A review by sarahcophagus
Beguiling the Beauty by Sherry Thomas

3.0

The premise is convoluted, but I don't really mind. There's a sort of charm in books that would take too long to explain the why, how and what. Like a woman starting up with a man who had publicly shamed her to mask his years of longing for her after a 'love at first sight' moment years before and several misunderstandings, and yet she is somehow able to maintain continuous anonymity through false names and languages and backstories, and most unbelievably through blindfolds and face coverings, enough to conduct a torrid affair with him aboard a cross ocean trip without him recognizing her ever. While the whole mess of "I am torn up with love for two woman who are secretly the same woman" is angsty and fun in theory, I think that the ruse wore out its welcome. MMC is constantly torn, staying loyal to the woman in his head, and ends up insulting whichever woman is in front of him every time - when they were all the same woman! Eventually, after many more misunderstandings and intentionally being shitty for pride's sake, the truth of the ruse and their mutual affections are revealed, in my opinion, there isn't enough book time left to enjoy of their reunion.

Side note: There are a bunch of other side characters, some of who have POV chapters, who I don't care about who have background stories going on that I had little to no context about. Found that really grating as this was billed as "Book 1" of a series, but I recognize that's just how things were done at the time of this publication.