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unsuccessfulbookclub's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
2.5
ARC review - pub date 11/29/22
This is a light-hearted and low angst historical. I was missing a great deal of tension - the main conflict of James inheriting Lucy’s aunt’s house just didn’t…quite…build enough tension for me. I wanted the characters to have more reasons to interact and be kept apart from one another and/or be forced to work or be together. I needed a heightened sense of drama between Beck and Pembroke. Make that bad guy worse, make the good guy smarter and better.
This is a light-hearted and low angst historical. I was missing a great deal of tension - the main conflict of James inheriting Lucy’s aunt’s house just didn’t…quite…build enough tension for me. I wanted the characters to have more reasons to interact and be kept apart from one another and/or be forced to work or be together. I needed a heightened sense of drama between Beck and Pembroke. Make that bad guy worse, make the good guy smarter and better.
I kept wanting a big reveal but the characters are super honest with each other so it deflated a lot of the potential conflict and thus I felt less compelled to know how the characters were going to work things out. I hate miscommunication as a trope but these people just come out with everything immediately. Where is the angst? The insecurity? The pining? The awkwardness?
There were a few lovely moments between Lucy and her aunt and Lucy and her brother but the characters in general fell flat for me. I didn’t feel much connection with any of them and I didn’t really understand why James and Lucy were together other than that they were, and they fell *really* fast. Like two days fast. Lucy was ready to risk it all for a man she bumped into on a train platform? I dunno. Not my jam.
Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Death of parent
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