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jackiepreston's review
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Death of parent
toffishay's review
funny
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? No
4.0
This was a really fun regency romance! I really like Lysander and Neve and I liked watching their relationship develop. The end wraps up a little suddenly, but that can sometimes be a pitfall of the genre.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Violence
bedtimesandbooks's review
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Child abuse, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy and Infertility
roget's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I'm conflicted.
The most interesting part of this book was the male lead's trauma and discovering how that affected him. On the other hand, the most interesting part of this romance novel was the male lead's trauma and discovering how that affected him. There were other "issues" coming between the leads, but those issues were easily disposed with once Stone decided to get around to it. (Using his nickname, Stone, because I can't remember the real one after a few days...)
I found him more believable later on in the novel, and knowing what I know about him, he seems out of joint with his own internality based on his reactions in the first part.
What do I mean by this?
I find it highly unlikely that he'd be so smitten so soon. And this is a matter of taste, to some extent.
Granted, I'm on the asexual spectrum, and when characters experience insta-love or insta-you-know-what, my reaction tends to skew skeptical. But the rampant hormones in here were... a lot. If that sort of thing isn't your cuppa or puts you in a bad headspace/mindspace/etc., you might want to skip this one.
The ladies' solidarity with Neve was sweet, and so were many of the passages describing art as an emotional and creative outlet. But Stone spends so much time flipflopping between absolute impassivity and raging passion that I was a little bit in favor of him getting some therapy and not in favor of them running off happily ever after. At least, not yet. But this is a Victorian novel, and that suggestion is a bit anachronistic.
Also: Am I the only one who sort of hates the grovel trope when it's overblown? Yes, apologies that recognize wrongdoing are good, but promising to never ever make a mistake again is just...unrealistic. I have no idea how this couple would thrive moving forward.
Are we expected to believe Treadway's not going to manage to blackmail them with Neve's dancer background? I get that he's facing prison, but he's not without ability to speak.
Anyways. The moody, artistic, dark atmosphere of the duke's house and was often super immersive, but some of the character development fell a touch flat for me.
The most interesting part of this book was the male lead's trauma and discovering how that affected him. On the other hand, the most interesting part of this romance novel was the male lead's trauma and discovering how that affected him. There were other "issues" coming between the leads, but those issues were easily disposed with once Stone decided to get around to it. (Using his nickname, Stone, because I can't remember the real one after a few days...)
I found him more believable later on in the novel, and knowing what I know about him, he seems out of joint with his own internality based on his reactions in the first part.
What do I mean by this?
I find it highly unlikely that he'd be so smitten so soon. And this is a matter of taste, to some extent.
Granted, I'm on the asexual spectrum, and when characters experience insta-love or insta-you-know-what, my reaction tends to skew skeptical. But the rampant hormones in here were... a lot. If that sort of thing isn't your cuppa or puts you in a bad headspace/mindspace/etc., you might want to skip this one.
The ladies' solidarity with Neve was sweet, and so were many of the passages describing art as an emotional and creative outlet. But Stone spends so much time flipflopping between absolute impassivity and raging passion that I was a little bit in favor of him getting some therapy and not in favor of them running off happily ever after. At least, not yet. But this is a Victorian novel, and that suggestion is a bit anachronistic.
Also: Am I the only one who sort of hates the grovel trope when it's overblown? Yes, apologies that recognize wrongdoing are good, but promising to never ever make a mistake again is just...unrealistic. I have no idea how this couple would thrive moving forward.
Are we expected to believe
Anyways. The moody, artistic, dark atmosphere of the duke's house and was often super immersive, but some of the character development fell a touch flat for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Child abuse
Minor: Violence and Pregnancy
aqtbenz's review
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment and Sexual content
noellelovesbooks's review
4.25
I received a finished copy, ahead of release, for being part of the Forever Publishings influencer program.
Content Warnings: Sexual scenes, ableism, sexism, violence, classism, sexual harassment. Mention of physical/mental/emotional abuse and loss of a loved one.
Fauxmance to romance is one of my favorite tropes and I absolutely adored the way it was used in this book. Neve and Lysander’s meet-cute is hilarious and full of heated glances.
Watching these two fight their attraction and growing interest in the other had me laughing, swooning, and occasionally wanting to lock them in a room until they talked it all out.
I love that the author actually put content warnings in the front of the book and that she was inspired to write a neurodivergent hero after going through one of her child’s neurodivergent diagnoses.
Although there wasn’t an understanding of neurodivergence at that time, historically, I loved being able to see Lysander’s process through different conversations and situations. As someone who constantly misunderstands, or is misunderstood, during conversations that lead to anger from others or me…it was wonderful seeing that representation.
I also loved how we’re able to see in action, and in thought, how much Lysander cared. Too many people see neurodivergent people as uncaring or unemotional which isn’t the case, we merely process and express things differently than our neurotypical counterparts.
This was my first Amalie read and I’m so excited to start devouring her backlist as I wait for the next installment of this series to release next year!
Content Warnings: Sexual scenes, ableism, sexism, violence, classism, sexual harassment. Mention of physical/mental/emotional abuse and loss of a loved one.
Fauxmance to romance is one of my favorite tropes and I absolutely adored the way it was used in this book. Neve and Lysander’s meet-cute is hilarious and full of heated glances.
Watching these two fight their attraction and growing interest in the other had me laughing, swooning, and occasionally wanting to lock them in a room until they talked it all out.
I love that the author actually put content warnings in the front of the book and that she was inspired to write a neurodivergent hero after going through one of her child’s neurodivergent diagnoses.
Although there wasn’t an understanding of neurodivergence at that time, historically, I loved being able to see Lysander’s process through different conversations and situations. As someone who constantly misunderstands, or is misunderstood, during conversations that lead to anger from others or me…it was wonderful seeing that representation.
I also loved how we’re able to see in action, and in thought, how much Lysander cared. Too many people see neurodivergent people as uncaring or unemotional which isn’t the case, we merely process and express things differently than our neurotypical counterparts.
This was my first Amalie read and I’m so excited to start devouring her backlist as I wait for the next installment of this series to release next year!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Classism, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
Minor: Death of parent
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Out July 12, 2022 [Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!]
Rating: 4/5 stars
Lord Lysander Blackstone, Duke of Montcroix, is a stone-hearted gargoyle who cares only about his fortune. But when he is unexpectedly rescued by Miss Geneviève Valery, a struggling ballerina, and the two hatch a fake dating scheme to help Lysander secure a favorable business deal, he just might learn that he has a heart underneath all his armor after all.
I love all Regency-era/Victorian era/historical UK-set romances and that is just it, but this one in particular was SO MUCH FUN. I absolutely flew through it (just one more chapter! I said as I continued to read five more chapters) and the romance was so sweet and swoony and gorgeous and funny and wonderful. Lysander, in particular, is a captivating male lead—a neurodivergent hero who is guarded with his heart but driven to the grandest of grand gestures for the woman he can’t help but love. And Geneviève is a tough, smart, no-nonsense heroine who is unafraid to stand up for herself and fight for what she wants. Together, they make a fire-and-ice pair that I absolutely could not get enough of.
When it comes to romances, I’m pretty particular about my endings, and I really liked this one, which had a very sweet epilogue (including some great foreshadowing for the next book in the series!) I absolutely cannot wait to revisit these characters in whatever Amalie Howard writes next!
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: Regency-era romance; grumpy + sunshine trope; he-falls-first trope.
CW: Discussions of sexual/physical assault; child abuse; death of a parent.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Lord Lysander Blackstone, Duke of Montcroix, is a stone-hearted gargoyle who cares only about his fortune. But when he is unexpectedly rescued by Miss Geneviève Valery, a struggling ballerina, and the two hatch a fake dating scheme to help Lysander secure a favorable business deal, he just might learn that he has a heart underneath all his armor after all.
I love all Regency-era/Victorian era/historical UK-set romances and that is just it, but this one in particular was SO MUCH FUN. I absolutely flew through it (just one more chapter! I said as I continued to read five more chapters) and the romance was so sweet and swoony and gorgeous and funny and wonderful. Lysander, in particular, is a captivating male lead—a neurodivergent hero who is guarded with his heart but driven to the grandest of grand gestures for the woman he can’t help but love. And Geneviève is a tough, smart, no-nonsense heroine who is unafraid to stand up for herself and fight for what she wants. Together, they make a fire-and-ice pair that I absolutely could not get enough of.
When it comes to romances, I’m pretty particular about my endings, and I really liked this one, which had a very sweet epilogue (including some great foreshadowing for the next book in the series!) I absolutely cannot wait to revisit these characters in whatever Amalie Howard writes next!
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: Regency-era romance; grumpy + sunshine trope; he-falls-first trope.
CW: Discussions of sexual/physical assault; child abuse; death of a parent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Violence, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexism
Minor: Infidelity
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