world outside of the familiar and fan favourite, and has come up triumphant and has more than demonstrated why she is so beloved by readers across the world for over a decade now. Her ability to tell a story, write a romance and show love in all of its forms is without a doubt unparalleled. She’s telling the stories she wants to tell, for her and not for anyone else or demanded by anyone else—which I admire and respect so much. Maxim & Alessia’s story as well as the world of The Mister and The Missus has brought together both fairytale and reality to give us something truly once-in-a-lifetime, something we can love and cherish for as long as we all live, and for us to pass down our love of to future generations and readers both. I implore any readers of romance, true romance, to pick up both of these books and discover the glorious magic within their pages. If The Missus is proof of what Erika really wants to get out here into our beautiful bookish world, then I cannot wait for what she has in store for us next in the coming years. I, for one, will be here at her side—albeit from a distance—ready to support someone who as a friend and an author both, deserves all the love in return for what she is gifting to us. Her.
Now that I know what happens in The Missus after remaining curious for the last four years, making friends along the way and creating endless memories from this wonderful ride, I know what I will personally be hoping for from our beloved author at some point in the near future.
I’m tickled pink to not only have found my favourite book(s) in The Missus but also as it currently stands, my top read of this year. Without a shadow of a doubt.
Before The Missus’ release, the question was already on the fingertips of many readers as to where things will go from here after we’ve closed the last page. It will not be down to me to spoil anything or to lead anyone into falsely thinking or assuming anything, but I will leave you all with this final thought…
‘The best things in life come in threes. Like dreams, friends and memories’ - Mencius.
Faleminderit, Erika. Unë jam shumë krenar për ju.
It took me almost two months to finish this one. Why I torture myself? Well unfortunately I read the first installment back in 2019 (ps. I didn’t like that one)
And this one was more of a curiosity followup.
But I’ve a question to ask- who writes this way? How come a book of 400 pages had nothing to offer?
Plain, boring, filled with unnecessary stuff.
And this one was more of a curiosity followup.
But I’ve a question to ask- who writes this way? How come a book of 400 pages had nothing to offer?
Plain, boring, filled with unnecessary stuff.