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A review by bookish_kristina
A Contracted Spouse for the Prizefighter by Alice Coldbreath
5.0
4.5 stars
This series is the best, most original group of books I’ve read in forever. So well done. So far each book has explored a completely original and different part of Victorian society through the eyes of two compelling and complete characters who marry for convenience and ultimately find love. This book was set in the theatres and music halls of Victorian London. A young woman with big dreams of being a male impersonator and acting in male stage roles is stifled by her family. She seeks freedom by marrying a somewhat retired, brutish but charming, prizefighter who owns a music hall. This book gives us glimpses into the rougher side of Victorian life juxtaposed by the staunchly strict middle class mores of the time. i found it extremely interesting. Clem, the hero, is a known charmer and a bit of a flash gentry - a flashy lower class person who has made something of himself - and yet doesn’t attempt to comport himself as a respectable man. He is a complicated hero, in earlier books shown as a ladies man, but his still waters run deep. He is NOT a man-whore in this book, he seems to have out grown that side of himself, so this is not a rake redemption story. He is, however, a man who has not known much love in his life and has to learn how to be honest, supportive and vulnerable with his Dora - with that being said it does take him awhile to get there. He keeps a secret from his wife in this book for a long time, and it eats away at him. So I did like Clem, but maybe not so much as I liked Ben from the last book.
In this story it was Theodora who stole the show - literally on stage as a male impersonator and in the story - with her strength, optimism, vulnerability, determination and loyalty. This loyalty bites her in the ass a few times, but she is always so resilient. She was a great character.
And as usual with this series, there is a lot of hot/awkward/polite Victorian sex, this book erred on the side of awkward more often than not, but I loved it. It was authentic. Not all sex is this perfectly choreographed gymnastics we see too often in romance. This was still swoon worthy, but also funny and sweet.
So I highly recommend this series to anyone into HR or historical fiction, romance, or just wants to try something new and original.
This series is the best, most original group of books I’ve read in forever. So well done. So far each book has explored a completely original and different part of Victorian society through the eyes of two compelling and complete characters who marry for convenience and ultimately find love. This book was set in the theatres and music halls of Victorian London. A young woman with big dreams of being a male impersonator and acting in male stage roles is stifled by her family. She seeks freedom by marrying a somewhat retired, brutish but charming, prizefighter who owns a music hall. This book gives us glimpses into the rougher side of Victorian life juxtaposed by the staunchly strict middle class mores of the time. i found it extremely interesting. Clem, the hero, is a known charmer and a bit of a flash gentry - a flashy lower class person who has made something of himself - and yet doesn’t attempt to comport himself as a respectable man. He is a complicated hero, in earlier books shown as a ladies man, but his still waters run deep. He is NOT a man-whore in this book, he seems to have out grown that side of himself, so this is not a rake redemption story. He is, however, a man who has not known much love in his life and has to learn how to be honest, supportive and vulnerable with his Dora - with that being said it does take him awhile to get there. He keeps a secret from his wife in this book for a long time, and it eats away at him. So I did like Clem, but maybe not so much as I liked Ben from the last book.
In this story it was Theodora who stole the show - literally on stage as a male impersonator and in the story - with her strength, optimism, vulnerability, determination and loyalty. This loyalty bites her in the ass a few times, but she is always so resilient. She was a great character.
And as usual with this series, there is a lot of hot/awkward/polite Victorian sex, this book erred on the side of awkward more often than not, but I loved it. It was authentic. Not all sex is this perfectly choreographed gymnastics we see too often in romance. This was still swoon worthy, but also funny and sweet.
So I highly recommend this series to anyone into HR or historical fiction, romance, or just wants to try something new and original.