onceinabluemoon88's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
mimiathereader's review against another edition
I just lost interest and never returned to it. I think part of it was that I didn't like the narrator.
katmandz's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
leslie_books_and_socks_rock's review against another edition
5.0
This is my first book by Keyes and I loved it! She did a great job with characters that felt real.
Kate is going through the motions of another season with her aunt. A certain gentleman proposes an improper relationship and Kate looks to escape his company. She accepts a dance from a gentleman and they were never properly introduced! He said his name is William. Not even knowing his last name, she fairly forgets about him.
A long lost childhood friend, Clara Crofte, finds her at a ball and invites her to stay at Wyndcross set in Dorset. Strange happenings are going on in Dorset and even Wyndcross Manor. Kate’s trust in others and her future grow smaller during her stay.
Lots of suspense and intrigue that kept me reading. And swoon worthy at the end.
Kate is going through the motions of another season with her aunt. A certain gentleman proposes an improper relationship and Kate looks to escape his company. She accepts a dance from a gentleman and they were never properly introduced! He said his name is William. Not even knowing his last name, she fairly forgets about him.
A long lost childhood friend, Clara Crofte, finds her at a ball and invites her to stay at Wyndcross set in Dorset. Strange happenings are going on in Dorset and even Wyndcross Manor. Kate’s trust in others and her future grow smaller during her stay.
Lots of suspense and intrigue that kept me reading. And swoon worthy at the end.
bookswithnopictures's review
3.0
Precursor: three stars means I liked it.
I think it had great potential, had some good dialogue, and was witty. The hero is swoon worthy and I love a klutzy heroine -they're so relatable!
What I didn't love: this book needed a stronger editor. I'm not a huge fan of uncommonly used words repeated multiple times (eg. postulate) within a story. I find the repetition distracting. I also couldn't stand one of the supporting characters. I'm sure he was written that way intentionally, however I got to the point where I wanted to skip parts he was in. I don't mean this to sound negative (I'm thinking I'm failing).
I would definitely read this author again as the good weighs out what doesn't quite work for me.
I think it had great potential, had some good dialogue, and was witty. The hero is swoon worthy and I love a klutzy heroine -they're so relatable!
What I didn't love: this book needed a stronger editor. I'm not a huge fan of uncommonly used words repeated multiple times (eg. postulate) within a story. I find the repetition distracting. I also couldn't stand one of the supporting characters. I'm sure he was written that way intentionally, however I got to the point where I wanted to skip parts he was in. I don't mean this to sound negative (I'm thinking I'm failing).
I would definitely read this author again as the good weighs out what doesn't quite work for me.
amandapayne's review against another edition
3.0
New author to me. Enjoyed it very much when I needed a Bubble Bath Book.
shyfroglet's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
karenthornell's review
5.0
I came across Martha Keyes thanks to Kindle Unlimited and I am so grateful for that! She crafts intriguing stories that draw you in, and she has a special knack for writing interactions between main characters that feel real and entertaining. This book had a premise based on smuggling and the ending was a tad dramatic and reminded me slightly of a Julie Daines book I have read but I'm still giving it five stars because it blew me away regardless and I intend to buy a physical copy for my shelves!
Kate was a very admirable character. She was kind to her core but also rather stubborn. She was also fairly extroverted in that she seemed capable of conversing well with others and making them feel at ease. William was funny and charming and I just adored his character. The interactions between the two of them really made me laugh out loud at times, and I even read the ending to my husband and earned laughter from him and that is a total WIN haha! The author also did a fantastic job building secondary characters throughout the book and I'm really looking forward to reading about many of them in future books!
Keyes gave just enough information to keep you guessing through the book, and though I do think William should have informed Kate of his involvement (due to his knowledge of her hatred of smuggling), I still appreciated the twists and turns in the plot due to that omission.
Kate was a very admirable character. She was kind to her core but also rather stubborn. She was also fairly extroverted in that she seemed capable of conversing well with others and making them feel at ease. William was funny and charming and I just adored his character. The interactions between the two of them really made me laugh out loud at times, and I even read the ending to my husband and earned laughter from him and that is a total WIN haha! The author also did a fantastic job building secondary characters throughout the book and I'm really looking forward to reading about many of them in future books!
Keyes gave just enough information to keep you guessing through the book, and though I do think William should have informed Kate of his involvement (due to his knowledge of her hatred of smuggling), I still appreciated the twists and turns in the plot due to that omission.
melissasbookshelf's review
4.0
Loved this first book in the Families of Dorset series! I enjoy authors who can combine humor, romance, and mystery to great effect. This story has so many twists and turns with characters who aren't necessarily all that they seem. Kate is a spunky heroine who is determined to marry for love and not rely on her step-father for her future. She is been lowered in society because her step-father though wealthy is in trade. She has one half-hearted offer of marriage and another scandalous proposal, but when a mysterious stranger whom she meets at a ball shows up in the same neighborhood as Wyndcross manor where she is staying, she wonders if maybe she can still hope for true love. Unfortunately, her friend is also vying for the gentleman's attentions and it seems a done deal. With a swoon worthy hero, some cutthroat smugglers and mysterious goings on, this story makes for a hard to put down page turner! Looking forward to the second book in the series! It's currently available as a Prime Read on Amazon and I highly recommend reading it before it disappears.