Scan barcode
A review by falulatonks
His at Night by Sherry Thomas
4.0
2022 review: Gotta say 2013!me nailed it. Does it count as a full reread if I skipped - not skimmed, fully hit next page 10 times - every time I saw the second couple's POV chapters?
But Vere and Ellie were both great this time, too.
==
3.5, probably. Two general Thomas complaints: what is up with these titles that are 5x raunchier than books with this level of emotional investment/drama really need?!?! and secondly - Thomas keeps writing side stories that are nowhere near as engaging as the main romance, and they're both too short to get me interested and too long that I get annoyed skipping through them. these books are already so short, man, why would I want to spend less time with couples I generally really like?!
HAN's main 'ship is really great. I generally like stories about people who wear masks, in a way, and have to pretend, and realise they can pretend together (this is also my preferred reading of Taming of the Shrew, incidentally)! and I loved that this was about how these masks can grate and stifle, without getting into overly angsty territory - I liked that this was about consequences, like how both of their facades irritate each other, too. Their relationship is what's pushed my rating up to 4 stars - they're good for each other; they exasperate each other but they're both so similar, they're both help each other so well. that was nice to see - especially in a way where the book didn't spell it out, didn't force us into understanding it that way.
I do have to say that Ellie's awful uncle made me feel kind of sick - wish I'd been better-warned for that, so I'm saying it here - and at the same time, being about someone who was watching and experiencing abuse firsthand I expected more awareness and exploration of that? which felt lacking here. it wasn't portrayed loosely or as a foundation to the romance, which is what I usually worry about when this kind of thing happens in romance novels, but there could've been more.
I did love her, though, and I liked Vere, too - he's got that usual Dude Roughness as in most historical romances, which I'm not a fan of, but I liked his backstory, and I liked that Thomas explored it without getting into standard mainpain territory - a little more restrained, a lot less ready to excuse his other faults. and they're both so honest! and so simultaneously quick to get frustrated and so good to the people they love! and they're intelligent, and they're not warm, but I loved them being together. love stories about similar people, about people who aren't that good, but are kind of great. man I dug them a lot.
But Vere and Ellie were both great this time, too.
==
3.5, probably. Two general Thomas complaints: what is up with these titles that are 5x raunchier than books with this level of emotional investment/drama really need?!?! and secondly - Thomas keeps writing side stories that are nowhere near as engaging as the main romance, and they're both too short to get me interested and too long that I get annoyed skipping through them. these books are already so short, man, why would I want to spend less time with couples I generally really like?!
HAN's main 'ship is really great. I generally like stories about people who wear masks, in a way, and have to pretend, and realise they can pretend together (this is also my preferred reading of Taming of the Shrew, incidentally)! and I loved that this was about how these masks can grate and stifle, without getting into overly angsty territory - I liked that this was about consequences, like how both of their facades irritate each other, too. Their relationship is what's pushed my rating up to 4 stars - they're good for each other; they exasperate each other but they're both so similar, they're both help each other so well. that was nice to see - especially in a way where the book didn't spell it out, didn't force us into understanding it that way.
I do have to say that Ellie's awful uncle made me feel kind of sick - wish I'd been better-warned for that, so I'm saying it here - and at the same time, being about someone who was watching and experiencing abuse firsthand I expected more awareness and exploration of that? which felt lacking here. it wasn't portrayed loosely or as a foundation to the romance, which is what I usually worry about when this kind of thing happens in romance novels, but there could've been more.
I did love her, though, and I liked Vere, too - he's got that usual Dude Roughness as in most historical romances, which I'm not a fan of, but I liked his backstory, and I liked that Thomas explored it without getting into standard mainpain territory - a little more restrained, a lot less ready to excuse his other faults. and they're both so honest! and so simultaneously quick to get frustrated and so good to the people they love! and they're intelligent, and they're not warm, but I loved them being together. love stories about similar people, about people who aren't that good, but are kind of great. man I dug them a lot.