My first book by this writer. It was OK but in the end I didn't love it. *shrug*
It's a reprint of a book published over 20 years ago. Not the typicalMy first book by this writer. It was OK but in the end I didn't love it. *shrug*
It's a reprint of a book published over 20 years ago. Not the typical HR writing style I'm used to - it has a very specific, light-hearted kind of tone, and at first I didn't mind it. But for me the book was too long, and it began to drag. I got tired of the author's distinctive voice and tone. It became a little grating- it felt a little artificial and forced. For those who can just go with it though, I'm sure the book would be much more enjoyable than it was for me.
I initially felt the MMC's name of 'Braden' was way too modern, but I had to eat my words when I googled it, to find it's an ancient English/Saxon name. Oops. OK, point to Ms Cabot. LOL.
The plot was decent, although there were a couple of annoying/ridiculous points that had me rolling my eyes a little. (view spoiler)[ It was pretty obvious right from the start who Jackie's lover was - if Braden was really as clever as he was supposed to be, I just couldn't accept that he didn't guess it straight away when he met Caroline just after she witnessed the lovers. This was a major plot point, and it kept annoying me. Also, I wasn't convinced by the later miscommunications, when Braden wouldn't reveal what he knew, because he had 'promised' not to tell, even though it put his relationship with Caroline in jeopardy. It felt a bit silly. His 'sense of honour' just didn't seem reason enough for me. Again, a major plot point that was a stumbling block for me. (hide spoiler)]
A somewhat dated aspect of the book was the number of times that Braden kissed (or petted) Caroline when she said no, but he just kept right on going. Because actually, she really wants it, right? Yeah, no. That trope doesn't work anymore in 2025. (Thank goodness).
So, the read started off well, but as I read on, I grew a bit tired of the writing style and of a couple of weak plot points. I may well be an outlier here, as there are many, many fans of this writer and this book. Perhaps if I'd read it as an uncritical teen, I might have enjoyed it more. It does have a bit of a YA feel, actually, although there are definitely some adult scenes. But I don't think I'll be hunting down and reading anything more by this author. Just not my cup of tea....more
2 to 2.5 stars. An older Carla Kelly book (1998), and not one of her best. I didn't really enjoy this one, and ended up doing some skimming to get to 2 to 2.5 stars. An older Carla Kelly book (1998), and not one of her best. I didn't really enjoy this one, and ended up doing some skimming to get to the revelations near the end, of the secrets everyone seemed to be carrying. The plot was a little convoluted, and the book started to drag for me.
It started off OK. Jane Milton, (or 'Miss Mitten' per her cute nickname) was living with some horrid, posh, bullying relatives. The man next door was an older, wealthy mill owner, Scipio Butterworth, who was looked down on (by the relatives) as he 'smelled of the shop'. Although I dislike the mean relatives trope, it was a decent setup for Jane and the very nice Scipio to fall for each other.
Well, they did fall for each other, but there really wasn't a lot of romance in the book. Too many secrets, too many machinations by unpleasant people, and the back story wasn't very believable. Jane had been caring for her bedridden cousin (who had been wounded at Waterloo) for TEN YEARS before he finally died. OK, that could have happened, but for the purposes of the story, it was way too long. A couple of years would have been more credible and worked better for the story. Jane was revealed as weak for being bossed around by her horrid aunt for so long, instead of standing up for herself. She needed some backbone. And it didn't reflect well on Scipio either. He came across as a little too beta, even though he was supposed to be a driven, self-made businessman. Rhys Winterborne he was not.
If there had been more overt romance and longing, the story would have been way more interesting for me. Too much was left hidden or understated for too long, at the cost of an engaging read. So, not my fav by this author. I should have read more reviews before I started it LOL. Oh well, I have really liked some of Ms. Kelly's books, and will no doubt go on and read more, despite this dud.
This turned out to be a lovely read. My first book by this author, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Although a full-length novThis turned out to be a lovely read. My first book by this author, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Although a full-length novel, it was quite short, and a quick, easy read.
I really liked the author's writing style. Her sentences were sometimes long and a bit convoluted. The grammatical constructions weren't always perfect. There was the odd Americanism or modernism. But in spite of all that, the writing flowed, and it felt fresh and expressive - not clichéd.
The MCs were rather modern for their era, something that I normally don't enjoy in my HR reading. But it worked in this book and didn't grate. The modernity of the MCs felt right in the context of their personalities and pasts. Weston the mmc was an illegitimate half-brother of an English duke. He had been raised in America, in some poverty and deprivation, with neither brother knowing of the existence of the other. Weston was a bit rough around the edges, and didn't really fit into posh English society. A clever mathematician and engineer, he was a self-made man.
Penelope the mfc was an earl's daughter who had come down in the world, due to poverty and a past scandal. She was a few years older than Weston (29 to his 25), but it didn't matter in the least. They met when Penny was tasked (for payment) with helping Weston negotiate the fussy ways of upper-crust English society. I liked that Penny owned her past - her mind didn't shy away from her bold behaviour when she was younger. She accepted herself as she was, shortcomings and all. Penny was also a talented painter, in the semi-abstract style of JMW Turner.
The story moved fairly quickly, with both MCs accepting that they were attracted, then in love with, the other. There were minimal miscommunications, and it ended with a sweet epilogue. I liked the way that Weston's initial distance from his noble half-brother developed throughout the story into a genuine fraternal liking and respect between them. The book is fairly steamy, so be warned if that's not your preference.
This book is part of a series (The Rake Review) loosely themed around months of the year, with this one being December. The idea of The Rake Review itself is a pretty silly one IMO, but luckily, not too much was made of it in this book. The books in the series are written by various authors, and I will have a look and see whether I want to read any of the others. This one worked well as a stand alone, although there is a prequel novella, Chasing the Duke by this author, about Weston's brother, that I intend to go back and read. I will also check out Sumner's backlist. Yay for finding a new-to-me HR author that I like....more
3 to 3.5 stars. Another Royal Navy romance from Carla Kelly. The MFC Eleanor, is known as 'Nana'. (Ugh! I hate the name. Sounds like my elderly grandm3 to 3.5 stars. Another Royal Navy romance from Carla Kelly. The MFC Eleanor, is known as 'Nana'. (Ugh! I hate the name. Sounds like my elderly grandmother rather than a young romance heroine!) Nana is an illegitimate daughter of the unpleasant Lord Ratliffe. He tries to 'sell' her to the highest bidder, so she runs away to her grandmother who manages an inn in Plymouth. Here she encounters the good Captain Oliver Worthy of the Royal Navy, and of course they fall in love. Nana, being illegitimate, feels she might hold the captain's career back, but he is able to persuade her they should marry, and they do.
There are a few spy-themed shenanigans, and some further unpleasant facts revealed about Nana's father. The romance aspect between Oliver and Nana was nice. The later section of the book looked like it was going to be a bit ridiculous and unbelievable, but luckily the book was saved by the twists and turns of the plot.
On the whole I have been enjoying Ms Kelly's stories about navy heroes of the Napoleonic era and the women who love them. I did enjoy this one, although not quite as much as some of Ms Kelly's other books. It felt a little flat in parts, and I took a break before going back and finishing it. I still intend to keep reading them though, even though IMO this wasn't her best one....more
3.5 stars. I enjoyed this earlier book by Long. It had some of her trademark humour with some cute banter and funny scenes. (The 'Reading' dresses wer3.5 stars. I enjoyed this earlier book by Long. It had some of her trademark humour with some cute banter and funny scenes. (The 'Reading' dresses were classic.) The MCs were both likeable characters.
I didn't really love the overall trope, however, with the heroine being an actual thief. Yes, she had reasons, but still, she lived in a slum building where a prostitute lived, and she was a criminal. But somehow she ended up marrying an aristocrat. I'm conventional enough to feel uncomfortable about her criminality, and for me that trope is always a hard sell. Still, Long gave it a jolly good try, and you did feel their love was genuine. How Gideon would have lived with the later scandal is somewhat glossed over though. It was a little bit like a fairy tale, and I never felt totally convinced.
Still, putting all that aside, the hero was lovely. He had a grand plan for his life, which included marrying an heiress and gaining some political influence. But underneath it all, he was a caring person who made a difference in the lives of others. And of course, ultimately, he just couldn't cold-bloodedly marry the supercilious Clara, and gave up his big plan in favour of his true lerve. So, unbelievable, but nice.
3.5 stars. Jerusha, a vicar's daughter, was raised as a (minor) member of the upper classes, and when she married a humble Navy surgeon, her snobbish 3.5 stars. Jerusha, a vicar's daughter, was raised as a (minor) member of the upper classes, and when she married a humble Navy surgeon, her snobbish family considers her to have lowered herself. But Jerusha fell in love with Jamie Wilson when she was volunteering at a naval hospital, during the Napoleonic wars. Even working at the hospital was considered beneath her, so she does her work there in secret, until the truth comes out, and the posh aunt she is staying with has a 'hissy fit'.
But Jerusha feels a calling to help the wounded sailors in the hospital. In other times, she would have been a nurse or a doctor, but at the turn of the nineteenth century, these options weren't open to her. And she bravely marries Jamie, despite her selfish family's feelings.
Because it's wartime, Jerusha and Jamie have little time together before he is called to sea. Through a set of (slightly unbelievable) circumstances, Jerusha ends up on Jamie's ship during the Battle of Trafalgar, one of England's greatest ever sea victories. This section of the book is a bit grim and bloody, but at the same time it was very interesting to have an 'inside' view of the famous battle. The writing tended a little towards the jingoistic, but compassion was shown towards the enemy (the French) as well as celebrating England's glorious moment. It was quite moving at times, actually. The focus (in fact of the whole book) was very much on the ordinary people who went to war, not on the officers and admirals so much.
The book finishes as England celebrates its victory, while mourning the loss of their revered 'little admiral' (Nelson, who died during the battle). There is a kind of reconciliation between Jerusha and her mother. The reader is left knowing that the war is not yet over, but Jerusha and Jamie have a strong bond, and you believe their relationship will last the distance. Overall it was a good read, although there were some sad and somewhat confronting scenes at times throughout the book. Jerusha's family were horrible, but once the plot moved on from that, it picked up. I liked the historical background, and it had the feel of realism, unlike some other HRs which sometimes just feel like modern women in long frocks.
3.5 stars. I spotted this on KU and borrowed it because I have liked some of the author's other books. I did not realise it was a sequel, but fortunat3.5 stars. I spotted this on KU and borrowed it because I have liked some of the author's other books. I did not realise it was a sequel, but fortunately it didn't seem to matter overly much and it stood alone OK. I might go back at some point and read the other books in the series.
Avery is the daughter of a gamekeeper, and yet somehow she ends up married to a marquess. Hmmm. OK. Not my fav trope really, but the author pulled it off OK. I liked the brainy and insightful Avery, with her kind and loving personality and her strong interest in astronomy. I also quite liked Strand. As an idealistic young man, he had desperately wanted to fight for England in the war, but his father forbade it. For a while he became a bit of a wastrel, until he was targeted by government agents to become a spy, which he apparently did quite well, but is now semi-retired from that.
The plot of the book has a bit of a mystery, with Strand keen to find a friend and his wife who have disappeared. (I now realise these are probably characters from an earlier book LOL). There is also another key storyline, about Avery dressing as a young man so she can seek recognition for her discoveries in the field of astronomy. The cross-dressing secret identity stretched credulity a little, but as a reader I went with it, and I did enjoy most of the book overall.
I felt the ending was a bit rushed. It kind of tried to fit too much in, yet at the same time left some threads hanging. I was left feeling unclear, wondering what exactly had happened, and went back to reread some pages again. And even then, I still wasn't really satisfied. (view spoiler)[And after all the searching for the lost friends, they were never to be found???? Noooo...... (hide spoiler)]
Still, I liked the relationship that grew between Avery and Strand, and thought they were well-suited despite the class difference. So overall, a decent read, if not my fav by this author....more
3.5 to 4 stars. Susan has grown-up in the upper echelons of society, but her father has gambled everything away, and her mother is dead. So she decide3.5 to 4 stars. Susan has grown-up in the upper echelons of society, but her father has gambled everything away, and her mother is dead. So she decides to strike out on her own and find a life. She leaves London to take a position in the country as a companion to Lady Bushnell, an older widow of a military hero from the Peninsular War.
David Wiggins, Lady Bushnell's bailiff, is a former sergeant from the war, who grew up in a workhouse. He and Susan are from completely different classes. But they recognise in each other a person of honesty, integrity and worth. This is one of the appealing things about Carla Kelly's writing for me. Her MCs are people you like and can respect, and you really want them to get their HEA.
I liked the realistic historical background e.g. Lady Bushnell's very real, lingering grief over the loss of family members to the war - all she has left are some old letters and a medal. And her memories. Another example: the believable reactions of Susan's London relatives when they find out Susan is going to marry a poor, lowly farmer!! Shock, horror!!
The romance in this book was nicely done, and did not feel rushed. Overall, another enjoyable read from Carla Kelly.
An enjoyable Brockway read with a classic enemies to lovers scenario. I liked the way the plot unrolled, beginning with both protagonists being placedAn enjoyable Brockway read with a classic enemies to lovers scenario. I liked the way the plot unrolled, beginning with both protagonists being placed in a difficult position, forcing them to vie for future ownership of an inheritance. Then they exchange snarky but heartfelt letters, gradually getting to know each other each other. The letters section wasn't overdone, but handled nicely by the author.
Both MCs were interesting and appealing characters. When Avery returns from his travels and actually meets Lily in person, they start to fall for each other. But what's nice about this book is that the letters came first, and they have already begun to fall for each other's minds and personalities before they ever actually meet (despite being 'enemies').
There are some lovely humorous moments in Brockway's trademark style. There is also a 'found family' feel to the book, with various needy secondary characters gathering together at Mill House as the story develops.
An engrossing story with unconventional characters, that kept me engaged right to the end. Nice....more
3.5 to 4 stars for Joan and Thaddeus. Final book in the series. Although Joan is a much-loved and acknowledged duke's daughter, she is illegitimate, d3.5 to 4 stars for Joan and Thaddeus. Final book in the series. Although Joan is a much-loved and acknowledged duke's daughter, she is illegitimate, due to her mother the (then) duchess having a mad affair and running off with her Prussian lover (Joan's natural father) when Joan was a tiny baby. No spoilers - this is all well known from previous books in the series.
Joan is lovely and has lots of interest from men, but she knows she'll never marry high due to her infamous birth/background. Joan also loves the theatre and acting, and is confident she is very good at acting.
Enter into the scene the serious and repressed viscount, Thaddeus. As their mutual attraction slowly builds, we see both characters growing and developing. Joan gets her chance to act in a breeches role, as Hamlet. She discovers that (view spoiler)[ in fact she doesn't actually like acting as much as she thought, and learns to let go of her childish daydreams of becoming a professional actress.
Thaddeus gradually reveals his story to Joan, whom he is learning to trust. His father is a dreadful man who is trying to disinherit Thaddeus in favour of his more beloved illegitimate half-brother. Whilst this storyline was fine, I did not enjoy the melodramatic and OTT scenes near the end, with Thaddeus' dying father. This section all felt a bit silly to me, actually. I think this storyline could have concluded in a better way. (hide spoiler)]
There were some lovely scenes in this book, with some beautiful writing. Sadly, there were also a couple of sections that didn't work as well for me, (see spoiler) and that took my enjoyment of the book down a notch. Overall however, I liked it. I have liked the whole journey with the duke and his numerous children through the Wilde series, with its gorgeous Georgian settings and costumes. For me personally, the Desperate Duchesses series was more engaging, but this series was still well worth a read....more
3.5 stars. This is a low-key, slow-moving, second chance romance of a 50-year-old man and a 49-year old woman. It was quite emotional in parts. The ki3.5 stars. This is a low-key, slow-moving, second chance romance of a 50-year-old man and a 49-year old woman. It was quite emotional in parts. The kind of story to savour slowly rather than race through to see what happens. Not everyone's cup of tea, I imagine.
Not a lot actually happens, and there is really no antagonist or any dramatic action. It's more a story of a middle-aged widow whose children have grown-up, seeking some solitude from her hectic life in order to find herself and some inner peace. Clarissa meets up again with Matthew, who she loved as a 17-year-old, although she barely recognised that at the time. She chose instead to make a more exciting marriage to a glamorous aristocrat, who has now been dead for five years.
Matthew was a slightly wild and rebellious young man, and throughout the book we see his backstory and his journey to find his own inner peace. Now a mature man who knows himself, but he still has some past family rifts to heal.
Clarissa and Matthew's friendship and relationship begins to redevelop, causing village gossip, and some angst and anxiety from Clarissa's grown children. Matthew, although born a gentleman, is now the village carpenter, and a talented wood carver. Not an appropriate partner for the Dowager Countess of Stratton.
So the scene is set for the gradual growth of their relationship. Although there are some sweet and emotional moments, because of the lack of an antagonist in the story, with no real baddie to cause mayhem or drama, those moments weren't as powerful for me as in some of Balogh's past books. I did enjoy the read overall, but the pace was perhaps a little too slow for me, and the story not quite as engaging due to the lack of drama. I don't mind a romance about more mature protagonists, but overall it was just a bit too low-stakes for me to give 4 full stars.
I did like the cover of this edition, with Matthew and Clarissa standing beneath a tree. This reflected a key scene from the story, and was an appealing image. Not a cliche cover. Nice....more
3.5 stars for this one. It started out not that great, but fortunately get better as it went on, till by the end was quite enjoyable. Set in England i3.5 stars for this one. It started out not that great, but fortunately get better as it went on, till by the end was quite enjoyable. Set in England in the late 1800s.
At first, as the characters and plot were being established, it was a little confusing to work out who was who and what was what. I wasn't too keen on the heroine Letty once I realised she had been involved in (petty) criminal activities, and was planning more. Yeah I get she needed to survive, and was also being bullied by the unpleasant Nick, but still, not my fav for a romantic HR heroine. But more was later revealed of her past, which made it easier to swallow for me. Her actions during the book also helped redeem her, till by the end I quite liked her.
Elliot, the fine upstanding ex-soldier magistrate, was easier to like, although somehow his character didn't seem to be as vividly drawn as some of Ms Brockway's other heroes in books of hers that I have read. Still, I liked him, and it was nice to see how he fell for Letty, showing her his true inner feelings rather than just the serious front he habitually wore in public.
As usual with Ms Brockway's books, the secondary characters were interesting and well-drawn, including Elliot's father Atticus, and the servant Cabot with his intriguing back story. The matchmaking efforts were fun.
There was a very funny set piece with a croquet game and a jealous competitor. I actually enjoyed it much more than the famous croquet scene from Julia Quinn's The Viscount Who Loved Me. (Bridgertons). Interestingly, both books appear to have been published at the same time, so apparently it must be just a coincidence, and not an example of one of the authors borrowing from another's ideas.
I liked the way Ms. Brockway handled the ending. It could easily have been too 'pat', but she'd thought it through and it worked quite well. The final scene was lovely, and well-deserved for both of them. Overall, an enjoyable read, although not my fav by this author (and IMO not as good as the second Wedding Planner book)....more
Probably my least fav out of this quartet. I really liked the first book, And Then He Kissed Her, but sadly, none of the others have lived up to that Probably my least fav out of this quartet. I really liked the first book, And Then He Kissed Her, but sadly, none of the others have lived up to that one. For me, this one was OK, but I had to kinda force myself to finish it, which isn't a good sign in a book.
I didn't mind the class difference trope. A duke marrying a seamstress? Hmmm. But she had unexpectedly become a huge heiress. Also, it was set in 1895, when the world was changing, and the aristocracy perhaps weren't quite so hidebound as in earlier times? So the basic storyline was believable enough for me to buy into it.
I think it was the characters that didn't really grab me. Rhys had a sad past, and his relationship with his mother was permanently damaged as a result. OK. But his behaviour towards Prudence was unscrupulous and downright sneaky. He was attracted to her, yes, but he was basically out to get her money. So I didn't really enjoy their scenes together. As a reader, it was unclear how much of it was just a conniving act.
Prudence was genuine in the way she fell in love with Rhys, but I felt sad for her incredible naivety, when you knew he was just after her money. It wasn't till quite late in the book that the scales fell from Prudence's eyes, and Rhys had to really work hard to win her back. It took a long time for him to realise he was in love too, and to trust Prudence enough to tell her the truth about himself. Sadly, for me, it was too late for this book. By that point I wasn't really engaged with the characters or their relationship, so Rhys making things right at the end didn't really satisfy me as a reader that much.
So overall it was an OK read, but not Ms Guhrke's best, and a disappointment after the quality read of the first book.
3.5 stars. A light, enjoyable and quick read. Maria and Phillip spent quite a lot of time as enemies, with Phillip in particular finding himself, as a3.5 stars. A light, enjoyable and quick read. Maria and Phillip spent quite a lot of time as enemies, with Phillip in particular finding himself, as a marquess, unable to seriously pursue a woman who was a 'mere' cook. Maria was more 'modern' in her outlook (it's set in 1895) and didn't see their differences as such a problem. But Phillip, always the proper gentleman, took longer to give in and admit he was in love with Maria.
A couple of plot points didn't fully gel with me. (view spoiler)[The coincidence of Maria finding the perfect shop to rent which was literally next door to her childhood frenemy Phillip. And Lawrence, who'd been in America for years, was living there too, having just arrived back in England a week earlier. Yeah, very convenient for the plot. The scene with Maria and the other girl bachelors and friends later in the book seemed a little unbelievable to me too. Why would she admit Phillip had asked her to marry him to this disparate group of older and younger ladies, some of whom she hardly knew? Hmmm. It felt unlikely. Also, Phillip's realisation he couldn't live without Maria felt very abrupt, and his established behaviour for most of the book was flipped on its head a little too suddenly for me. And in the series as a whole, Maria is the third (out of three) to marry a titled aristocrat, way above her class. Yes, it happened, probably more frequently as the twentieth century approached. But three out of three feels a bit too contrived by the writer. (hide spoiler)]
Oh well, in spite of these minor reservations that kept me from giving 4 full stars, I still enjoyed the read overall. I have one more to go in the quartet, which I will probably read at some point. ...more
3.5 to 4 stars. Quite an enjoyable read, with a different plot line that I quite liked. Set in the very early years of the twentieth century. A young 3.5 to 4 stars. Quite an enjoyable read, with a different plot line that I quite liked. Set in the very early years of the twentieth century. A young lady from a poor background in USA's Deep South has become extremely rich after the father who had abandoned his family died, and left his estranged daughter his very lucrative gold mines. Annabel is from the wrong side of the tracks, and although she can now afford to wear Worth gowns and diamond jewellery, she is still rejected by Manhattan's snobby elite.
Annabel becomes engaged for a marriage of convenience with an English earl. Neither loves the other, but that's not why they are marrying. Unfortunately Annabel doesn't know quite how repulsive the earl really is behind his smooth facade.
I like the way the plot unfolded, with the wedding to the earl an epic fail, and a new relationship developing with the much more appealing Christian, a rakish, widowed English duke. But Annabel is holding out for love this time, and there are a few challenges before she and Christian find their HEA.
The trope of the American heiress and the titled Englishman falling in love has of course been done before. It happened in real life often enough, though not always for reasons of love LOL. But I liked the way the author tackled the theme, and her characters weren't just cardboard cutouts. It was an appealing story, with an ocean voyage and some memorable scenes.
This was the October 2024 BOTM for Historical Romance Book Club, theme "Twentieth Century".
3.5 to 4 stars. An enjoyable HR set mostly in London in the 1830s. A little far fetched that an earl would marry a dressmaker (in the last book her si3.5 to 4 stars. An enjoyable HR set mostly in London in the 1830s. A little far fetched that an earl would marry a dressmaker (in the last book her sister married a duke!). But apart from that stretch of the imagination, it felt historically convincing, with no jarring modernisms. Chase writes confidently and with occasional touches of humour and sarcasm that I enjoy. There was some very funny banter between our lovers.
I liked Sophy, with her contradictory innocence and at the same time, clever cynicism. I also liked Longmore, big and sexy, on the surface seemingly a little 'slow' in the brains department, but yet clearly not. He and Sophy were perfectly suited. Chase wrote her characters engagingly and well.
Part of the book was a road trip, which isn't my fav HR trope. Fortunately for me it didn't consume the whole book, but moved on to further plot developments. At that point it became a little reminiscent of Georgette Heyer's lovely book Black Sheep, with (view spoiler)[a plan to remove a greedy and unsuitable suitor for Longmore's sister by tempting him away with a beautiful (and fake) rich widow, who dumped him once the plan succeeded. (hide spoiler)] It wasn't too similar to Heyer to be annoying, though.
Overall, another well-written and enjoyable HR from Chase, with likeable characters. I will definitely go on and read the next one in the quartet :)...more
3.5 stars. I enjoyed my first book by this author, although I had a couple of reservations as well. I'm a bit late to the party, as it seems Ms Jimene3.5 stars. I enjoyed my first book by this author, although I had a couple of reservations as well. I'm a bit late to the party, as it seems Ms Jimenez' books are very popular. I'm certainly happy to now read some more of hers.
I liked the basic trope. I could see how damaged Alexis was from her upbringing with toxic parents, and her unpleasant toxic ex. Daniel is a breath of fresh air for her, and I enjoyed how he was a genuinely good guy, who genuinely saw Alexis and liked her as she was, without the ridiculous expectations she carried from her family background. The older-woman-younger-man thing wasn't a problem.
Sadly I did start to feel at times that Daniel was a just a bit 'too' good. He was so super nice and everybody loved him and he could (and did) do everything in his little town. The section where he (view spoiler)[sent a dick pic to Alexis (hide spoiler)] felt completely out of character and seemed a rather odd inclusion by the author. Perhaps she was trying to portray as him as not so perfect after all, but for me it just felt jarring.
I also started to feel the town itself was too perfect. Apart from the unpleasant Jake, everyone was so nice and kind and caring and supportive and.... yeah. Not really believable. It wasn't till I got to the end and read some of the writer's notes that I fully picked up on the Disneyesque references. Yeah, I know the song the book's title is from, but I just didn't connect the dots with the rest till too late. If I'd realised earlier, I might have gone with the flow a bit more. The 'almost magic' bits mightn't have felt so jarring and ridiculous to me. Oh well. I get it now, LOL.
Apart from that, I did get a little frustrated at times with Alexis' ongoing reluctance to commit to Daniel. In the later sections, it started to feel a bit draggy to me. Come on, already. We get it.
The ending was a decent, if somewhat overly simplified, solution to the situation. It was a satisfying way to finish. So overall, I liked the book and I can see why Ms Jimenez's work is so popular. I plan to go on and read more....more
This was an okay read for me. It did start out quite well, with a charming hero and some light, humorous touches, although from the beginning I wasn'tThis was an okay read for me. It did start out quite well, with a charming hero and some light, humorous touches, although from the beginning I wasn't really on board with the highway man thing. It just didn't feel, believable to me that (view spoiler)[(1) Jack was a highwayman, but a good-hearted one of course! Hmmm. To me highway robbery is simply criminal, and books such as this that romanticise it in a fantasy-like manner annoy me. (2) Jack happily dumped his highwayman ways and we hardly heard anything of them again. None of his former comrades tried to get in touch or blackmail him of course. (3) Jack, a dyslexic former criminal, became a duke, highest title below a prince, and according to the epilogue, did a fine job of it. Again, hmmm. He married a woman outside the aristocracy, but of course she was doing a fine job as duchess too. (hide spoiler)]
So although this book will appeal to many, personally it's not my preferred style of HR read. Too many frankly unbelievable aspects that kept pulling me out of the story. For those readers happy to simply go with the flow, it's a decent enough romance with a little mystery. It did drag a bit for me in the middle, and I found it a bit repetitive in parts, so I did some skimming. But I did finish the read. I can't give more than 3 stars, though.
This was a June 2024 BOTM for Historical Romance Book Club, for the theme 'Irish'....more
3.5 stars. Quite a nice read set in the late Victorian Age, at the very end of the nineteenth century. Set mostly in a posh London hotel, the Savoy, w3.5 stars. Quite a nice read set in the late Victorian Age, at the very end of the nineteenth century. Set mostly in a posh London hotel, the Savoy, where both Simon and Delia work. He has been appointed as 'the new broom that sweeps clean', to investigate why the hotel is losing money and to fire any corrupt staff. As he begins to fall for Delia, his frustration builds, because he's signed a non-disclosure type agreement and is not allowed to tell her (or anyone else) what he's really doing there.
So it sets up a nice little scenario where there's a slow-burn romance developing between Delia and Simon, but at the same time, she is under suspicion as being possibly corrupt.
Simon and Delia are both likeable and honourable characters. There is a class difference, as Delia is a toff, but Simon only recently came into a title, and originally he came from a very humble background. The romance was a little too slow-burn for my preference, but otherwise it was nicely done. Readers understand that Delia is clearly innocent, but it's by no means certain how the mystery side of the story will be resolved.
An interesting aspect of the book is that some of the secondary characters are actual historical people, including the famous hotelier Cesar Ritz ("putting on the ritz") and the famous chef Escoffier. I wondered about some of the events involving them, but the author's note at the end explains that this part was based on real historical events and facts. Who knew? (Clearly, not me!)
So overall a decent read. Apparently there's a third book in the series coming out next year (2025), I assume a second-chance romance about Simon's friend Devlin, and Delia's friend Kay. I will probably read it too.
Diana and North's story. They were once engaged but didn't really know each other as real people, and the engagement was broken off. Now a couple of yDiana and North's story. They were once engaged but didn't really know each other as real people, and the engagement was broken off. Now a couple of years later, they have their second chance, and this time they really see each other as they are.
North is the heir to the dukedom, and this forms a central part of the storyline, as Diana believes she will not make a good (future) duchess, and that North needs to marry a different kind of woman. I liked that North accepted he was in love with Diana, and was prepared to be patient and allow her to make her own decisions and do things in her own time, rather than try to crowd her or overpower her. (view spoiler)[I also liked the way the ending is left a little open, so we don't really know whether North is giving up his position as heir or not, but will let it work itself out in time. (hide spoiler)]
The children in this story (Artie and Godfrey) were appealing and believable. Some writers don't seem to write young children very convincingly, but James does a good job here, and the children's stories really add to this book.
I liked North's military background too. His difficult experiences in the American Revolutionary War make his character a richer and a more interesting one for readers.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book. I got into it more than the first book, and I'm now hooked on the Wildes and want to read all of their books. Next up I'm going to the prequel, My Last Duchess, about North's father the duke, and stepmother Ophelia....more