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jillmlong's review
4.0
This was an enjoyable story about a widow do ding herself after a year of mourning. I was frustrated at some predictable plot points, however i was pleased with the ending.
loverofromance's review
4.0
This review was originally posted on Addicted To RomanceI received this book for free from Lyrical Press in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
What a Widow Wants is the third book in Jaxon's latest series and I am hooked on this author. I have to say, this is my first time reading this author, and I was very intrigued by this story and I am so glad I took a chance on this author because it was well worth the read, but it was very different from most regency romances I have read in the past. I did enjoy the unique spin that Jaxon pulled with this book and seeing this story develop even if I did have some issues with the story overall.
What a Widow Wants begins with our heroine, Fanny, who has just come out of mourning when losing her husband of ten years. She is not grieving him though, he was not a great husband to her. Fanny thought she loved him, but she was fascinated by his charm and rakish ways and even though there was another man that she was in love with too, she chose wrong and ended up paying for it. But three years into her marriage she had an affair with Matthew, Lord Lathbury, that was kept secret and only the two of them knew about and Matthew wanted Fanny to run away with him but she refused. She returned back to her husband, gave birth to a daughter and moved on with her life even though her heart has never forgotten Matthew. But when she comes out of mourning, Matthew enters her life determined to win her completely over and have her as his wife, she is the only woman he has ever loved. But when a truth is revealed to both of them, it could create a huge scandal and Fanny will have to choose over the risk of a scandal or true love....
There is some complex issues that are put into play in this book but I really enjoyed it although I did struggle with the whole heroine cheating on her husband even if he had countless affairs. But I did understand it to a point in some ways too. But what I really adored was seeing the hero chase the heroine with such determination. He wants her so badly and loves her and has to wait a long time to have her. But Fanny is fearful because of her first marriage and for the sake of her daughter, she wants to make sure that Matthew wouldn't hurt her too. But I didn't understand the later conflict either of the scandal and I just couldn't see why Fanny wouldn't be with Matthew when the truth comes out. I like secrets like this though because neither of them knows the truth until everything is revealed in a very shocking way and Jaxon really surprised me with this one here.
I did find their love story to be endearing though, and I really liked seeing these two find their second chance to have a future together and I really became hooked into the story. Now I will admit that there are some slow parts in the beginning, its not quite as engaging but once you get to about 30% of the book that is where it really picks up and I quickly became invested in this couple's story and wanting to see how they would find their HEA and boy with each chapter it only got better and better. The last part of the book really shocked me in some great ways, because I didn't expect that much intensity and a bit of suspense that we see happen and it was so beautifully done and I want to grab the earlier books of the series because I am falling in love with this writer's storytelling.
What a Widow Wants is the third book in Jaxon's latest series and I am hooked on this author. I have to say, this is my first time reading this author, and I was very intrigued by this story and I am so glad I took a chance on this author because it was well worth the read, but it was very different from most regency romances I have read in the past. I did enjoy the unique spin that Jaxon pulled with this book and seeing this story develop even if I did have some issues with the story overall.
What a Widow Wants begins with our heroine, Fanny, who has just come out of mourning when losing her husband of ten years. She is not grieving him though, he was not a great husband to her. Fanny thought she loved him, but she was fascinated by his charm and rakish ways and even though there was another man that she was in love with too, she chose wrong and ended up paying for it. But three years into her marriage she had an affair with Matthew, Lord Lathbury, that was kept secret and only the two of them knew about and Matthew wanted Fanny to run away with him but she refused. She returned back to her husband, gave birth to a daughter and moved on with her life even though her heart has never forgotten Matthew. But when she comes out of mourning, Matthew enters her life determined to win her completely over and have her as his wife, she is the only woman he has ever loved. But when a truth is revealed to both of them, it could create a huge scandal and Fanny will have to choose over the risk of a scandal or true love....
There is some complex issues that are put into play in this book but I really enjoyed it although I did struggle with the whole heroine cheating on her husband even if he had countless affairs. But I did understand it to a point in some ways too. But what I really adored was seeing the hero chase the heroine with such determination. He wants her so badly and loves her and has to wait a long time to have her. But Fanny is fearful because of her first marriage and for the sake of her daughter, she wants to make sure that Matthew wouldn't hurt her too. But I didn't understand the later conflict either of the scandal and I just couldn't see why Fanny wouldn't be with Matthew when the truth comes out. I like secrets like this though because neither of them knows the truth until everything is revealed in a very shocking way and Jaxon really surprised me with this one here.
I did find their love story to be endearing though, and I really liked seeing these two find their second chance to have a future together and I really became hooked into the story. Now I will admit that there are some slow parts in the beginning, its not quite as engaging but once you get to about 30% of the book that is where it really picks up and I quickly became invested in this couple's story and wanting to see how they would find their HEA and boy with each chapter it only got better and better. The last part of the book really shocked me in some great ways, because I didn't expect that much intensity and a bit of suspense that we see happen and it was so beautifully done and I want to grab the earlier books of the series because I am falling in love with this writer's storytelling.
tweetatweet1's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars . This was so different. If your expecting a traditional historical romance this is not the book for you. The widow Fannie is a hot mess. She is too hot to trot even for her hero. She wants to sleep around and enjoy her freedom. This heroine is TSTL. I was majorly annoyed at how she strung Matthew along. I enjoyed this book over all but I struggled with it at the beginning. The ending was the saving grace. It was worth reading. The twist and turns just kept coming. I am considering reading the next books.
jillmlong's review against another edition
4.0
This was an enjoyable story about a widow do ding herself after a year of mourning. I was frustrated at some predictable plot points, however i was pleased with the ending.
kittykolb's review against another edition
2.0
Meh, not my thing. I got a little frustrated with the characters, who spent most of the book refusing to marry each other. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Except when they do finally agree to marry each other, and successfully get married before one of them could break it off again.
The dialogue felt a little stilted. There was a little too much expository background drops in conversation. But I liked the descriptions of Brighton and bathing machines. That is something you don’t always read about.
The dialogue felt a little stilted. There was a little too much expository background drops in conversation. But I liked the descriptions of Brighton and bathing machines. That is something you don’t always read about.
melissadeemcdaniel's review against another edition
2.0
What a Widow Wants continues the “Widows Club” series by Jenna Jaxon. I enjoyed book one in the series, haven’t read book 2, but was looking forward to this one.
I didn’t like the hero of this book, and I *really* didn’t like the heroine. The book starts with the widowed Fanny at a ball, looking for a warm bodied male. We learn that she was unhappily married, is finally out of mourning, and is ready to have a commitment-free good time. Almost the first man she encounters is her lover who she abandoned to marry her no-good husband. This woman has shown bad judgment from the beginning, and she continues in pattern. Matthew, the spurned lover, has kept the flame for Fanny burning all this time, and he is ready to pick up where they left off, but she isn’t ready to settle down. At a point later in the book, Fanny reveals her dreadful secret to Matthew, and instead of rising to the occasion, he finally lets her down and leaves her.
I didn’t like the hero of this book, and I *really* didn’t like the heroine. The book starts with the widowed Fanny at a ball, looking for a warm bodied male. We learn that she was unhappily married, is finally out of mourning, and is ready to have a commitment-free good time. Almost the first man she encounters is her lover who she abandoned to marry her no-good husband. This woman has shown bad judgment from the beginning, and she continues in pattern. Matthew, the spurned lover, has kept the flame for Fanny burning all this time, and he is ready to pick up where they left off, but she isn’t ready to settle down. At a point later in the book, Fanny reveals her dreadful secret to Matthew, and instead of rising to the occasion, he finally lets her down and leaves her.
tween2teenbookreviews's review against another edition
5.0
I really really loved this book! I've read the previous one as well, and it was fun to see the events of the two books overlapping. I shipped the characters from the beginning and while I began to suspect the twist, it still surprised me!
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