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divineauthor's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
“. . . you are not a mirage. You are a true oasis, worth this wandering in the desert.” —Christian de Montford
was this a little cheesy? yes. do i love cheese? also yes. venetia is a veritable helen of troy and christian her paris! there is just something about thomas’ writing that is sooooo delicious in comparison to her contemporaries fr. the only downside is that (as i’ve read book 1-2 in this series AND the entity of her london series) her povs that will lead to the sequel do not particularly fit well within the novel and slow the momentum down. also it seems that i have a disinclination toward Helena’s own romance because i’ve disliked her povs in both this book and the next 😭 millie and fitz’s were fine though mostly because they meld well into the structure of the current story but something about helena and hasting’s upcoming romance is just Not It!
was this a little cheesy? yes. do i love cheese? also yes. venetia is a veritable helen of troy and christian her paris! there is just something about thomas’ writing that is sooooo delicious in comparison to her contemporaries fr. the only downside is that (as i’ve read book 1-2 in this series AND the entity of her london series) her povs that will lead to the sequel do not particularly fit well within the novel and slow the momentum down. also it seems that i have a disinclination toward Helena’s own romance because i’ve disliked her povs in both this book and the next 😭 millie and fitz’s were fine though mostly because they meld well into the structure of the current story but something about helena and hasting’s upcoming romance is just Not It!
martamae77's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Infertility
kfrederici's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
haewilya's review against another edition
3.0
While I really liked Venetia, Lexington did me in. There are very few romances that features a hero that is not afraid to do what Lexington did.
taffy_sea's review against another edition
4.0
Sherry Thomas is fantastic. The plot here is so enjoyably original— even as it gives me hints of An Affair to Remember and Runaway Bride— and the characters so delightfully fun to read... a hidden identity, enemies to lovers, sexy and emotional transatlantic historical romance that you should check out for yourself.
guiltlesspleasures's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I loved this until about 90%. It felt like someone else wrote the last 10%, or maybe Thomas just couldn’t figure out how to end it?
Uhhh…. The moment she bursts into the drawing room where dude is baring his soul to the gossips, my spidey sense went off. I feel like Thomas’ editors told her to zhuzh up the ending or someone, because it feels very Disney. I wanted a profound heart-to-heart (and bonking) in the quarry.
Instead, they’re giggling and snuggling and laughing and winking and it’s like what?
Instead, they’re giggling and snuggling and laughing and winking and it’s like what?
muguete's review against another edition
5.0
Almost 5.
I've felt there were too much of the Millie/Fitz and Helen/Hastings stories reveiled and would prefer only subtle hints. Otherwise it's really great book, much better than the description promisses.
I've felt there were too much of the Millie/Fitz and Helen/Hastings stories reveiled and would prefer only subtle hints. Otherwise it's really great book, much better than the description promisses.
iloveswedishchef's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lilbroccoli's review against another edition
4.0
I really loved this overall, but it needed more focus on rebuilding trust between the hero and heroine. The ending was rather abrupt.
gabtpr's review against another edition
5.0
I love Sherry Thomas. She's right up there with Laura Kinsale, Judith Ivory and Loretta Chase, the leading ladies of historical romance at the top of my "must read NOW" list. It feels like I've been waiting for "Beguiling the Beauty" to hit bookshelves forever - and the book does not disappoint. It’s a gorgeously written, meticulously researched Victorian romance (my absolute fave time period). Venetia and Christian are both believable characters and the repartee between them is amazing. If I could give this novel more than 5 stars, I would.