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A review by language_loving_amateur
Ethan: Lord of Scandals by Grace Burrowes
1.5
Content warnings for several topics, and the subject matter is NOT written well. I finished this book more out of stubbornness than enjoyment. This book is in the Lonely Lords Series, so if a person has read Lonely Lords 1 and 2, it is reasonable to expect that they will have all the information they need. However, for Burrows' books, each series is so intertwined with all the other series that no matter where you start or if you go in order, you never have the full picture or understand why this random characters is sticking their nose in other people's business, what the shared history is, or if the long pronouncements they make are referencing something the MC of this book had said in a previous book, or if Burrows' is just using a random side character (Gareth Marquess of Heathgate) to read Ethan's mind so that it can quickly be laid out for the reader to accept as fact because Heathgate said it rather than gradually having Ethan share his emotional state via conversations or via narration. The behavior of the neighbors makes leaps and jumps forward without reason. Ethan does not socialize with his neighbors for years, though he knows their names and one is an acquaintance from school. They arrive at a picnic, and instead of gradually building on acquaintanceship the neighbors are like "Great you're here! Now we will start arranging your life in ways we think will make you happy. Because we care about you so much!" Most of these neighbors are friends or acquaintances of Nick. All of these neighbors knew that Ethan was married and had two sons, and it wasn't like she was a secret prisoner in an attic so why wouldn't they mention her to Nick, even in passing? Because he didn't know for years. "My dear close friend Nick, How is your brother and his family faring?"
This is a reoccurring problem with Grace Burrows' romance novels, and the randomly important but only vaguely characterized side characters are off putting.
There is physical disability that shows up when convenient and disappears with some exercise and happiness. It is like a shadow by the end of the book. When it comes to Alice asking for accommodations so she can get places in relative physical and emotional comfort, Ethan has his own ideas. In the beginning he makes arrangements for her transportation without consulting her. Later he does consult her, but then over rules her. She's like "ANY other means of transport than riding a horse, no." Ethan: "I'll teach you to ride and I'll keep you safe." Alice: "no I don't want that." Ethan: "we can stop any time you say."
DUMBASS she already declined like 3 times by this point. And the book frames his handling of her disabilities as if they were thoughtful and necessary. BULLSHIT. But because Burrows wants his methods to be effective, they are. As someone who has hip pain like Alice how poorly it was written really pulled me out of the story.
Whether is is a physical injury or an emotional scar like Ethan has, I think recovery is more successful is it is lead by the survivor.
Imagine a rescue cat that you bring home from the shelter and it immediately hides under the bed or couch and only comes out to eat after all the humans have gone to bed. Several months pass, and the cat gradually allows itself to be seen by humans, and then will sit in the same room, but far away from the humans. A few more months pass, and the cat will now sit on the couch only a few feet away from a person and even enjoys a gentle ear scratch. Now imagine those humans grabbing the cat, shoving it into a harness and leash and dragging it outside because they insist that this is what it needs to heal and move on with its life.
That is how Gareth Marquess of Heathgate treats Ethan. He deserves better. I think it can be helpful to face trauma, and to try and hold perpetrators accountable, but let survivors do it at their own pace and on their own terms.
CW: discussions of rape, pedophilia, children in danger, falling from a horse, survivor's guilt, discussions of physical child abuse, manipulation into marriage.
This is a reoccurring problem with Grace Burrows' romance novels, and the randomly important but only vaguely characterized side characters are off putting.
There is physical disability that shows up when convenient and disappears with some exercise and happiness. It is like a shadow by the end of the book. When it comes to Alice asking for accommodations so she can get places in relative physical and emotional comfort, Ethan has his own ideas. In the beginning he makes arrangements for her transportation without consulting her. Later he does consult her, but then over rules her. She's like "ANY other means of transport than riding a horse, no." Ethan: "I'll teach you to ride and I'll keep you safe." Alice: "no I don't want that." Ethan: "we can stop any time you say."
DUMBASS she already declined like 3 times by this point. And the book frames his handling of her disabilities as if they were thoughtful and necessary. BULLSHIT. But because Burrows wants his methods to be effective, they are. As someone who has hip pain like Alice how poorly it was written really pulled me out of the story.
Whether is is a physical injury or an emotional scar like Ethan has, I think recovery is more successful is it is lead by the survivor.
Imagine a rescue cat that you bring home from the shelter and it immediately hides under the bed or couch and only comes out to eat after all the humans have gone to bed. Several months pass, and the cat gradually allows itself to be seen by humans, and then will sit in the same room, but far away from the humans. A few more months pass, and the cat will now sit on the couch only a few feet away from a person and even enjoys a gentle ear scratch. Now imagine those humans grabbing the cat, shoving it into a harness and leash and dragging it outside because they insist that this is what it needs to heal and move on with its life.
That is how Gareth Marquess of Heathgate treats Ethan. He deserves better. I think it can be helpful to face trauma, and to try and hold perpetrators accountable, but let survivors do it at their own pace and on their own terms.
CW: discussions of rape, pedophilia, children in danger, falling from a horse, survivor's guilt, discussions of physical child abuse, manipulation into marriage.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Physical abuse, and Child abuse