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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
This is the first historical romance based in China that I've read and it was delightful! If you're looking to read diversely but still within the comfort zone of a traditional HEA romantic tale, give this series a shot. You will not be disappointed.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was startingly good for a Harlequin! A very pleasant surprise. The writing was good, neither too long-winded nor too sparse, with some beautiful turns of phrase as well as descriptions of emotions or experiences that made me think, oh, I've never put it into words before but I recognize that feeling completely! A refreshing change from the zillions of English Regency romances, giving us a window into a time and place that (for most of us Western readers) is unfamiliar, but without exoticizing it. I'll definitely be reading more from this author.
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My Fair Concubine is the middle book of Jeannie Lin’s loosely connected Tang Dynasty series, being a stand-alone published in between two slightly more closely connected duologies. I missed this one during my first run with the rest of them, because I was a strictly print reader at the time, the books had gone out of print, and while I could find print copies of the others, I could not find one of this one. And I do think the time away, especially after having read more of Jeannie Lin’s work since these early Harlequin category historicals has impacted the reading experience to an extent. It’s still pretty good,however, because she’s always had talent and a keen eye for detail, and is able to engross you in the setting, whether it’s your first book of hers or you’ve read all of them.
The heroine is all right…she’s not the most compelling Jeannie Lin heroine, even taking into account this is an early work…I remember some of the others in the series being awesome. But Yan Ling is sweet in her own way, and I appreciated that through her situation, the story was able to explore the misogyny of the times, especially with her essentially working to become a concubine.
I really liked Fei Long, and felt for his struggle to preserve the family honor, leading him to have to make some tough decisions after his sister ran away. I loved seeing him bond with Yan Ling as he was educating her, and it led to some pretty steamy moments, although it was a bit of slow burn getting there.
The book is a bit slower paced, even considering it is a category romance and thus shorter than “single-titles.” The lessons did feel a bit repetitive, and it was a bit too slow of a burn at times, but ultimately, it was worth it, even if it did drag on occasion.
While this is not my favorite of Jeannie Lin’s books, it is very much a timing thing, and I still enjoyed it for what it is and acknowledge why many others may enjoy it more. I would still encourage anyone who hasn’t to pick this (and all of her other books) up as soon as possible.
I liked it, but there were some unanswered questions. For example, after winning the contest, shouldn't Fei Long have made sure to get the rest if his father's markers from the Bull? What's to stop him from going back on his word?
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A pretty cute romance! A little My Fair Lady, a little Anastasia. It read like an Asian drama, but with a happier ending than most historicals I've watched. :D No major surprises, but the world building was lovely! The ending felt a wee bit too rushed though, but no other complaints!
A fun read if not super compelling, it was definitely cool to read a romance set in this time period.