Thank you so much to Avon and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
After absolutely falliThank you so much to Avon and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
After absolutely falling in love with We Could Be So Good, this was instantly a 5 star prediction for 2024. And not a single page disappointed.
Cat Sebastian has quickly become my favorite historical romance author and this highlighted exactly why.
We're following 2 disaster heroes who are dealing with some really heavy things in their own lives - the loss of a partner and sudden move/change of team. And neither are coping well.
When Mark is forced to write the diary articles following Eddie, the 2 total opposites are pushed together and form an unlikely bond. And immediate attraction.
Not only is Cat Sebastian's writing impeccable, but it's so easy to get lost in. There is something completely transportive about her stories - no matter what time period she's writing in.
The characters in here are absolutely disasters, sometimes unlikely, yet somehow entirely charming. Eddie is rough around the edges but you can't help but want to protect him from all the hard things in life. While Mark is closed off and emotionally unavailable. Together they force each other out of their heads.
But I think what I loved most about this romance was the building, slow burn tension between the characters. Eddie hacks away at Mark's walls so slowly, that Mark doesn't even notice until he's entirely gone for him.
Between late night phone calls, dog walks, drinks, and stolen glances in the locker room - the tension is unreal by the time these two final admit their feelings.
There is also a semi-forbidden nature to their romance since in the 1960's it was still dangerous to be openly queer. Which Cat Sebastian addressed expertly.
This is definitely one of those romances where an HEA feels impossible until it happens. And I quite literally cried when it did. ...more
Thank you so much to Berkley, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for providing advanced copies of this book! All thought and opinions are still my own.
This seriThank you so much to Berkley, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for providing advanced copies of this book! All thought and opinions are still my own.
This series is an all-time favorite and I never want it to end. I've fallen so in love with Stoker and Veronica and this book just cemented that further.
Like with every Veronica Speedwell book, this can definitely be read as a standalone. While you miss some history of the MCs relationship, the mystery elements stand completely on their own, and any relevant points from past mysteries are explained/wrapped up at the beginning of each book.
And this was such a fun mystery! Like with any mystery, I've preferred some more than others throughout this series. And this one was definitely a favorite. I love how this series explores the many facets of women (and honestly anyone "othered"), during a time when people were expecting to fit into neat little boxes.
Despite loving all of that, my favorite aspect of this book was the character development. Or more precisely, getting to see how much these 2 characters have grown since book. Veronica is still feisty and hard headed, but learning her limitations. Stoker is learning how to protect without holding Veronica back. They're both learning to accept help and that other people may have useful skills after all. And their romance ... be still my beating heart.
There were so many passages that left me absolutely swooning. These two love each other so fiercely and I adore them.
I really hope we continue to get more and more Veronica Speedwell books. Because I would read this series forever.
Thank you so much to Berkley Romance, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for providing advanced copies of this! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
I reaThank you so much to Berkley Romance, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for providing advanced copies of this! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
I really enjoyed Harper St. George's debut series and was excited to check out this spinoff. Historical is definitely not my most read subgenere, but I loved interconnected series like this.
Unfortunately this one wasn't my favorite. However! I actually quite liked the romance aspect itself.
In this we are following a young woman who needs to marry someone with a title in order to get an inheritance from the father & family that never claimed her as their own. So she strikes up a deal with an Earl who needs the money she can bring to the marriage.
I love a good marriage of convenience romance. The forced proximity aspect just brings such good tension to the romance.
And I really enjoyed this couples chemistry together. I loved the stolen nights in her room, faking the consummation, tense carriage rides... all of it was top tier.
But this book had - quite literally - zero plot. There was nothing driving this story forward. Instead it was 300+ pages of these 2 characters getting to know each other.
They are together from the very beginning. No big drama, just a quick marriage of convenience. And from there it is sharing secrets, meeting the family, attending dinners, and long talks.
While I love a slow, character driven story, this needed something. Because at the end of this book I was left feeling like there was no point to this story. There was no end goal they were working towards. Nothing they needed to overcome. It was just... a play by play of the first few months of their marriage.
Not sure if I'll continue on with this series. Not because I think it's bad. But because it's a genre I reach for so infrequently, and I don't think this series will intrigue me enough to reach for in the future.
Thank you so much to Forever and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
I absolutely adored the Thank you so much to Forever and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
I absolutely adored the first book in this series and I couldn't wait to get my hands on the sequel! And it definitely did not disappoint. This series is just so easy to love - even for non-seasoned historical readers.
Felicia Grossman's stories feel unique and fresh while still hitting plenty of fan favorite beats in the genre.
This is a lose, gender-bent Snow White retelling. (From what I understand each book while be a different gender bent twist on a fairytale).
Our hero was raised by his brother after losing both parents very young. Now as adults, he feels indebted for all his brother has done, and wants nothing more than to help him reach his goals.
But he also can't help but fall for the feisty, ostracized woman he meets while escaping a robbery. Putting him in the difficult place of fighting for what he wants, or helping the brother that raised him.
This story (and series) features so much Jewish culture and history. It's a side of Victorian London we don't often get to see in this genre and I can't get enough. Felicia Grossman seamlessly integrates the history into her stories, making it not just a setting or side note, but a focal point.
There were so many themes of community, obligation, inequality, classism, antisemitism, and more. And all of this was handled expertly in my opinion.
But none of it overpowered their romance. The heroine is the definition of reluctant while the hero is gone for her early on. And while he may have fallen early, this did an amazing job making you wonder and question how they could make their romance work.
The stakes were real and seemingly insurmountable.
I know absolutely nothing about the next book, but it's already on my most anticipated list....more