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lisajo85's review against another edition
4.0
I really want to rate this 3 stars for the ending, but I enjoyed the first half so much, I decided to stick with 4 stars.
Yes, the premise was silly but I enjoyed the supernatural elements. It made the story exciting. I mean, the idea of a shy virginal Lady waking up in an alternate reality, naked and in the arms of her lover? It was hilarious! This new world brought her out of her shell and let her experience life with the man she adored. I loved her adventures as a courtesan. What I didn't love was the transfer back to "reality."
Sebastian? Well you had two Sebastian's. Real world Sebastian and wish world Sebastian. Both were extremely different. I'd like to think real world Sebastian would eventually become wish world Sebastian because of Charlotte. It's a pleasant thought! Sebastian in the wish world was the risk taker, the poet, the romantic soul. He was everything you'd want in a historical romance hero. His love for Charlotte caused him to do things that were unexpected of a typical gentleman.
I did like Charlotte. There was some thing about her that I could relate with. She just seemed like your average girl, in love with a guy and unsure what to do about it. But her time in the wish world changed her into a new woman. She gained confidence, and strength through love. My absolute favorite part about her was how she acted when she returned to the real world. Oh how I loved it! She knew what she had to do and took her life into her own hands. She was determined to do what she had to do for love. It was beautiful.
Basically, my only problem with the novel was how Boyle wrapped up all the details back in the real world. Otherwise, I enjoyed this adventure immensely. The adventure was so much fun and the characters were delightful. I'm excited to start the next novel!
Yes, the premise was silly but I enjoyed the supernatural elements. It made the story exciting. I mean, the idea of a shy virginal Lady waking up in an alternate reality, naked and in the arms of her lover? It was hilarious! This new world brought her out of her shell and let her experience life with the man she adored. I loved her adventures as a courtesan. What I didn't love was the transfer back to "reality."
Spoiler
I either missed something, or didn't get it, because Sebastian fell in love with her wayyyyyyyy too quickly back in the real world. He had "recollections" of the few weeks they shared together in this wish world, but it was my understanding, he never fully remembered until AFTER he declared his love and proposed. How and why would he say he loved her when he couldn't even remember her name two days ago? I didn't get it so that sort of spoiled the ending for me...which was a shame because I was enjoying the book so much before that happened.Sebastian? Well you had two Sebastian's. Real world Sebastian and wish world Sebastian. Both were extremely different. I'd like to think real world Sebastian would eventually become wish world Sebastian because of Charlotte. It's a pleasant thought! Sebastian in the wish world was the risk taker, the poet, the romantic soul. He was everything you'd want in a historical romance hero. His love for Charlotte caused him to do things that were unexpected of a typical gentleman.
I did like Charlotte. There was some thing about her that I could relate with. She just seemed like your average girl, in love with a guy and unsure what to do about it. But her time in the wish world changed her into a new woman. She gained confidence, and strength through love. My absolute favorite part about her was how she acted when she returned to the real world. Oh how I loved it! She knew what she had to do and took her life into her own hands. She was determined to do what she had to do for love. It was beautiful.
Basically, my only problem with the novel was how Boyle wrapped up all the details back in the real world. Otherwise, I enjoyed this adventure immensely. The adventure was so much fun and the characters were delightful. I'm excited to start the next novel!
librarydanielle's review against another edition
2.0
I really don't like Sebastian. he's a bastard in both time flows.
cheermio's review against another edition
2.0
I was bored a lot of the time in the alternate reality of her wish world. just waiting for her to go back to reality. and the author did a lot of telling when I wished she would write scenes out. like a little montage of a paragraph of things they did like picnics and reading poetry out loud to one another and I wished we could actually read those parts because they sounded more fun than her whining.
virginiaduan's review against another edition
3.0
Clever premise! Rather like Sliding Doors but different.
smiley7245's review against another edition
3.0
More like 3.5* I was very frustrated with this book at the beginning; I just was not entertained or amused by the magic ring. And then the story was just so over the top that I was frustrated and considered not finishing it. However, I was charmed by Charlotte and how she dealt with the change in her life because of the wish, and by how much Sebastian really did love her. And when she undid her wish so as to not cause any pain for people she cared about I was completely won over since that was what I was hoping would happen. I loved how the memories from her life during the wish helped Charlotte to become who she wanted, someone who was strong enough to and smart enough to try for what she wanted. And I was very pleased that she and Sebastian ended up together after all. I will definitely read the next one because I ended up being to so pleased with this one.
onthesamepa9e's review
4.0
Charming!!
I think this might be my favorite of the books we’ve read for Winter of the Wallflower!! The writing was quick, clever, and really playful. While it leaned perhaps a little more on a “How Lottie Got Her Groove Back” plot than on the romance, I found to to be utterly satisfactory
I think this might be my favorite of the books we’ve read for Winter of the Wallflower!! The writing was quick, clever, and really playful. While it leaned perhaps a little more on a “How Lottie Got Her Groove Back” plot than on the romance, I found to to be utterly satisfactory
joreadsromance's review against another edition
5.0
Fabulous and engrossing romance
5 stars
Shy and mousy Charlotte Wilmot has been in love with Sebastian, Lord Trent for most of her life while he can barely even remember her name. When she receives a mystery ring from her aunt, she uses it to wish that she was the woman that Sebastian loves.
The next morning, Charlotte wakes up to find herself entangled in the very naked limbs of Sebastian and he is definitely very much in love with her. Only she isn't mousy Charlotte Wilmot anymore but the scandalous and quite exciting Lottie Townsend.
She is the woman in Sebastian's heart but can she ever be the one he marries. And what about all the other changes her wish has wrought and the problems that go with them?
I have enjoyed other [a:Elizabeth Boyle|19842|Elizabeth Boyle|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1280682463p2/19842.jpg] novels although this one has well surpassed all my expectations. It was engrossing, exciting and I just couldn't put it down.
Charlotte/Lottie is so well written that you barely notice how much she grows and learns because it is so seamless. And her chemistry and passion with Sebastian is just delicious. I loved the very real conflict and genuinely couldn't wait to find out how everything was going to work out.
The story itself is very well thought out and the way everything was relevant and came together in the end was genius! And as another reviewer pointed out, the magic element isn't too overpowering making the story much more believable.
This seems to be the start of a new series [The Marlowes] and I can't wait to read stories for the supporting characters in this book. This book is fabulous, engaging and really leaves you with that warm, happy glow when you're done - I can't recommend it highly enough. 5 stars.
brandylyons's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? No
5.0
procrastinatewithreading's review against another edition
4.0
I really struggled with this book. I didn’t love it until the last 25%. The first 75% made me anxious and I just kept reading to get it done. But then I understood why I had to go through the first 75% and I really enjoyed what the author did. The writing is great. The way the story all works out is great. It’s probably a 3.75⭐️ for me but a reread might change it completely.
afunnygirlnamedannie's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very interesting book. It follows Charlotte, who is given a ring from an aunt. Unknown to her it has magic, and when she wistfully looks at Sebastian, her best friend's brother, who she has been in love with for years, thinking if only I could be the woman he loved, she gets transported to an alternative reality where she is the most notorious mistress in all of London (Lottie) and Sebastian is madly in love with her.
This was a very gripping read. I tried to keep with the chapters that were laid out by the readathon, but I found myself wanting to know more and finishing it after the second night. It was interesting how Lottie was so different to Charlotte, given that they were the same person with different experiences. I loved how Charlotte took Lottie back with her when she came back to her timeline and used some of the tools that she learned to help Sebastien of her timeline fall in love with her. I loved the diversion of tropes and romance structure that happened with this book. I loved how everything tied together and how because of her time as Lottie, Charlotte was able to make her own happy ending.
I didn't enjoy the undercurrent of judgement that was found with some of the women's choices. Charlotte spends a lot of her time as Lottie, judging Lottie's choices, judging Finella's choices, with a very I would never additude. There is also a lot of judgement from Sebastien's mother and Sebastien about Lottie's money. Sebastian is more than willing to take Miss Burke's money but scoffs at taking Lottie's money. And then when we come back to the original timeline there is a lot of judgment from Miss Burke, and her mentor about the fact that Charlotte exists and has the audacity to question their judgement. It really gave me mad at the individual women instead of the patricary vibe, which I wasn't here for. I also wanted more with the magic. Why did it exist? Who were Quince and Milton? Why were they fighting over the ring? I need to know!
But overall an buck wild romance experience and I am considering picking up the next book.
This was a very gripping read. I tried to keep with the chapters that were laid out by the readathon, but I found myself wanting to know more and finishing it after the second night. It was interesting how Lottie was so different to Charlotte, given that they were the same person with different experiences. I loved how Charlotte took Lottie back with her when she came back to her timeline and used some of the tools that she learned to help Sebastien of her timeline fall in love with her. I loved the diversion of tropes and romance structure that happened with this book. I loved how everything tied together and how because of her time as Lottie, Charlotte was able to make her own happy ending.
I didn't enjoy the undercurrent of judgement that was found with some of the women's choices. Charlotte spends a lot of her time as Lottie, judging Lottie's choices, judging Finella's choices, with a very I would never additude. There is also a lot of judgement from Sebastien's mother and Sebastien about Lottie's money. Sebastian is more than willing to take Miss Burke's money but scoffs at taking Lottie's money. And then when we come back to the original timeline there is a lot of judgment from Miss Burke, and her mentor about the fact that Charlotte exists and has the audacity to question their judgement. It really gave me mad at the individual women instead of the patricary vibe, which I wasn't here for. I also wanted more with the magic. Why did it exist? Who were Quince and Milton? Why were they fighting over the ring? I need to know!
But overall an buck wild romance experience and I am considering picking up the next book.