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sassysmutlover's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve said before I’m not really a shifter romance fan, but when I saw Sandra had done a merman one I had to read it! The call of the sea brought them together. Their marriage was supposed to be in name only, but they were just what each other needed. It’s a journey for both of them to gain each other’s trust and help each other deal with things. Their love is one of the strongest I’ve read in a long time and this one really touches my heart.
Sandra writes some of the best fights scenes and I always look forward to reading them and the underwater scenes in this were amazing. I knew there was going to be more to the deal he made, but I never expected what was coming. I was holding my breath throughout the battle and had no idea what was going to happen.
Phoebe has been through so much in her life that she doesn’t have a judgmental bone in her body. My heart broke for her when she finally told him her story, but it lifted so much off of her to tell it. I loved her right away because she didn’t hide away and did things no other lady would.
Valentine is pulled between two worlds and knows he will have to make a choice one day soon about it. His own story pulls at my heart because he thought he’d never find love after what happened before. I loved him right away because he held no judgment or listened to the rumors. His Irish charms came out with he did his own version of the wedding vows.
This one is packed with the message of self-acceptance and I know it will touch so many readers hearts. Phoebe’s story of what happened may be upsetting to some, but it’s very well written and not graphic.
Sandra writes some of the best fights scenes and I always look forward to reading them and the underwater scenes in this were amazing. I knew there was going to be more to the deal he made, but I never expected what was coming. I was holding my breath throughout the battle and had no idea what was going to happen.
Phoebe has been through so much in her life that she doesn’t have a judgmental bone in her body. My heart broke for her when she finally told him her story, but it lifted so much off of her to tell it. I loved her right away because she didn’t hide away and did things no other lady would.
Valentine is pulled between two worlds and knows he will have to make a choice one day soon about it. His own story pulls at my heart because he thought he’d never find love after what happened before. I loved him right away because he held no judgment or listened to the rumors. His Irish charms came out with he did his own version of the wedding vows.
This one is packed with the message of self-acceptance and I know it will touch so many readers hearts. Phoebe’s story of what happened may be upsetting to some, but it’s very well written and not graphic.
emmelnie's review against another edition
4.0
The story of Val and Phoebe in Adrift with the Viscount reminded me a bit of that O. Henry story, The Gift of the Magi. Val and Phoebe let their fears and insecurities drive them into questionable decisions, and they don’t share those fears and insecurities with one another and must face the consequences of doing that. The latter is understandable; Val and Phoebe wed so she can gain security, and they do so in decidedly rapid fashion as Val is going to sea. That means they really don’t know one another, and the trust needed to share weaknesses has to be gained first. But Val has secrets and dangers facing him that force him, and then Phoebe, to make some foolhardy decisions.
I liked both Val and Phoebe as fundamentally good people with overriding factors that shape their lives and their insecurities. Val is tormented by his half-life as a merman, driven to be in the sea and yet hating the way the merpeople live. While Val’s insecurity is hidden, Phoebe’s is overt—she has a large port-wine mark on her face and chest that has led to fatal consequences for her reputation and how she views herself.
There’s a fair amount of insta-love in Adrift by the Viscount; after consistently saying they’re marrying for convenience only with no carnal relations expected, Val and Phoebe fall into bed and love pretty darned fast. And there are some slight imbalances in tone that threw me off a bit. At first, Phoebe hints at men having damaged her, but when her story is told, it wasn’t half as extensive as I expected from the hints, and she’s able to deal with Val’s physical appeal with a bit too much ease. There are also dangling threads like Phoebe asking to be called Catherine, Val doing it once, and then it disappears. Why things like that are in the book was a mystery to me.
But I loved that Sookoo is writing a fantasy Regency series, and the fundamental decency of Val and Phoebe was inherently appealing. Everybody loves a bit of fairy tale magic in their lives, and Adrift with the Viscount is a fun example of that.
I liked both Val and Phoebe as fundamentally good people with overriding factors that shape their lives and their insecurities. Val is tormented by his half-life as a merman, driven to be in the sea and yet hating the way the merpeople live. While Val’s insecurity is hidden, Phoebe’s is overt—she has a large port-wine mark on her face and chest that has led to fatal consequences for her reputation and how she views herself.
There’s a fair amount of insta-love in Adrift by the Viscount; after consistently saying they’re marrying for convenience only with no carnal relations expected, Val and Phoebe fall into bed and love pretty darned fast. And there are some slight imbalances in tone that threw me off a bit. At first, Phoebe hints at men having damaged her, but when her story is told, it wasn’t half as extensive as I expected from the hints, and she’s able to deal with Val’s physical appeal with a bit too much ease. There are also dangling threads like Phoebe asking to be called Catherine, Val doing it once, and then it disappears. Why things like that are in the book was a mystery to me.
But I loved that Sookoo is writing a fantasy Regency series, and the fundamental decency of Val and Phoebe was inherently appealing. Everybody loves a bit of fairy tale magic in their lives, and Adrift with the Viscount is a fun example of that.
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