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jessicalarson125's review
funny
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Sexual harassment, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
foiblesandfiction's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
it may be a little-known fact, but historical romance is my jam, bread, and butter. i'm pretty sure if you go back a few years that you'll find a goodreads reading challenge of mine that is almost entirely filled up with historical romance. lisa kleypas is my ride or die, tessa dare is her second in command. i worship at the altar of the wallflowers; may summer, fall, winter, and spring live forever and ever, amen.
needless to say, i was an ideal audience for this arc and i loved it. i loved every single moment of reading this book, so much so that i finished the book and then immediately began typing up a list of every single thing i loved the most:
1) funny banter, like really witty and clever
2) the emphasis on consent
3) strong fmc
4) one of the side characters writes smutty fanfiction about another side character!! is this going to be a novella? because i need it
5) the phantom of the opera reference to music of the night
6) a skilled archery moment that gave me fox-y robin hood vibes *sweats, drools*
7) male shirtless cello playing
8) the pinnacle of a man being written by a woman
if you enjoy romantic comedies, or historical romances, or funny, touching, steamy stories about dukes and ballerinas then you are going to love this book. i swear on my wallflower saints.
the author does include some content guidance at the beginning of the book. however, it does fail to mention infertility (due to amenorrhea) that results in pregnancy.
needless to say, i was an ideal audience for this arc and i loved it. i loved every single moment of reading this book, so much so that i finished the book and then immediately began typing up a list of every single thing i loved the most:
1) funny banter, like really witty and clever
2) the emphasis on consent
3) strong fmc
4) one of the side characters writes smutty fanfiction about another side character!! is this going to be a novella? because i need it
5) the phantom of the opera reference to music of the night
6) a skilled archery moment that gave me fox-y robin hood vibes *sweats, drools*
7) male shirtless cello playing
8) the pinnacle of a man being written by a woman
if you enjoy romantic comedies, or historical romances, or funny, touching, steamy stories about dukes and ballerinas then you are going to love this book. i swear on my wallflower saints.
the author does include some content guidance at the beginning of the book. however, it does fail to mention infertility (due to amenorrhea) that results in pregnancy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Classism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Ableism, and Violence
Minor: Infertility
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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