Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
Yay for the Captain and Phoebe! There was hardly anything in this book about the Ladies' Syndicate though.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
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:
Yes
2.5 or 3-- I waver.
On one hand the grumpy, sunshine trope is a love of mine, with the added interest of the blindness of the heroine and the limp of the hero. Both characters were adorable, but they are already established long before the story begins and there was a shocking absence of flashbacks to provide any real sense of their history and how their views of each other came to be. Flashbacks should always be used sparingly, but there are times where they really need to use at least one.
I just found myself getting bored all the time, which is odd considering the sheer number of times Phoebe is kidnapped-- and by the way, the pay off for who is behind it all is the most ridiculously pointless bit of the entire story.
On one hand the grumpy, sunshine trope is a love of mine, with the added interest of the blindness of the heroine and the limp of the hero. Both characters were adorable, but they are already established long before the story begins and there was a shocking absence of flashbacks to provide any real sense of their history and how their views of each other came to be. Flashbacks should always be used sparingly, but there are times where they really need to use at least one.
I just found myself getting bored all the time, which is odd considering the sheer number of times Phoebe is kidnapped-- and by the way, the pay off for who is behind it all is the most ridiculously pointless bit of the entire story.
Overall, I actually really liked this book! This is the first 'bodice ripper' that I actually enjoyed, but honestly that could be due to the narrator, since I listened to this on book on tape. The narrator was phenomenal; her voices were spot on for all the characters, and it made me really enjoy the experience. This is also my trope candy, and done fairly well, so of course I was going to enjoy it. However the sex scenes were cringey, and overall the plot was pretty basic.
I love the imperect, wounded characters. I always hoped for Phoebe's story and I can't imagine a better man for her than James Trevillion.
However there was something that didn't feel right for me. Maybe it was the whole abducting thing or a side character Eve - I didn't like her at all, which is why I'm giving it 4,5 stars.
However there was something that didn't feel right for me. Maybe it was the whole abducting thing or a side character Eve - I didn't like her at all, which is why I'm giving it 4,5 stars.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Once it was becoming clear, in earlier books, that Lady Phoebe and Captain Trevillion were falling for each other I was filled with anticipation. Trevillion is used to being in charge and not being questioned while Phoebe is curious and headstrong. For the most part, she is good with obeying her brother’s smothering rules, but now that he has hired Trevillion to guard her she can no longer bend those rules. To put it bluntly, Phoebe is feeling stifled and ready to rebel.
Because there is an age gap and Trevillion is charged with Phoebe’s protection, he mostly ignores his feeling for the younger woman. Yet once her life is threatened his alpha comes roaring to life. He still has to act with propriety on the outside, but his inside voice is screaming at him to protect her. That same inside voice breaks my heart when he feels he isn’t protecting her adequately or when she makes a backhanded comment to him out of anger at being coddled. To think, this former dragoon who I despised in the first few books, has a heart of gold and an ooey gooey center underneath his hard shell.
Their relationship blossoms when Phoebe and Trevillion are off on their own, away from the city and its dangers. Watching Phoebe come to life in the freedom she is granted and having Trevillion learn to take that step back to give her that gift was glorious. These two made my heart soar.
There are some new introductions to characters in this book as well as getting to know some recently introduced characters better. I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to get behind one in particular, but it’s happened before with good writing. I guess we’ll see if they ever get their own story. But the victims, so to speak, of this evil-seeming character deserve to find some happiness in life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Kidnapping
Moderate: Ableism, Rape
lighthearted
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
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No