hnatola's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ccgwalt's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 (B-) Rounded up because the writing is good.
Redeeming the Reclusive Earl is proving a difficult book for me to rate and review. It's a good book that didn't quite work for me, but laying out the reasons why seems like overkill. This is the first book I've read by Virginia Heath and I enjoyed her writing. I also liked both the lead characters and enjoyed the light humor in the book. So as I lay out the reasons for it not quite working, I don't want to seem overly critical. All-in-all this is a good book and I don't want to take the handful of little niggles and make them more than they are.
My little niggles:
The biggest off note of the story for me with the abrupt tone changes between a story of a tortured hero with PTSD, and the light-hearted, sometimes almost (never completely) farcical humor. Max is severely scarred from burns and internally scarred by the reaction of his former fiancee and others to his looks. He's angry, depressed, and, if Effie is to be believed, "wallowing in self-pity." Effie is a lonely antiquarian with an eidetic (photographic) memory for facts and an absentminded professor air about her. We switch between Max trying to shut the world out, and Effie crashing through his barriers with an abstracted air mixed with an unbelievable amount of self-confidence that she's right. (That part bothered me.) The mix of an angry, hurting Max and an absentminded elf wearing mismatched boots hit a wrong note with me at times.
Combined with the uneven tone, there were barely fleshed out secondary characters and a somewhat predictable plot, leaving this book too easy to put down and forget about.
Redeeming the Reclusive Earl is proving a difficult book for me to rate and review. It's a good book that didn't quite work for me, but laying out the reasons why seems like overkill. This is the first book I've read by Virginia Heath and I enjoyed her writing. I also liked both the lead characters and enjoyed the light humor in the book. So as I lay out the reasons for it not quite working, I don't want to seem overly critical. All-in-all this is a good book and I don't want to take the handful of little niggles and make them more than they are.
My little niggles:
The biggest off note of the story for me with the abrupt tone changes between a story of a tortured hero with PTSD, and the light-hearted, sometimes almost (never completely) farcical humor. Max is severely scarred from burns and internally scarred by the reaction of his former fiancee and others to his looks. He's angry, depressed, and, if Effie is to be believed, "wallowing in self-pity." Effie is a lonely antiquarian with an eidetic (photographic) memory for facts and an absentminded professor air about her. We switch between Max trying to shut the world out, and Effie crashing through his barriers with an abstracted air mixed with an unbelievable amount of self-confidence that she's right. (That part bothered me.) The mix of an angry, hurting Max and an absentminded elf wearing mismatched boots hit a wrong note with me at times.
Combined with the uneven tone, there were barely fleshed out secondary characters and a somewhat predictable plot, leaving this book too easy to put down and forget about.
secretromancereader's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
vjekae's review against another edition
4.0
This book definitely deserves the high rating. Its been a really heart warming read.
We have the brooding reclusive Earl and meddlesome Miss who thwarts his attempts at seclusion.
I would classify it as a friends to lovers trope and its really well done.
The heroine is refreshingly straight forward and slightly atypical, and the Earl is everything you want him to be, moody yet kind, determined yet understanding.
We have the brooding reclusive Earl and meddlesome Miss who thwarts his attempts at seclusion.
I would classify it as a friends to lovers trope and its really well done.
The heroine is refreshingly straight forward and slightly atypical, and the Earl is everything you want him to be, moody yet kind, determined yet understanding.
jessbookishlife's review
5.0
To those that know me, it won’t be a surprise to see me say that I loved this book. First of all, the author is one of my favorite authors in the genre. Second, I have read other novels of hers. Third, it’s a Historical Romance! What did you expect?!
Following Max Aldersley and Effie Nithercott (amazing names, by the way) in this love adventure was such a delight. Two brilliantly crafted characters that we got to see grow and fall in love. An Earl and an archaeologist… I would have never imagine this couple together, but it worked so well.
Max has some problems, some demons that he has to overcome. Effie is different from other people, and honestly I loved her because of that. Every single moment they were together was an absolute enjoyment for me to read. The relationship and the characters’ development happened in a good pace, it wasn’t an instant thing, and the flow of the storytelling, it all took me on a journey that allowed me to connect more with Max and Effie.
I won’t enter into particular aspects of the plot, so you guys can go read the book and uncover all the information, drama and exciting moments without any spoilers, but I have to say, it was just what I needed to read. The kind of story that grabbed my attention from page one.
Overall, I believe Virginia Heath just delivered another fantastic novel. She has never disappoint my addicted-to-historical-romances mind, and I’m always amazed at the ideas she comes up with. That been said, of course I recommend this novel! I would be crazy if I didn’t.
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Virginia Heath for the eCopy of this book and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
Following Max Aldersley and Effie Nithercott (amazing names, by the way) in this love adventure was such a delight. Two brilliantly crafted characters that we got to see grow and fall in love. An Earl and an archaeologist… I would have never imagine this couple together, but it worked so well.
Max has some problems, some demons that he has to overcome. Effie is different from other people, and honestly I loved her because of that. Every single moment they were together was an absolute enjoyment for me to read. The relationship and the characters’ development happened in a good pace, it wasn’t an instant thing, and the flow of the storytelling, it all took me on a journey that allowed me to connect more with Max and Effie.
I won’t enter into particular aspects of the plot, so you guys can go read the book and uncover all the information, drama and exciting moments without any spoilers, but I have to say, it was just what I needed to read. The kind of story that grabbed my attention from page one.
Overall, I believe Virginia Heath just delivered another fantastic novel. She has never disappoint my addicted-to-historical-romances mind, and I’m always amazed at the ideas she comes up with. That been said, of course I recommend this novel! I would be crazy if I didn’t.
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Virginia Heath for the eCopy of this book and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
bookrambler's review against another edition
3.0
a scarred hero who wants to remain in isolation and is hella grumpy. our heroine is the opposite in most ways; although she's alone but not by choice, she's also an antiquarian/archeologist, an optimist.
fans of beauty and the beast and historical romances will definitely enjoy this. I had some problems with the hero's ex-fiancee and felt that the subplot wasn't quite resolved but besides that, I quite enjoyed this book!
fans of beauty and the beast and historical romances will definitely enjoy this. I had some problems with the hero's ex-fiancee and felt that the subplot wasn't quite resolved but besides that, I quite enjoyed this book!
xlynt's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ksmarsden's review against another edition
5.0
Effie is an odd spinster with a passion for digging. Her plans are disrupted by the scarred new Earl, who wants nothing to do with her or any snooping villagers.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Effie is a fantastic little character. She's very modern, and easy to relate to, as she struggles to fit into the patriarchal society of her time.
She is a realist, she knows that her brains, and her inability to think without speaking, has her pegged as odd. Her one chance at a normal life with a husband and children ended, when her fiance died in the war. Effie has come to terms that she has no option, but be a crazy spinster.
With no father or close family, Effie has a great amount of freedom, and has discovered a passion for digging up the local ruins, piecing together a forgotten era. She intends to enlighten the world, by having her research published in Archaeologia, but they constantly refuse because she is a woman.
Max's uncle has passed away, leaving him the Earl of a remote property. Unfortunately, not remote enough for his plans to hide from the world. His new neighbour insists on ignoring his threats, and continues to dig on his land.
I really enjoyed this book, and it was easy to get caught up in Effie's dreams, which are constantly hindered by a patriarchy that looks like it will never change. She's ready to stand up for her right to speak and be heard, she just needs a chance with the educational society.
Her clashes with Max are quite sweet, as she finds someone not intimidated by her mind; and he finds someone who doesn't seem to notice the scars on his face.
I loved the relationship both characters had with Max's sister Eleanor, who is fantastically meddlesome, but honestly does like Effie.
Overall, this was a fun story, that dissects the limited female roles we could aspire to at that time.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Effie is a fantastic little character. She's very modern, and easy to relate to, as she struggles to fit into the patriarchal society of her time.
She is a realist, she knows that her brains, and her inability to think without speaking, has her pegged as odd. Her one chance at a normal life with a husband and children ended, when her fiance died in the war. Effie has come to terms that she has no option, but be a crazy spinster.
With no father or close family, Effie has a great amount of freedom, and has discovered a passion for digging up the local ruins, piecing together a forgotten era. She intends to enlighten the world, by having her research published in Archaeologia, but they constantly refuse because she is a woman.
Max's uncle has passed away, leaving him the Earl of a remote property. Unfortunately, not remote enough for his plans to hide from the world. His new neighbour insists on ignoring his threats, and continues to dig on his land.
I really enjoyed this book, and it was easy to get caught up in Effie's dreams, which are constantly hindered by a patriarchy that looks like it will never change. She's ready to stand up for her right to speak and be heard, she just needs a chance with the educational society.
Her clashes with Max are quite sweet, as she finds someone not intimidated by her mind; and he finds someone who doesn't seem to notice the scars on his face.
I loved the relationship both characters had with Max's sister Eleanor, who is fantastically meddlesome, but honestly does like Effie.
Overall, this was a fun story, that dissects the limited female roles we could aspire to at that time.
cheesy_gordita_grack's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Whew, this was fun! The plot sounds somewhat cliché upon first summarizing, but I loved it anyway: Max is a dark, brooding Earl bearing both literal and figurative scars from a traumatic event in his past. Effie is a supremely intelligent, "uncommonly pretty" spinster at age 29 (LMAOOOOOOOO). Will her brilliant mind and beautiful bosom soften this reclusive (yet gentle and charming) Earl? Yes!!!!!!!!!!!
What I liked: There was a lot of exposition surrounding the character's thoughts and feelings, which I appreciated. There's nothing I hate more than when I don't buy into why a character is behaving the way they do (or when I don't feel like a character is fully fleshed out enough). Here, I thought Max and Effie occasionally acted like total idiots, but at least I believed that they would act the way they did. A lot of care was put into believably building their relationship, and I giggled more than once at the situations they found themselves in.
The reason this loses a star for me: I often struggle reading romance because I can't stand when entire plotlines (or books!) are based on poor communication skills. There was a touch of that here. Effie and Max both have cause to be cautious and lacking in confidence (Effie being deemed "strange" by society's standards and Max being disfigured by a burn scar), but for REAL y'all, I can't count how many times both of them were like "I'm weird/ugly and no one could ever love me, so I'm SURE I'm misreading all these very clear, very romantic signals."
A concrete example of this (with minor spoilers): it's stressed to us over and over again that Effie is a literal genius. Towards the end of the book, Effie spends a few pages trying to figure out Max's intentions, and if he likes her, since he's been giving mixed signals. She touches on every possible explanation for this, barring the very obvious truth: that Max is holding back because he's horribly disfigured from being burned in a fire, and fears no one could ever love him (as proven by his former fiance straight up dumping him). Girl, if you're a genius, how did THAT possibility not cross your mind? When the man literally covers all the mirrors in his house with sheets and wears his hair in front of his face like a veil?
Yes, people in real life lack confidence, and yes, people in real life also suffer poor communication skills that affect their relationships. But for once, I'd like to read a romance novel where the central conflict doesn't revolve around the main characters' not communicating properly. If you know of any, hit me up.
Don't get me wrong, tho: loved this and it was SO MUCH FUN.
What I liked: There was a lot of exposition surrounding the character's thoughts and feelings, which I appreciated. There's nothing I hate more than when I don't buy into why a character is behaving the way they do (or when I don't feel like a character is fully fleshed out enough). Here, I thought Max and Effie occasionally acted like total idiots, but at least I believed that they would act the way they did. A lot of care was put into believably building their relationship, and I giggled more than once at the situations they found themselves in.
The reason this loses a star for me: I often struggle reading romance because I can't stand when entire plotlines (or books!) are based on poor communication skills. There was a touch of that here. Effie and Max both have cause to be cautious and lacking in confidence (Effie being deemed "strange" by society's standards and Max being disfigured by a burn scar), but for REAL y'all, I can't count how many times both of them were like "I'm weird/ugly and no one could ever love me, so I'm SURE I'm misreading all these very clear, very romantic signals."
A concrete example of this (with minor spoilers): it's stressed to us over and over again that Effie is a literal genius. Towards the end of the book, Effie spends a few pages trying to figure out Max's intentions, and if he likes her, since he's been giving mixed signals. She touches on every possible explanation for this, barring the very obvious truth: that Max is holding back because he's horribly disfigured from being burned in a fire, and fears no one could ever love him (as proven by his former fiance straight up dumping him). Girl, if you're a genius, how did THAT possibility not cross your mind? When the man literally covers all the mirrors in his house with sheets and wears his hair in front of his face like a veil?
Yes, people in real life lack confidence, and yes, people in real life also suffer poor communication skills that affect their relationships. But for once, I'd like to read a romance novel where the central conflict doesn't revolve around the main characters' not communicating properly. If you know of any, hit me up.
Don't get me wrong, tho: loved this and it was SO MUCH FUN.
mom_reads_romance's review against another edition
5.0
This was entirely delightful and a book I wouldn't think to pick up except for such high praise from Goodreads friends. It was just the right mix of things for me: Lady Antiquarian in breeches, wounded hero who loves her quirky intellect and their fun, friendly banter. It was a satisfying way to spend an afternoon.