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blissofalife's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A fun listen, I've enjoyed reading the series out of order (2, 1, 3) and feeling like I could understand some characters better for it. I liked Minerva, but her insecurity was a little grating by the end. Also not generally a fan of the "she doesn't know she's beautiful until a man can show her she actually is" plot, but it's to be expected from the genre I suppose. The writing style does get kind of redundant what with the "but he/she would never accept them because of their HORRIBLE SECRET" every other line and then the secret is like...my nose is too big behind this mask.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Misogyny
Moderate: Alcohol
tostita's review against another edition
emotional
medium-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? Yes
4.25
I really liked this book. Minerva was a fantastic heroine. Ashe was interesting and compelling, too, though I felt like his past trauma, both his parents’ deaths and his unsupervised youth at Havisham, could have used more fleshing out. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen photography used in a historical novel the way it is here. The one thing that really bothered me, and that influenced the rest of the book, was how paternalistic Ashe became when he learned that Minerva, the woman he was about to have sex with at a club specifically set up for anonymous sex, was a virgin. Seeing as he was there for the exact same reason he really had no basis for his presumption that he knew better than her what sexual experiences would be best for her. Let the woman decide for herself already! Sheesh!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy
joufancyhuh's review
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
I'm just getting into romance novels, so perhaps my review is a bit more harsh because I'm unused to the genre, but sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, what the f. It didn't get super cringe until the middle of the book when we decided to go the worst possible path to follow, and there was SO MUCH boundary pushing and disregarding. For a place this guy supposedly frequents, he sure has a problem with the rules of it, always trying to unmask her. Minerva deserved better. Dude had very little understanding of romance and genuine human emotion. I will say that it was a compelling read however and I did make it all the way through (if only because it was a book club book).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Physical abuse and Stalking
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