elusivity's review against another edition
3.0
Meredith Duran is an excellent, excellent writer. Lyrical description of scenery, sparkling dialogue, emotionally-intimidate and character-revealing love scenes. The whole package.
Unfortunately, I disliked both the main characters.
While I do not need to like characters in order to enjoy the book they're in, I found these two ridiculous and irritating, and not even their lovely individual details and psychological quirks were enough to make my eyes stop rolling. How I loathe the cold /intellectual spinster versus the dissolute rake trope, even ones as well done as here. How she clings to duty (does she even LIKE her sisters?) and love for her father. How he throws himself into this random dissolution for hate of his! I like angst in my romance, but how pointless are THEIR angst! Perhaps if there had been a dozen pages or so of SETTING UP these people's relationships -- i.e. scenes of closeness with her charming father as she grew up, between he and his sister as they grew up, some description of family dynamics before the implosion -- I would have been better prepared to believe their misery. What has his poor father done but been cold and making ONE mistake? What has her father done, family-wise, except to always be far away? The way this novel is structured -- starting in media res, with psych issues already firmly in place, with only pretty-picture flashbacks rather than of specific emotional incidents -- renders James' and Lydia's pain MEANINGLESS (and pain should never be pointless, even when their source stems from childish or mistaken beliefs), and renders THEM all the more foolish.
Even when the author conspire to agree with me -- subtle digs within this novel and more overt in the next, Written on Your Skin -- could not mollify my dislike of them.
Nevertheless, if the above do not bother you, then I can only say that its overall high-rating is justified. Recommended.
Unfortunately, I disliked both the main characters.
While I do not need to like characters in order to enjoy the book they're in, I found these two ridiculous and irritating, and not even their lovely individual details and psychological quirks were enough to make my eyes stop rolling. How I loathe the cold /intellectual spinster versus the dissolute rake trope, even ones as well done as here. How she clings to duty (does she even LIKE her sisters?) and love for her father. How he throws himself into this random dissolution for hate of his! I like angst in my romance, but how pointless are THEIR angst! Perhaps if there had been a dozen pages or so of SETTING UP these people's relationships -- i.e. scenes of closeness with her charming father as she grew up, between he and his sister as they grew up, some description of family dynamics before the implosion -- I would have been better prepared to believe their misery. What has his poor father done but been cold and making ONE mistake? What has her father done, family-wise, except to always be far away? The way this novel is structured -- starting in media res, with psych issues already firmly in place, with only pretty-picture flashbacks rather than of specific emotional incidents -- renders James' and Lydia's pain MEANINGLESS (and pain should never be pointless, even when their source stems from childish or mistaken beliefs), and renders THEM all the more foolish.
Even when the author conspire to agree with me -- subtle digs within this novel and more overt in the next, Written on Your Skin -- could not mollify my dislike of them.
Nevertheless, if the above do not bother you, then I can only say that its overall high-rating is justified. Recommended.
emreadswhatshewants's review against another edition
Loved the pairing, couldn't get into the plot. Excellent first kiss scene. Cameo from duran's mcs from her other books! Also the writing was at times a bit confusing
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
jadeverbick's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
3.0
yourbookishbff's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, War, Drug use, Physical abuse, Murder, Xenophobia, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
scarr77's review
3.5
3.5
It was good but not great for me. For me, Duran's plots always need tightening. But! I do enjoy her writing and look forward to more from her. I did find this book to be much more sexy than some of Duran's others. Lydia being horny and at once annoyed and fascinated by her horniness was exquisite.
(I'm going to think about Lydia sucking and biting James's lip until he bleeds for a long time, and possibly how this had the potential to be a sexy historical vampire romance for one brief shining moment)
It was good but not great for me. For me, Duran's plots always need tightening. But! I do enjoy her writing and look forward to more from her. I did find this book to be much more sexy than some of Duran's others. Lydia being horny and at once annoyed and fascinated by her horniness was exquisite.
(I'm going to think about Lydia sucking and biting James's lip until he bleeds for a long time, and possibly how this had the potential to be a sexy historical vampire romance for one brief shining moment)
caseythebookwitch's review against another edition
4.0
hard to say why this was so good. but Duran really knows how to have an argument. seriously. very well done
misssusan's review against another edition
2.0
man one of these days i'm going to go through a romance novel and white out every sex scene and write in 'they done sexed'. i believe it shall be a vast improvement
that was my polite way of saying SWEET ROLLING PEANUT BUTTER WHY DO ALL ROMANCE NOVEL SEX SCENES SOUND THE SAME?????
you don't believe me? here guys let me break it down for you. the hero will always rub and/or suck on the heroines nipples (which are always hard and frankly, read like the author is desperately searching for a female equivalent to an erection), followed by fingering and/or cunnilingus with piv sex as the finale. the heroine will orgasm and marvel at the sensations he wrings from her body. probably there will be some reference to his ~indescribably ~male smell. rinse and repeat until the reader has fallen into a coma
meredith duran is not guilty of anything nine out of ten romance novelists aren't, i just hit my frustration tipping point here and had to share.
speaking of boring shit romance novels pull! daddy issues daddy issues so many daddy issues. for once i would like a romance novel where the heroine is a mama's girl who totally idolizes her kickass archeologist mother who's influenced her above all else. the father will never be mentioned because hey, bound by your touch managed 346 pages about lydia's loyalty to FAMILY (FATHER) without once acknowledging she has a mother (or does she??? maybe this book has a secret mpreg backstory? truly this would not surprise me, with the complete lack of reference to any mother, dead or alive) so i don't see why that shouldn't be reversed. also the hero should have a fraught relationship with his mother, the proud authoritarian head of the family he rebels against as his father gets one or two token scenes of attempting to play peacemaker. that would please me friends. that would please me immensely.
man i feel so mean picking on this book. i repeat, bound by your touch is not alone in this! if it were i would not feel the need to pour forth my frustration
anyways. this book was probably okay? idk, i couldn't tell under the weight of my crushing boredom. 2.5 stars
that was my polite way of saying SWEET ROLLING PEANUT BUTTER WHY DO ALL ROMANCE NOVEL SEX SCENES SOUND THE SAME?????
you don't believe me? here guys let me break it down for you. the hero will always rub and/or suck on the heroines nipples (which are always hard and frankly, read like the author is desperately searching for a female equivalent to an erection), followed by fingering and/or cunnilingus with piv sex as the finale. the heroine will orgasm and marvel at the sensations he wrings from her body. probably there will be some reference to his ~indescribably ~male smell. rinse and repeat until the reader has fallen into a coma
meredith duran is not guilty of anything nine out of ten romance novelists aren't, i just hit my frustration tipping point here and had to share.
speaking of boring shit romance novels pull! daddy issues daddy issues so many daddy issues. for once i would like a romance novel where the heroine is a mama's girl who totally idolizes her kickass archeologist mother who's influenced her above all else. the father will never be mentioned because hey, bound by your touch managed 346 pages about lydia's loyalty to FAMILY (FATHER) without once acknowledging she has a mother (or does she??? maybe this book has a secret mpreg backstory? truly this would not surprise me, with the complete lack of reference to any mother, dead or alive) so i don't see why that shouldn't be reversed. also the hero should have a fraught relationship with his mother, the proud authoritarian head of the family he rebels against as his father gets one or two token scenes of attempting to play peacemaker. that would please me friends. that would please me immensely.
man i feel so mean picking on this book. i repeat, bound by your touch is not alone in this! if it were i would not feel the need to pour forth my frustration
anyways. this book was probably okay? idk, i couldn't tell under the weight of my crushing boredom. 2.5 stars
gonturans's review against another edition
5.0
This is actually the second time I’ve read this book, but felt like the first in terms of everything hitting the absolute mark.