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
It’s been awhile since I read Sarah MacLean—has the writing always been this jumbled and unconvincing or is this an anomaly?
I realize I read a book 3 It’s been awhile since I read Sarah MacLean—has the writing always been this jumbled and unconvincing or is this an anomaly?
I realize I read a book 3 first, but I still expect things to make some sense. This one is incredibly disorganized and hard to follow, with vague repeated allusions and nonsensical structure. I gather this guy cheated on his pregnant wife to teach her a lesson in one of the previous installments, and he spends most of this book regretting his actions. But it takes a long time to piece together all the info, none of his feelings felt genuine, it’s like he has the right remorseful thoughts in his pea brain, but he doesn’t really express them adequately to her. Nor does he do a fraction of the apologizing and groveling he needs to do. Most of his thoughts and actions are centered around his lusting after her and his unhappiness over not being able to possess her now, rather than truly understanding the devastating thing(s) he did to her. Doesn’t help that I recently finished a historical romance where the H similarly did his wife dirty in the past (but not this dirty!!), but in that case he expressed deep anguish and regret over what he did—and he spends time making it up to her. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I do like her and admire the life she built for herself. It starts out strong (she bursts onto the Parliament floor and coolly declares she wants a divorce) and has some mildly amusing moments in her choosing a new wife for him so she can get her freedom, but there’s no commitment to the humor or the scheme. I liked some of those potential wives, and her sisters are somewhat amusing—but it all felt very chaotic and there is far too much sister focus, most of which seems to refer to or set up other books in the series. (Also HATE the co-opted S names for the sisters, like “Sesily.”)
I was annoyed most of the book and had to force myself to finish. And then I was rewarded with a magical cure for one of the heroine’s greatest sorrows, which is such a disservice to her pain and the pain of women in general. I’m surprised that a well-established romance author in this day and age would go this route. Trigger warning: (view spoiler)[ for a devastating miscarriage, which results in years of her believing she is now barren. But they get a magic baby at the end, ugh. (hide spoiler)]
I will not be continuing the series, though I’m mildly curious about skimming one of the previous books to get an accurate picture of exactly what happened between these two in the past....more
Ugh, could we please just rig hard copies of this book to automatically play What Was I Made For when you open the cover?Ugh, could we please just rig hard copies of this book to automatically play What Was I Made For when you open the cover?...more
As a novel, this doesn't even approach fulfilling its story or character arcs until the ending chapters, and by then it feels far too late. Plot couldAs a novel, this doesn't even approach fulfilling its story or character arcs until the ending chapters, and by then it feels far too late. Plot could be better drawn and more interesting, characters could be more nuanced, and the themes are unrealized or underdeveloped.
As a retelling of the story of Persephone and Hades, this premise is full of promise for a modern take, but again, not much happens until the end and a lot of the choices just didn't feel right. (view spoiler)[Would he really take that long to take advantage, for example? And "come back someday" just felt shoe-horned in to accommodate the mythic inspiration. (hide spoiler)] Minimally, I would expect to have some understanding of why she is drawn to him and tempted to stay--and there is a whole lot of leeway--but he specifically is just disgusting, physically, mentally, and in every other way.
Trigger warnings: Coercion and rape, as you’d expect.
Writing is okay, but this felt like the product of a writing prompt where the writer feels more interested in writing literary things than having enough to say. Motherhood, sexual awakening, imbalance of power, the grossness of powerful men, and countless other topics and themes are all under-explored....more
I just can't with a guy who behaves this way. I liked book one, but this one has far less story and world-building and way more erotica--and erotica tI just can't with a guy who behaves this way. I liked book one, but this one has far less story and world-building and way more erotica--and erotica that is problematic and cringey to boot.
Also, I am pretty fucking tired of hearing about big dicks. ...more
Unremarkable, meandering, hard to muster up enough interest to care what happens to anyone. Structure feels arbitrary, characters barely explored, mysUnremarkable, meandering, hard to muster up enough interest to care what happens to anyone. Structure feels arbitrary, characters barely explored, mystery not very suspenseful, felt far longer than it was, and very very YA despite half of it taking place 10 years later. Why not 1 year later? No one has grown up or apparently done much of anything in the 10. Also, the amount of sisters interfering in their brothers' business feels really weird.
Snorting at the "recommended for fans of Celeste Ng," the "literary suspense" description, and the blurb by the author of The Push in the synopsis. Suuuuure....more
I’ve read hundreds of romances and I’ve never seen any heroine work so hard to excuse inexcusable behavior. Dated, sexist attitudes, doormat martyr heI’ve read hundreds of romances and I’ve never seen any heroine work so hard to excuse inexcusable behavior. Dated, sexist attitudes, doormat martyr heroine, ridiculously weak hero, and some of the worst writing and mannered, stilted dialogue I’ve ever read. Honey, if it’s a betrayal to your vows as you understood them, it’s cheating, even if he didn’t stick his dick into her. (Until after she divorced him, that is.) Ugh.
Also, wtf with the murder trial subplot. No one cares, throw everyone in jail for being so pathetic and annoying....more
Wendy Darling
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Books:
guys-who-are-jerks
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