This ended up being really great. A bit of a chaotic start, and there is at least 60% more theater/play talk than I wanted. But!
— She is awesome. I loThis ended up being really great. A bit of a chaotic start, and there is at least 60% more theater/play talk than I wanted. But!
— She is awesome. I love a heroine who sticks to her guns and doesn’t give in at the first sign of the H wanting her/wanting her back.
— Secondary characters are great. His siblings and her friend/boss/partner in particular.
— Historical romance done right with a modern eye. The author did her research, and it shows, but it doesn’t feel like a woke 21st century couple dropped into a period drama.
— The theater backdrop is interesting and different, there’s just too damned much of it. These are the parts I got tired of most and I started skimming lot of that after awhile. I get the parallels with Shakespeare’s “Winter’s Tale” to their story, but the constant hammering was annoying. I did like his tinkering with props, how it played into his making amends, and the melodramatic but satisfying comeuppance of the villain.
— Such gratifying angst porn. Deep remorse and suitable taking of responsibility for the consequences of his behavior towards her, as well as sincere dedication to making things right to the best of his ability.
My only other quibble, aside from it being maybe a bit long (easily solved by editing down those theater parts!!), is that I wish there had been a touch more about their earlier relationship. I don’t need flashbacks, mind, but just a bit more foundation on why they were attracted to each other, their history together, etc. What’s there is nice, but it would have been good to see more of it.
But what a nice surprise from a Kindle freebie, especially one I almost didn’t get because of the cheesy cover. New to me author, but I’ll definitely be seeking out her other books....more
Beginning was a bit chaotic, but this ended up being such a great enemies to lovers story. Because:
— he’s a genuine grump, but so is she, kinda! — theBeginning was a bit chaotic, but this ended up being such a great enemies to lovers story. Because:
— he’s a genuine grump, but so is she, kinda! — their arguments felt genuine. They are cutting, they are clever, and they are committed to winning (but they’re never mean). They continue to fight after they get together, because it’s in their nature. — their dynamic, within a hospital setting, felt a bit Ali Hazelwood, except less scattered and zany. — both of them deal matter-of-factly with her disordered eating — a fun, supportive friend group —these friends also have a group text in the middle of his despairing, mopey angst over her not knowing whether she wants to commit to him, and they refer to him as Eyeore. — sexy sex — the best use of exasperated, affectionate nicknames I’ve ever read, the best of which is his referring to her as his screech owl.
Then they reach the point when he is completely and utterly smitten with her; he takes care of her when she’s sick, he stands up for her, he sees her. His feelings are described so well and so endearingly, and the book sidesteps mistakes of the usual nonsense over misunderstandings and such.
Anyway. I’ve read Kate Canterbary before, but I had no idea she had this in her! Imma have to add some additions to my TBR. ...more
This is the most casually cruel romance I’ve ever read. It starts with her rape by the H’s twin brother, the H marries her BUT GETS UPSET when she shoThis is the most casually cruel romance I’ve ever read. It starts with her rape by the H’s twin brother, the H marries her BUT GETS UPSET when she shows reluctance at making nice with her rapist, they have really brief, boring sex, and if all that weren’t enough, he also spends 90% of the book screwing a French whore. But he does it for king and country, you know, so it’s fine.
Everyone behaves illogically and the romance angst isn’t good enough to justify any of it.
So icky, from beginning to end. I hated it....more
Nice role reversal for once, with him falling for her at first sight and her needing lots of persuasion to give him a chance. He is super tortured intNice role reversal for once, with him falling for her at first sight and her needing lots of persuasion to give him a chance. He is super tortured into her from beginning to end (without being too problematic), which makes for some nice angst porn....more
This is a tricky one to review, but I’ll just say that I hope this is taken in the spirit with which it’s meant.
This started off pretty well with theThis is a tricky one to review, but I’ll just say that I hope this is taken in the spirit with which it’s meant.
This started off pretty well with their office dynamic as she demonstrates her smarts, but the plot is all over the place after that. It goes fairly in depth into the burlesque job she takes when she loses the internship she was counting on, and then it goes into even more batshit territory with family drama and (view spoiler)[an incest scare (hide spoiler)] subplot. I know people like their dark romances, but this felt like a whole lotta plots stuffed into one book.
Overall, it’s a weird mix of solid angst porn/erotica combined with extremely melodramatic, cliché romance scenarios and occasional purple prose and clunky language. I’ll have to admit that that a good part of this was done convincingly enough (their chemistry, most of his faith in her abilities, and the his devastating emotional fallout over the part in the spoiler), but there’s just as much material that is cringey, if not more.
Perhaps the most tactful way to put this is that it feels as though the author is still early in her writing and reading career. But there are sparks of genuinely interesting things here—honestly, some of the hardest parts were the most well-written. It’s a case where it feels as though the technical skills and self-editorial eye haven’t quite caught up with the emotional intelligence yet. I’d keep an eye on this author, though—it’ll be interesting to see what happens with time.
And PSA: a lot of people already literally cringe at karaoke IRL or on tv. (Seriously, I’m hunched down in my seat trying to make myself smaller in case someone notices the subject coming up.) I cannot adequately describe to you the acute flaying agony of reading about it in a book, especially in a work outing/boss performance scenario. Staaaaahpp. I beg of you, please, please, please stop the madness....more
A little hard to get past the fact that the heroine actually has stolen from the hero (although obviously for altruistic reasons), but I kind of admirA little hard to get past the fact that the heroine actually has stolen from the hero (although obviously for altruistic reasons), but I kind of admire the author for going for it at the same time.
Otherwise, this is really excellent angst porn. Especially because so much of the angst is his and we see his POV interspersed with hers from beginning to end....more
Wendy Darling
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