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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
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
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was fun. Not as angsty as I would have liked but I adored Grace. She’s the kind of heroine I’d love to see more of in historical romance. I think her relationship with Ewan is a bit problematic and codependent but it was sweet. I appreciated that he was so much about supporting her. I just found this to be...somewhat repetitive. It’s a lot of give and take and internal thought. I did like the ending, but nothing in the story surprised me except that there’s a brief time jump in the beginning. (But I did like that he decided to let her come to him). I liked the relationship but it’s def not my fave of the series.
adventurous
editing this rating down to one star because i realized i actually disliked this book a LOT and don't understand how no one sat maclean down and went, "move your ~*~big reveal~*~ of why he ~*~betrayed~*~ them all to the second chapter, show that year break, take out the one hundred and two flashbacks to the stupid fucking meadow, and write an actual romance based on two people relating as ADULTS instead of relying on their TRAUMA". she's a popular author and many other romance authors probably don't want to piss her off or something??? if you like the idea of grace's character, try edie cay's A LADY'S REVENGE.
one of the most difficult things in romance is pulling off the trick where you have a couple separated by years, by trauma, and who spend most of the book in opposition to each other, and then sell that they are a Romance. maclean doesn't manage to do this. i hit the halfway mark and power-read the rest of the way because i was already frustrated with how... nowhere they were getting in knowing each other. the first two chapters were incredibly compelling and the romance never got back up to that level. what does ewan like reading? does he have friends? does he have, like, hobbies that aren't trying to destroy his brothers? what does grace like reading? what plays does she like? who are these people outside of their trauma?
the entire series has had the thread of grace and ewan, and if you've forgotten, you've missed the bricks constantly lobbed by maclean at the reader's head about "ewan and grace... are A Tragic Romance" throughout the prior two books. it became obnoxious and repetitive, but i generally like maclean's later writing and give it a chance. she writes women who aren't typical tropes in the genre and subverts some of the usual expectations, on top of genuinely funny dialogue, but can lean back on telling the reader that a character is brilliant or a badass and never actually... SHOWING it in the PLOT (see georgiana from "never judge a lady by her cover").
ewan and grace are together because they were in a situation where they were systemically abused, and ewan supposedly betrays her and his brothers to "win" the game (this part is entirely ahistorical to the nth degree). as adults, he believes she's dead until she isn't, and the rest of their relationship is a dance of "i want to be with you" "you can't be with me!" until... they are together? it's a fine grovel, but them wanting to be together/their love feels very prince derek in the swan princess asking "beauty? what else is there?" except it's "we loved each other as children, what else is there?"
you cannot have your hero
like, come on man. i want to know who these people are in the present timeline of the book, not multiple references to the grove at the estate every time they see each other. maybe i'll feel differently if i ever attempt a second read through [8/11 edit: i will not], but for now, ewan stays off my coveted Wretched Man shelf.
i'm almost tempted to say i took a half star off for this cover, which i hate. i've disliked it since the reveal last year. i do not understand it as it relates to grace as the character we see in the book, who dresses (in my mind) kinda like lady maria from bloodborne. did "the never judge a lady by her cover" art mean maclean couldn't have two women in trousers covers??? the previous two books have gowns that at least feel period-appropriate, while grace gets... a strapless david's bridal number? what's going on over at the avon cover art department? they have had some disastrous covers lately.
one of the most difficult things in romance is pulling off the trick where you have a couple separated by years, by trauma, and who spend most of the book in opposition to each other, and then sell that they are a Romance. maclean doesn't manage to do this. i hit the halfway mark and power-read the rest of the way because i was already frustrated with how... nowhere they were getting in knowing each other. the first two chapters were incredibly compelling and the romance never got back up to that level. what does ewan like reading? does he have friends? does he have, like, hobbies that aren't trying to destroy his brothers? what does grace like reading? what plays does she like? who are these people outside of their trauma?
the entire series has had the thread of grace and ewan, and if you've forgotten, you've missed the bricks constantly lobbed by maclean at the reader's head about "ewan and grace... are A Tragic Romance" throughout the prior two books. it became obnoxious and repetitive, but i generally like maclean's later writing and give it a chance. she writes women who aren't typical tropes in the genre and subverts some of the usual expectations, on top of genuinely funny dialogue, but can lean back on telling the reader that a character is brilliant or a badass and never actually... SHOWING it in the PLOT (see georgiana from "never judge a lady by her cover").
ewan and grace are together because they were in a situation where they were systemically abused, and ewan supposedly betrays her and his brothers to "win" the game (this part is entirely ahistorical to the nth degree). as adults, he believes she's dead until she isn't, and the rest of their relationship is a dance of "i want to be with you" "you can't be with me!" until... they are together? it's a fine grovel, but them wanting to be together/their love feels very prince derek in the swan princess asking "beauty? what else is there?" except it's "we loved each other as children, what else is there?"
you cannot have your hero
Spoiler
go off page for an entire year and do all of his big boy growth. i don't trust like that. i want him to do part of the work on the pagelike, come on man. i want to know who these people are in the present timeline of the book, not multiple references to the grove at the estate every time they see each other. maybe i'll feel differently if i ever attempt a second read through [8/11 edit: i will not], but for now, ewan stays off my coveted Wretched Man shelf.
i'm almost tempted to say i took a half star off for this cover, which i hate. i've disliked it since the reveal last year. i do not understand it as it relates to grace as the character we see in the book, who dresses (in my mind) kinda like lady maria from bloodborne. did "the never judge a lady by her cover" art mean maclean couldn't have two women in trousers covers??? the previous two books have gowns that at least feel period-appropriate, while grace gets... a strapless david's bridal number? what's going on over at the avon cover art department? they have had some disastrous covers lately.
It was absolutely yummy. I felt it in my toes. Just what I needed. Can’t wait to see the next trilogy.
This was a wonderful story! Since meeting Grace and Ewan, I have wanted to know all the nitty-gritty about their history and I really enjoyed learning all the ends and outs as the layers were peeled back. It was passionate and intense and I loved the build to it all.
Grace is an incredibly strong, take no prisoners type of woman. She is living her life on her terms and makes no apologies for it. Ewan, oh my goodness, I loved him and how sweet and tortured he was and this path to redemption he was on. Their history is a tangled web, it’s tense and full of passion, anger, and pain. I hung on every word as it built, tensions arose, and feelings emerged. I loved learning those ends and outs, seeing Grace fight her feelings, and Ewan do everything in his power to become a better man and win her back and prove his worth.
This story had such a serious feel to me but there were a few nice moments of levity woven in that I really appreciated. I liked seeing Whit and Devil again and this fun, dry humor they brought with them. I liked the protectiveness they have for Grace and this bond and family that they've formed.
The descriptions were great, I enjoyed the build, emotion, and drama. I liked the push and pull between them as well as the building passion. I thought the story was well written but I felt the front half was a bit slow and trying to understand their past was a bit confusing at times. At about 33% everything started flowing much better for me and I was totally into the story. The ending was fantastic! I love how far Ewan has some as well as the other characters in the series.
I’m sorry to see this series come to an end but it's one I would highly recommend. Long live the Bareknuckle Bastards!
Complimentary copy received for honest review.
Grace is an incredibly strong, take no prisoners type of woman. She is living her life on her terms and makes no apologies for it. Ewan, oh my goodness, I loved him and how sweet and tortured he was and this path to redemption he was on. Their history is a tangled web, it’s tense and full of passion, anger, and pain. I hung on every word as it built, tensions arose, and feelings emerged. I loved learning those ends and outs, seeing Grace fight her feelings, and Ewan do everything in his power to become a better man and win her back and prove his worth.
This story had such a serious feel to me but there were a few nice moments of levity woven in that I really appreciated. I liked seeing Whit and Devil again and this fun, dry humor they brought with them. I liked the protectiveness they have for Grace and this bond and family that they've formed.
The descriptions were great, I enjoyed the build, emotion, and drama. I liked the push and pull between them as well as the building passion. I thought the story was well written but I felt the front half was a bit slow and trying to understand their past was a bit confusing at times. At about 33% everything started flowing much better for me and I was totally into the story. The ending was fantastic! I love how far Ewan has some as well as the other characters in the series.
I’m sorry to see this series come to an end but it's one I would highly recommend. Long live the Bareknuckle Bastards!
Complimentary copy received for honest review.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
Power and wealth or freedom and love … that’s a trope.
Grace and Ewan’s story was familiar with small twists from the typical that made it an interesting read.
Grace and Ewan’s story was familiar with small twists from the typical that made it an interesting read.
After two books with Ewan being a reprehensible villain, it was hard to stomach the quick about face to make him the hero