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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
I received an e-ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Review can also be found on *Milky Way of Books*
There is nothing more beautiful than reading the final book of a beloved series. Sure you are filled with the sadness of the ending, but the ending is worth it.
"Daring and the Duke" tells the story of Grace and Ewan, a pair that I had so many expectations of especially after reading the previous books and getting glimpses of them. A story of redemption, forgiveness and love worth dying for, both Grace and Ewan had to fight their own pasts in order to claim their future.
I enjoyed reading about Grace, a liberated woman in a world that became even stricter after Queen Victoria's coronation and where women had even less rights than men. The mystery of her club, her gang of amazing women, and the sensuality of Sarah's writing encaptured me as I read this book in a day.
This is one of the best books (as of now) by Sarah MacLean and I am anxiously waiting for the next one! Totally recommended!
There is nothing more beautiful than reading the final book of a beloved series. Sure you are filled with the sadness of the ending, but the ending is worth it.
"Daring and the Duke" tells the story of Grace and Ewan, a pair that I had so many expectations of especially after reading the previous books and getting glimpses of them. A story of redemption, forgiveness and love worth dying for, both Grace and Ewan had to fight their own pasts in order to claim their future.
I enjoyed reading about Grace, a liberated woman in a world that became even stricter after Queen Victoria's coronation and where women had even less rights than men. The mystery of her club, her gang of amazing women, and the sensuality of Sarah's writing encaptured me as I read this book in a day.
This is one of the best books (as of now) by Sarah MacLean and I am anxiously waiting for the next one! Totally recommended!
adventurous
hopeful
relaxing
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:
No
Couldn't put it down.
Third and final installment in the Bare Knuckle Bastards series.
The men are handsome, bad and passionate. The women are beautiful, feisty and tough.
Great story, with a generous helping of angst and lush sex scenes.
Most definitely not sweet and clean, but very enjoyable!
Third and final installment in the Bare Knuckle Bastards series.
The men are handsome, bad and passionate. The women are beautiful, feisty and tough.
Great story, with a generous helping of angst and lush sex scenes.
Most definitely not sweet and clean, but very enjoyable!
Well, I said I wouldn't read this one because I wasn't interested in abusive assholes, but it came up as a quick loan at the library and I thought fuck it, why not. Turns out, my instincts were right. In what may be worse than just being an asshole, Ewan is simply not a compelling character. Grace is fine but I couldn't bring myself to care about her either. The timelines feel weird, the writing felt more needlessly melodramatic than her previous works, I didn't feel like the supposed Main Problem that lead to the supposed Climax was actually a well-explained Problem, and can I just say it's fucking weird to fall in love with someone at thirteen years old and somehow sustain those romantic feelings for twenty years despite not ever seeing them again? Idk. I like historical romance because it allows the creation of fantastical scenarios that have all the superficial trappings of history while in reality being more applicable to contemporary relationships--the only lesson I got out of this was "the abusive asshole you met at thirteen is actually a great guy!" Maybe I'm just not one for redemption arcs.
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sadly, my time with the Bareknuckle Bastards has come to an end, but it’s been quite a fun ride. I was nervously anticipating Daring and the Duke about halfway through the first or second book when we realized he and Grace had history, and it was satisfying to see how they were drawn together. I think though, Ms. MacLean did such a wonderful job making the Duke of Marwick a villain, that it was difficult to see him as the hero. As a reader, I found it hard to trust any bit of him, so it’s hard to believe Grace could do it.
I also felt a little weird about the “second chance” aspect of this. It was a little much, considering that they were barely teenagers when they first meant, and to imagine their love as so strong that it’s survived decades felt a bit silly, but I leaned in for the story’s sake.
I think this was my least favorite book in the series, but someone has to take the title. I still like Grace, I feel indifferent about Ewan, but I’m glad they got to have their happily ever after, and I was very happy to see how they managed that.
3.85 rounded to 4
More like 3.5 stars. I wondered how this series was all going to wrap up with the HEA and Grace not having to sacrifice her lifestyle for the Duke. I'm satisfied with how it ended.
I love the idea of the rooftops for travel and keeping an eye on things and the tunnels for making a quick getaway.
My gripes:
Enough with the descriptors long and lush for kissing! I'm on to another series by SM and it's there too, so I guess I'll just have to get over it. A few other writing/plot tendencies this author has but that's my problem.
The cover of this (redhead in yellow dress looking back over her shoulder while standing on a staircase) is so similar to Hell's Belles #2 cover (same except looking over other shoulder) that I almost picked the wrong one.
I love the idea of the rooftops for travel and keeping an eye on things and the tunnels for making a quick getaway.
My gripes:
Enough with the descriptors long and lush for kissing! I'm on to another series by SM and it's there too, so I guess I'll just have to get over it. A few other writing/plot tendencies this author has but that's my problem.
The cover of this (redhead in yellow dress looking back over her shoulder while standing on a staircase) is so similar to Hell's Belles #2 cover (same except looking over other shoulder) that I almost picked the wrong one.
I got to about the 100 page mark and I started to realize that I was a little let down or just feeling that it was taking too long, which is odd considering within the first 10 pages there is a very intense reunion between Ewan and Grace, and their brothers. Yet, I was just left wanting more from what was happening and it seemed a bit jumbled by each characters thoughts and emotions about what was happening during that reunion. This should have been an instance that really grabbed my interest after all of the build up from the previous two books, it just didn't get the sort of
Now, that being said, once the year time skip took place and Ewan returned to London things became much more interesting. It did take a bit for my interest to be regained from my slight disinterest in those first 70-90 pgs, but once it was it REALLY was and made it all worth it.
From the very beginning of this series Grace and Ewan were the two most intriguing characters whose past was both revealed and very much not revealed, leaving you with a lot of questions as to what happened. I went into this book mostly wanting Ewan's side of things after learning most from Devil and Beast, which wasn't all that revealing.
Getting to the 3/4 point and I found myself confused about my feelings. On one hand there were several bits I was enjoying, but the problem was that what I liked happened in short spurts or were the same things happening over and over-- we get it, there is a lot of pain the past between them-- can we either learn more about the details or have them start to actually interact with each other more to start figuring things out? I like drama but this was just drawn out in a way that I didn't care for, it came off as a little too boring and sedate, which just doesn't work for the overall series and characters.
Perhaps all the fun came from not only the characters but their gaining up on Ewan as the villain so it just fell flat when he was no longer the villain he was thought to be...hmm.
By the time I finished I came to the conclusion that as much as I still like the characters and am glad I read the book it was just simply anti climatic after such great build up in the other two books.
Now, that being said, once the year time skip took place and Ewan returned to London things became much more interesting. It did take a bit for my interest to be regained from my slight disinterest in those first 70-90 pgs, but once it was it REALLY was and made it all worth it.
From the very beginning of this series Grace and Ewan were the two most intriguing characters whose past was both revealed and very much not revealed, leaving you with a lot of questions as to what happened. I went into this book mostly wanting Ewan's side of things after learning most from Devil and Beast, which wasn't all that revealing.
Getting to the 3/4 point and I found myself confused about my feelings. On one hand there were several bits I was enjoying, but the problem was that what I liked happened in short spurts or were the same things happening over and over-- we get it, there is a lot of pain the past between them-- can we either learn more about the details or have them start to actually interact with each other more to start figuring things out? I like drama but this was just drawn out in a way that I didn't care for, it came off as a little too boring and sedate, which just doesn't work for the overall series and characters.
Perhaps all the fun came from not only the characters but their gaining up on Ewan as the villain so it just fell flat when he was no longer the villain he was thought to be...hmm.
By the time I finished I came to the conclusion that as much as I still like the characters and am glad I read the book it was just simply anti climatic after such great build up in the other two books.
I was doubtful that Sarah could bring me around to Ewan. He was such a black guard in the last book that I wanted to watch Grace take him over the coals. I knew that to get him anywhere near hero status, there had to be more than a big grovel or a grand gesture. There was too much history.
The things I loved the most :
That most of Grace’s security in the club are women. And they are all badasses. I would not fuck with that crew.
That Grace pulled herself up just like Whit and Devil did. They did not save her. They all saved one another and then supported one another. They value her.
That Grace fucking traverses rooftops because she wants to. She doesn’t need to go in the door when she can climb the fucking building.
That Grace wears trousers with sexy corsets because that’s what she wants to wear.
That Grace wraps her own knuckles before she beats the crap out of Ewan.
I really enjoyed this whole series. These women are total powerhouses who find men that appreciate their toughness and also set them on fire.
Sarah did redeem Ewan for me. But he is not my favorite. That remains Whit.
9/22- I love a book who can flip a previous narrative on its head. Sarah is a master at giving you what you think is a full story from several perspectives and then flipping it when you finally get the final perspective.
The things I loved the most :
That most of Grace’s security in the club are women. And they are all badasses. I would not fuck with that crew.
That Grace pulled herself up just like Whit and Devil did. They did not save her. They all saved one another and then supported one another. They value her.
That Grace fucking traverses rooftops because she wants to. She doesn’t need to go in the door when she can climb the fucking building.
That Grace wears trousers with sexy corsets because that’s what she wants to wear.
That Grace wraps her own knuckles before she beats the crap out of Ewan.
I really enjoyed this whole series. These women are total powerhouses who find men that appreciate their toughness and also set them on fire.
Sarah did redeem Ewan for me. But he is not my favorite. That remains Whit.
9/22- I love a book who can flip a previous narrative on its head. Sarah is a master at giving you what you think is a full story from several perspectives and then flipping it when you finally get the final perspective.
fast-paced