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rjordan19's review
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I definitely wanted more explicit language and more emotional connection)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (The scenes were on the shorter side)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? More plot? It’s a bit of a mix though
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: not too long in, about 8%, or Chapter 2
Cliffhanger: No, this ends on a happily ever after
Epilogue: There is a section of the last chapter that jumps ahead a few months. There is a labeled ‘epilogue’ section but it’s more an author announcement.
Format: bought e-book
Should I read in order?
I think yes? I started with this one and while it does have a stand alone romance, there is mention and page time with prior characters and I felt like maybe the villain of this book has been in prior books and starting there might give a better background and understanding to that.
Basic plot:
A dying Viscount and a destitute school teacher make a bargain to help give what each other needs in this marriage of convenience.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1816)
- Sussex, Kent and London settings (I think mostly London?)
- Viscount hero
- hero needs an heir
- bearded hero (for about 1/3 of the book ;)
- sunshine and grump vibes
- marriage of convenience
- celibate hero
- disability rep – hero has a leg injury
- school teacher heroine
- hero buys her honeycomb chocolate when she’s on her period
- bargain
- villain to overcome
- medium to higher steam – there’s plenty of scenes (5) but they are on the shorter side and the language isn’t super explicit.
Ages:
- Hero is 32, heroine is 26
First line:
There was nothing Gregory Brennan, Viscount Silverton, disliked more than a wedding.
My thoughts:
So this book didn’t work the best for me, but it’s just personal preference...I think those that want a bit of villain danger and a marriage of convenience would really enjoy this novel!
What I enjoyed: I loved the tropes at play here. Bargain is always something I enjoy and this marriage of convenience happened pretty fast and they were together pretty fast which is always a plus for me.
What didn’t work me is a bit harder to pin down. I think I just had a bit of a disconnect with the writing here. I also struggle with villain focused books, and this villain is a doozy. I also wonder if maybe reading in order would have helped me get to know these characters and understand more. I also felt like I wanted some things wrapped up a bit better. Like the issues with the hero’s mother and I wanted a bit more background of the heroine. I didn’t feel like I knew her the best. I wanted a bit more from the steam I think...there were frequent scenes and some great variety but the language was a bit too vague for what I was in the mood for and I wanted more explicitness. I also felt like the hero’s whole turnaround was out of nowhere. He went from being a grumpy jerk to being in love pretty fast and I didn’t feel like I got to feel that.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- Hero has a severe illness and is given 6-12 months to live
- mention of parental death
- scenes of gun violence
- villain that has murdered, poisoned, raped and killed others
- murder on page
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No but they are getting married and trying to have a baby
Hows the consent? [ It’s good/implied
21% - kiss
30% - 🔥 kisses, fingering for her, missionary
38% - kiss
39% - 🔥 kisses fingering for her while he holds her against a wall
43% - 🔥 doggy-ish – her face down on the mattress and him on top
50% - kisses
54% - 🔥 sex on the desk
92 % - 🔥 her on top
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I definitely wanted more explicit language and more emotional connection)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (The scenes were on the shorter side)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? More plot? It’s a bit of a mix though
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: not too long in, about 8%, or Chapter 2
Cliffhanger: No, this ends on a happily ever after
Epilogue: There is a section of the last chapter that jumps ahead a few months. There is a labeled ‘epilogue’ section but it’s more an author announcement.
Format: bought e-book
Should I read in order?
I think yes? I started with this one and while it does have a stand alone romance, there is mention and page time with prior characters and I felt like maybe the villain of this book has been in prior books and starting there might give a better background and understanding to that.
Basic plot:
A dying Viscount and a destitute school teacher make a bargain to help give what each other needs in this marriage of convenience.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1816)
- Sussex, Kent and London settings (I think mostly London?)
- Viscount hero
- hero needs an heir
- bearded hero (for about 1/3 of the book ;)
- sunshine and grump vibes
- marriage of convenience
- celibate hero
- disability rep – hero has a leg injury
- school teacher heroine
- hero buys her honeycomb chocolate when she’s on her period
- bargain
- villain to overcome
- medium to higher steam – there’s plenty of scenes (5) but they are on the shorter side and the language isn’t super explicit.
Ages:
- Hero is 32, heroine is 26
First line:
There was nothing Gregory Brennan, Viscount Silverton, disliked more than a wedding.
My thoughts:
So this book didn’t work the best for me, but it’s just personal preference...I think those that want a bit of villain danger and a marriage of convenience would really enjoy this novel!
What I enjoyed: I loved the tropes at play here. Bargain is always something I enjoy and this marriage of convenience happened pretty fast and they were together pretty fast which is always a plus for me.
What didn’t work me is a bit harder to pin down. I think I just had a bit of a disconnect with the writing here. I also struggle with villain focused books, and this villain is a doozy. I also wonder if maybe reading in order would have helped me get to know these characters and understand more. I also felt like I wanted some things wrapped up a bit better. Like the issues with the hero’s mother and I wanted a bit more background of the heroine. I didn’t feel like I knew her the best. I wanted a bit more from the steam I think...there were frequent scenes and some great variety but the language was a bit too vague for what I was in the mood for and I wanted more explicitness. I also felt like the hero’s whole turnaround was out of nowhere. He went from being a grumpy jerk to being in love pretty fast and I didn’t feel like I got to feel that.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- Hero has a severe illness and is given 6-12 months to live
- mention of parental death
- scenes of gun violence
- villain that has murdered, poisoned, raped and killed others
- murder on page
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Hows the consent? [ It’s good/implied
21% - kiss
30% - 🔥 kisses, fingering for her, missionary
38% - kiss
39% - 🔥 kisses fingering for her while he holds her against a wall
43% - 🔥 doggy-ish – her face down on the mattress and him on top
50% - kisses
54% - 🔥 sex on the desk
92 % - 🔥 her on top
rainelle_barrett's review
4.0
The Viscount’s Reluctant Bride, by Ava Bond. Readers I had a glorious time reading this little beauty. The setup to this love story was marvelous. Gregory is on the hunt for a wife and the very bold, and strong Maeve just so happens to enters the angry monsters layer. This story basically touched every high point that a good romantic novel could share with its readers.
I found myself caught up in the unforgettable plot of man against man. Love against evil. It’s the search for passion and love, to the destroying of one’s mirrored nemesis that keeps the pages flipping for me. For me as the reader I loved that the book was easy to read. The characters dialogue and the story was easy to follow.
Gregory’s dark story and the binding reconnection with his family was so gripping that for me, the story was surreal. This deeply felt story managed to keep the entertainment going with the exquisite descriptions of ladies in their gowns, to what decadent dinners that the beau monde devoured. But it was the tempting desires and lustful hot scenes that definitely heightened my imagination to another level of satisfaction. The provocative romance journey that Gregory and Maeve shared was a fun and enjoyable read for me. The arranged agreement that they made certainly brought sexy back in a number ways that was exciting.
Until next time my fellow readers… read on!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I found myself caught up in the unforgettable plot of man against man. Love against evil. It’s the search for passion and love, to the destroying of one’s mirrored nemesis that keeps the pages flipping for me. For me as the reader I loved that the book was easy to read. The characters dialogue and the story was easy to follow.
Gregory’s dark story and the binding reconnection with his family was so gripping that for me, the story was surreal. This deeply felt story managed to keep the entertainment going with the exquisite descriptions of ladies in their gowns, to what decadent dinners that the beau monde devoured. But it was the tempting desires and lustful hot scenes that definitely heightened my imagination to another level of satisfaction. The provocative romance journey that Gregory and Maeve shared was a fun and enjoyable read for me. The arranged agreement that they made certainly brought sexy back in a number ways that was exciting.
Until next time my fellow readers… read on!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
glo68's review
5.0
Lord Silverton needs an heir. He’s dying and his current heir is a traitor and a murderer. But of course he can’t have an heir without a wife…
This is my favorite book of the series so far, together with the first, maybe because I’m partial to a tormented, apparently cold hero and to a marriage of convenience! The story is very, very intriguing and the second part is fast pacing and full of plot twists. But of course it’s the love story that counts, and the one between Gregory and Maeve is steamy, but also touching and full of feelings. Ava Bond proved once more to be a very talented writer! The main characters are exceedingly well suited and perfectly fleshed out and I liked the accurate, but lively descriptions of homes and landscapes. I also enjoyed the presence of the other members of the Oxford Set and I hope to see more of them in future books. Definitely a five star read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is my favorite book of the series so far, together with the first, maybe because I’m partial to a tormented, apparently cold hero and to a marriage of convenience! The story is very, very intriguing and the second part is fast pacing and full of plot twists. But of course it’s the love story that counts, and the one between Gregory and Maeve is steamy, but also touching and full of feelings. Ava Bond proved once more to be a very talented writer! The main characters are exceedingly well suited and perfectly fleshed out and I liked the accurate, but lively descriptions of homes and landscapes. I also enjoyed the presence of the other members of the Oxford Set and I hope to see more of them in future books. Definitely a five star read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
00laura23's review
4.0
Gregory and Maeve are very interesting characters, with vastly different backgrounds. I enjoyed their marriage of convenience and their time together on page. When Gregory is romantic, he goes all out and shows his soft heart, which is well hidden behind a tough exterior. Many of the secondary characters added to the texture of the story. The subplot was intriguing, having several twists and turns that captivated my attention and had me turning pages.
There were times when it felt like the story dragged. I wish that some of the secondary characters had been used more effectively than they were in the story. Some appear just to move the story along, which given their importance to the main characters, I would have liked to have seen them appear more in the story. I also wish that the heroine hand not been a-typical when it came to her role in the final conflict. I wanted more for this character.
I overall enjoyed this story – both the romance and the subplot. Characters from the previous books make appearances in this story, and therefore, this is a series better enjoyed reading in order.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
There were times when it felt like the story dragged. I wish that some of the secondary characters had been used more effectively than they were in the story. Some appear just to move the story along, which given their importance to the main characters, I would have liked to have seen them appear more in the story. I also wish that the heroine hand not been a-typical when it came to her role in the final conflict. I wanted more for this character.
I overall enjoyed this story – both the romance and the subplot. Characters from the previous books make appearances in this story, and therefore, this is a series better enjoyed reading in order.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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