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A review by guiltlesspleasures
The English Witch by Loretta Chase
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
So I never read blurbs, and that meant I knew literally nothing about this book when I started it, and THAT meant I did a happy dance when I realized our hero was the divine Basil Trevelyan, the dastardly antihero from Chase’s previous (and first) novel, Isabella.
He’s got tawny hair, golden cat eyes and a silver tongue that could make you forget your name. He is a manipulative little sh*t, but in the BEST possible way. It’s in Basil that you see the beginnings of what Chase will go on to do in Lord of Scoundrels. I love him.
I would definitely recommend reading Isabella first, for all its flaws, because many of its characters roll over into this book. And that brings me to my first lament: that there are again way too many characters. They should have been culled by a third. If you don’t find yourself thinking, “Wait, which Latham is this? Who is Marianne again?” then you are a far better reader than I.
There were also a couple out-of-character moments for both Basil and Jessica, which an editor should have caught.
Overall, I’d say the big difference between this and Chase’s more recent books is that things happen TO Alexandra, the heroine, rather than her having much agency of her own. She’s dragged from pillar to post by all the various men, including her father. I liked her character, but I wanted to see a little more Jessica Trent and a little less marionette. Maybe that’s a 90s thing?
End note: There is no sex in this book, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t a number of VERY sexy little moments.
He’s got tawny hair, golden cat eyes and a silver tongue that could make you forget your name. He is a manipulative little sh*t, but in the BEST possible way. It’s in Basil that you see the beginnings of what Chase will go on to do in Lord of Scoundrels. I love him.
I would definitely recommend reading Isabella first, for all its flaws, because many of its characters roll over into this book. And that brings me to my first lament: that there are again way too many characters. They should have been culled by a third. If you don’t find yourself thinking, “Wait, which Latham is this? Who is Marianne again?” then you are a far better reader than I.
There were also a couple out-of-character moments for both Basil and Jessica, which an editor should have caught.
Overall, I’d say the big difference between this and Chase’s more recent books is that things happen TO Alexandra, the heroine, rather than her having much agency of her own. She’s dragged from pillar to post by all the various men, including her father. I liked her character, but I wanted to see a little more Jessica Trent and a little less marionette. Maybe that’s a 90s thing?
End note: There is no sex in this book, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t a number of VERY sexy little moments.