Reviews tagging 'War'

A Rogue of One's Own by Evie Dunmore

25 reviews

akswhy's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Beware the trigger warnings! This one has some dark bits! Once you get past the first quarter-third of the book being pretty grossly harassment-y, the plot is actually pretty good. I almost didn’t keep reading past a certain point of blatant sexual harassment, so I wish the character development began sooner. I preferred this book to its previous because plot was more complex than “we can’t get married because Victorian socioeconomics.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and War

Moderate: Confinement, Death, and Infidelity

Minor: Sexual assault

celery's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

garbage_mcsmutly's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.75

📝Even though MMC basically loved FMC from the start, and I'm usually a sucker for that, it was kind of hard to root for him because he kept something secret from her that he definitely shouldn't have, for like a long time. I admired FMC's commitment to the cause (women's rights and suffrage) even if she could be myopic about it. And I learned a bit from the book about the state of women's rights in Victorian England. 

🎧 Dual POV, only one (female) narrator, she was good. 

🌶️ 3.5/5 There were a few steamy scenes but they weren't super graphic. 

🏳️‍🌈✊ Neurodivergence rep!! MMC probably has ADHD. His mother has a mental illness--at least depression, possibly bipolar.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, War, and Deportation

gillyreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

There were a lot of things I really enjoyed about this book. I think Evie Dunmore had obviously done extensive research, and is a skillful writer. It did feel like the book probably could have been cut down a little though. 

The characters felt real and vibrantly individual. I loved how intense Lucy was about her politics, and really enjoyed the complexities of her and Tristian figuring each other (and themselves) out. It was a really great take on enemies to lovers. I think my favourite aspect was them navigating how they could make a relationship equal in a system that gave one party absolute power over the other.

There were a few points that threw me off a bit. Firstly, it feels ridiculous to read a recently written historical romance - especially set in a univeristy town - and have the only character of colour be a valet. The whole thing with Tristian's tatoo felt off, and while he was quite critical of the war it didn't really feel like it suffieciently grappled with the evilness of the British Empire. I also felt like it was a little lacking in class analysis, frustrating given how extensively political the story is. Finaly, for me the whole characterisation of Arthur was not well done, it gave very strong Georgette Heyer vibes in a not good way.

Hopefuly she improves on these kinds of points in future books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death

Minor: Homophobia, Racism, Colonisation, and War

laurajeangrace's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Sexual content

Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and War

jencolumb0's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This should be required reading for guys as they graduate high school. Ms. Dunmore deserves a standing ovation for how she breaks down the complexities of being female in a patriarchy - the calculations made at virtually all times - and demonstrates, with striking humanity, through engaging cis/het characters, how the patriarchy hurts everyone.

Most women will find nothing new in these pages but should have a delightfully fun time feeling seen. (A great read for those who want more of what Greta Gerwig gave the world in Barbie . . . or just want it dressed up in Victorian England.) Nonetheless, do read the content warnings first, know that it is a HEA, and that each objectionable element is challenged.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Gun violence and Forced institutionalization

annick's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

5.0

A delightful read. It’s hard to judge this reading this directly after loving the first book. 

I particularly liked the interactions and authentic greyness with parents and among the secondary characters. I also liked the final act didn’t hinge on a grand gesture. 

Second read for 2024 (September this time) and I really enjoyed it again. Upgraded to five stars. The flaws of the dramatic reveal in rochesters room aren’t significant to demerit it. I like that the sex scenes aren’t indulgent and help move the character development along. The dual POV in third person works very well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Colonisation, War, and Classism

hilwithonel's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.5

I think there is alot to applaud in this historical romance. Love a secret lovesick pup cosplaying as a rake. Absolutely adore the way this book ends. Not saying cause it would spoil but it is so authentic to our MC and I appreciate the author for it.
There was sooo much going on though that no everything felt really fleshed out. 
But anyways, Tristan and his poetry were still a win.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Sexism

Moderate: Sexual harassment

Minor: Child abuse and War

bookishmillennial's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

This was not my favorite of the series so far (the first one was fine!), but I will continue on and see if I like the third one. First of all, I found the inclusion of the Shiva tattoo to be ..... a choice. I don't know, I just felt it was unnecessary and if you're going to do something like this, as a white writer, you need to do your due diligence and you *need* to hire sensitivity readers. I appreciate whenever historical romance tries to add commentary on the racism, sexism, colonization, etc. of the time, but you still need to do it with immense care. 

Tristan & Lucie were okay; I do enjoy a slow burn because I love the unraveling of each character and the final ultimate "okay fine you have broken down my walls and I want you!" That is always delicious. However, I just could not find the male love interest that redeemable. Was he charismatic and had his sweet moments? Yes, absolutely. I just didn't feel he redeemed himself, that's all!

Steam was a 2.5/5 

content warnings are below!  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Racism, Sexism, and Sexual content

Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, and War

haley49's review

adventurous inspiring 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Death, Violence, Colonisation, War, and Classism