Scan barcode
boundbyemily's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“I would lay the world at your feet if I could, Katherine.”
“I do not need the whole world. Just a little bit of you, Alexander,”
The angst in this one was so good — the disability rep was written well but the pacing of this book was what stopped it from being really good.
Graphic: Ableism, Infertility, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual content
ivegotyourpaperback's review against another edition
3.75
Moderate: Infertility, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse and Sexual assault
ynp16's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Infertility and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
martamae77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual content and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infertility
maeverose's review
I feel unsure about the disability rep. As far as I read (39%) there was nothing outright offensive, but some things gave me pause. I am disabled but not in the way that Alexander is so I’m no authority on this, but it annoyed me somewhat that (even though I know plenty of wheelchair users can walk) he seemed to be able to do pretty much anything an able bodied person could (walk almost whenever he wanted, dance,
There was one scene in particular that bothered me as well. (Mild spoilers) In chapter seven after the dance when Kitty goes to find him on the bench, instead of strictly being concerned for him, Kitty’s mostly thinking about how sweet he was to endure the pain to dance with her, how attractive he is, how her reputation could be affected if anyone found them alone, and how ‘admirable’ he is for being able to hide his pain so well (why is that admirable? Hiding his pain to ‘appear normal’? He shouldn’t have to grin and bear it). I felt like that scene would’ve been great if she had just wanted to make sure he was okay, then helped him, then they had the romantic moment. Rather than her clearly seeing him in pain and distress but being horny for him in that moment. It felt so off.
Also, in the book it says the left side of his face/body is scarred, but on the front cover it isn’t at all…. 🤨
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Infertility and Colonisation
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
Ableist slurs, near drowningcepbreed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Song:
- cowboy like me - Taylor Swift
Graphic: Chronic illness, Infertility, Sexual content, Medical content, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
chrisljm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Drug abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Medical content, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Minor: Sexual assault, Grief, and Pregnancy
emilyharmonica's review
- 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
4.0
There’s little I love more than a quality Beauty and the Beast retelling, and this one was just… *swoon*
In a desperate attempt to save her family from poverty, Katherine Danvers announces her engagement to Alexander Masters, Duke of Thornton, a man she has never met and who hasn’t been seen in society circles for nearly a decade. The duke, meanwhile, has shut himself away in his Scotland estate after a tragic accident left him brutally scarred and confined to a wheelchair. When he gets wind of rumors that a young lady has announced their engagement to the society pages, he travels to London to get to the bottom of her deception. And the rest, as they say, is history.
I’m a sucker for stories where the love interests find healing and redemption in one another. I loved how self-aware these characters were, how honest they were with themselves and each other in spite of their stubborn resistance to their chemistry. The strongest moments of the book were in the protagonists’ quiet moments together, sharing bites of an apple alone in an abandoned cottage, or spending time in the Duke’s library, or admiring the Scottish countryside from high up in a tree. It’s not the spiciest romance novel out there, but the sexual tension and romantic angst were off the charts.
I’d recommend this book to all readers of historical romance, as well as any reader who enjoys leaning into a tad bit of melodrama. I’m looking forward to reading more books in this series, as well as others from Stacy Reid’s backlist!
Bonus quote just because:
“You make me hope,” he snarled low and dangerous. “Like a goddamn idiot, you make me pray, you make my throat burn with the need to scream and beg God to give you to me, to treasure, to worship…to love until the end of my days.” He had to close his eyes to control his ragged breathing.
Overall rating: 4/5
Spice level: 2/5
Graphic: Infertility and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Ableism
ellie_murdock's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
cup_of_rosie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Infertility, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Minor: Medical content and Pregnancy