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ghostmomxoxo's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Minor: Car accident and Sexism
kaydeedickins's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It starts off slow, but eventually it picks up and then it goes quickly. There aren’t a lot of major plot twists but given the genre that is typical. It’s a cute riff on the enemies to lovers trope.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Emotional abuse, Classism, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Medical content, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Violence, Infertility, Abandonment, and Car accident
missemilyn's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.0
Y’all. Our main characters keep gaslighting each other but they both know they are being gaslit. It’s a mess. It’s funny as hell.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Classism and Alcohol
frappucinno's review
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
She crossed her arms, her confidence bolstered by a wave of renewed indignation. “Men!”
If I ever thought I used too many em-dashes in my writing, Martha Waters assured me that I am doing perfectly fine. I wish this were an exaggeration, but there was at least one em-dash for each page, plenty of them unnecessary.
Miscommunication tropes have always been a hit-or-miss from personal experience, but there is always a point where it simply becomes ridiculous. The main couple refused to talk to each other for four years and became a couple only in name after a supposedly major fight, the context of which the book builds up on in the first few chapters. The reveal, however, simply fell flat because the actual source of their conflict was too contrived and even absurd. It is something that they, as adults, should have been able to solve with a single conversation.
They were often described to love each other, although most of the attraction was shown in the form of sexual scenes with them thinking something along the lines of "How could have I ever thought I could live without them?" with reference to their bodies and the sex. This was the foundation of their relationship that any talk about their "love" felt nonsensical.
The general dynamic was repetitive—they see each other; get sexually aroused despite "hating" each other, described in such a way that was much more detailed than it should have been; both get close to actually talking things out, often with a make out session, before the other party does something foolish that causes them to "come to their senses"; another misunderstanding ensues; and the conflict never gets resolved. It was ridiculous that another misunderstanding got introduced at 82% in to the book, at which point it should have been being wrapped up for the conclusion.
At some point, even the side characters pointed out that perhaps it was time for the two to stop whatever game they were playing; I did not, however, like how they acted as though they had the moral high ground when they were as complicit in and enthusiastic in encouraging their schemes. They were slightly more interesting than the two main characters, although not enough to make me read the rest of the books in the series after my experience with this one.
While I was not expecting any classic-level writing, the dialogue felt a bit too modern that it never really felt like a historical romance. There were instances in which it would try and use archaic words in an attempt to sound historical which just felt too obvious. References to people such as Jane Austen (in particular, Mrs. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice) and Lord Byron also felt awfully out of place, like the historical equivalent of pop culture references.
Lastly, and perhaps my main complaint, is how silly some of the sexual writing was that it was almost hilarious. There was constantly a line being drawn between the men and women, masculinity and feminimity, with lines such as "there was something simply so entirely masculine about him", "he was, after all, a man", and "he just looked so very... male". My personal favorite and one that made me laugh out loud was this paragraph, which came out of nowhere:"She had observed dogs, on occasion, urinating on trees to mark their territory, and while her instincts had fortunately not yet reached that primitive level, she felt an unexpected sympathy with the desire."
I came close to dropping this several times, and I have never been this happy finishing a book.
If I ever thought I used too many em-dashes in my writing, Martha Waters assured me that I am doing perfectly fine. I wish this were an exaggeration, but there was at least one em-dash for each page, plenty of them unnecessary.
Miscommunication tropes have always been a hit-or-miss from personal experience, but there is always a point where it simply becomes ridiculous. The main couple refused to talk to each other for four years and became a couple only in name after a supposedly major fight, the context of which the book builds up on in the first few chapters. The reveal, however, simply fell flat because the actual source of their conflict was too contrived and even absurd. It is something that they, as adults, should have been able to solve with a single conversation.
They were often described to love each other, although most of the attraction was shown in the form of sexual scenes with them thinking something along the lines of "How could have I ever thought I could live without them?" with reference to their bodies and the sex. This was the foundation of their relationship that any talk about their "love" felt nonsensical.
The general dynamic was repetitive—they see each other; get sexually aroused despite "hating" each other, described in such a way that was much more detailed than it should have been; both get close to actually talking things out, often with a make out session, before the other party does something foolish that causes them to "come to their senses"; another misunderstanding ensues; and the conflict never gets resolved. It was ridiculous that another misunderstanding got introduced at 82% in to the book, at which point it should have been being wrapped up for the conclusion.
At some point, even the side characters pointed out that perhaps it was time for the two to stop whatever game they were playing; I did not, however, like how they acted as though they had the moral high ground when they were as complicit in and enthusiastic in encouraging their schemes. They were slightly more interesting than the two main characters, although not enough to make me read the rest of the books in the series after my experience with this one.
While I was not expecting any classic-level writing, the dialogue felt a bit too modern that it never really felt like a historical romance. There were instances in which it would try and use archaic words in an attempt to sound historical which just felt too obvious. References to people such as Jane Austen (in particular, Mrs. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice) and Lord Byron also felt awfully out of place, like the historical equivalent of pop culture references.
Lastly, and perhaps my main complaint, is how silly some of the sexual writing was that it was almost hilarious. There was constantly a line being drawn between the men and women, masculinity and feminimity, with lines such as "there was something simply so entirely masculine about him", "he was, after all, a man", and "he just looked so very... male". My personal favorite and one that made me laugh out loud was this paragraph, which came out of nowhere:
I came close to dropping this several times, and I have never been this happy finishing a book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
readingthroughinfinity's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.0
Happy to report that I FINALLY read this one and loved it, as I hoped I would. Regency romance, second-chance romance, and estranged spouses-to-enemies-to-lovers? So many things I enjoy all in one book. Chef's kiss.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Sexism
takarakei's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I really did not like the male actor/narrator.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Sexual content
theintrovertedintrovert's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I am really not a romance reader...
Heed content warnings.
Heed content warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship
Minor: Alcohol, Child abuse, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
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