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valereads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-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
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"If we lived life as though it were a novel, we'd spend all our time becoming embroiled in improbable adventures and spouting nonsense about filling our vast and empty souls with joyful aches."
This was my first Alexis Hall book and it's safe to say it will not be my last. This laugh-out-loud funny historical romcom follows Valentine (who is really a Duke), when his fianceé flees after his proposal he finds himself chasing her across England with her imaginative twin brother Bonny.
The first thing to say about this book is that it was extremely funny. I found myself laughing aloud on multiple occasions. I really enjoyed Hall's self-aware humour.
This book was incredibly beautifully written. I highlighted many phrases and paragraphs in this novel because I could not get over the beautiful writing. Hall is a master of language, I was surprised a book could be so poetic while also being humorous and even sexy at times.
That being said this book wasn't perfect. I felt like the pacing was a bit off in this one with them constantly catching up to Arabella then losing her again and the third act break up happening with just three chapters from the end. It didn't always flow naturally.
I also found some of the characters extremely difficult to like. Valentine makes a lot of bad decisions but he grows on you especially when he is able to admit his mistakes. I imagine many would struggle to like Arabella. Some aspects of her actions were understandable when you put yourself in her shoes but other times she takes things too far and it becomes extremely difficult to sympathise with her. That said I'd be interested in continuing in the series to see if she redeems herself later. Bonny and Peggy were extremely likable and I am so excited to read Peggy's book next.
Overall this was a highly enjoyable and beautifully written book. I recommend it to any adults who enjoy historical romance, romcoms or both!
Content Warnings: homophobia, violence, explicit sex
"If we lived life as though it were a novel, we'd spend all our time becoming embroiled in improbable adventures and spouting nonsense about filling our vast and empty souls with joyful aches."
This was my first Alexis Hall book and it's safe to say it will not be my last. This laugh-out-loud funny historical romcom follows Valentine (who is really a Duke), when his fianceé flees after his proposal he finds himself chasing her across England with her imaginative twin brother Bonny.
The first thing to say about this book is that it was extremely funny. I found myself laughing aloud on multiple occasions. I really enjoyed Hall's self-aware humour.
This book was incredibly beautifully written. I highlighted many phrases and paragraphs in this novel because I could not get over the beautiful writing. Hall is a master of language, I was surprised a book could be so poetic while also being humorous and even sexy at times.
That being said this book wasn't perfect. I felt like the pacing was a bit off in this one with them constantly catching up to Arabella then losing her again and the third act break up happening with just three chapters from the end. It didn't always flow naturally.
I also found some of the characters extremely difficult to like. Valentine makes a lot of bad decisions but he grows on you especially when he is able to admit his mistakes. I imagine many would struggle to like Arabella. Some aspects of her actions were understandable when you put yourself in her shoes but other times she takes things too far and it becomes extremely difficult to sympathise with her. That said I'd be interested in continuing in the series to see if she redeems herself later. Bonny and Peggy were extremely likable and I am so excited to read Peggy's book next.
Overall this was a highly enjoyable and beautifully written book. I recommend it to any adults who enjoy historical romance, romcoms or both!
Content Warnings: homophobia, violence, explicit sex
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Homophobia, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
spookieboogie's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence and Sexual content
Minor: Misogyny and Injury/Injury detail
alphacenterin's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Confinement, Gun violence, and Misogyny
blueberries's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Gun violence
anxiousnachos's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
This book is the most camp, melodramatic, over the top, utterly nonsensical book I’ve ever read and I fucking loved every single minute of it. It is an absolute delight and was exactly what my struggling brain needed. I laughed so so much, I don’t think I’ve ever laughed aloud so much at a book. Wonderful depiction of a demisexual achillean man falling in love, so much banter, so much delightful regency hilarity, it’s sexy, I loved the romance, I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
I know other readers disagree with me and feel Valentine was picked on by the twins too much and had too little power, but I feel the power struggle was well balanced for Valentine’s position as a Duke (and a man) versus his naivety about life. And this is meant to be a melodrama: it’s supposed to be over the top and dramatic. The character’s actions made perfect sense to me. I also wonder if it’s a culture thing? Bonny / Valentine’s relationship was very full of banter and bickering, but it’s something I’ve often had non-British people question about my relationship, ask why we’re fighting when nothing could be further from the truth. So perhaps there’s an element of misunderstanding that kind of humour between them also?
Anyway all this to say, I loved this, I thought it was hilarious and over the top and melodramatic and wonderful.
Content warnings: gun violence, arranged marriage (attempt), internalised homophobia and acephobia, graphic sex, death of parents (past), confinement
I know other readers disagree with me and feel Valentine was picked on by the twins too much and had too little power, but I feel the power struggle was well balanced for Valentine’s position as a Duke (and a man) versus his naivety about life. And this is meant to be a melodrama: it’s supposed to be over the top and dramatic. The character’s actions made perfect sense to me. I also wonder if it’s a culture thing? Bonny / Valentine’s relationship was very full of banter and bickering, but it’s something I’ve often had non-British people question about my relationship, ask why we’re fighting when nothing could be further from the truth. So perhaps there’s an element of misunderstanding that kind of humour between them also?
Anyway all this to say, I loved this, I thought it was hilarious and over the top and melodramatic and wonderful.
Content warnings: gun violence, arranged marriage (attempt), internalised homophobia and acephobia, graphic sex, death of parents (past), confinement
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Acephobia/Arophobia
Minor: Death of parent
gabibooksit's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Utterly delightful in so many ways. I haven't laughed so much while reading in a very long time. Valentine and Bonny are perfect in their descriptions, their banter, and their distinctions. A fantastic cast of characters each with their own charms, and I was rooting for everyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gun violence and Violence
robin_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
You can never go wrong with a book written by Alexis Hall. Loved the banter sooooo much. Valentine is a wonderful character and as a demisexual person myself, the representation and his realization of what he’s feeling were very familiar.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence
cait's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- 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? Yes
3.25
“Think, man. Where would she have gone?”
To his credit, and from his scrunched-up face and pursed lips, Tarleton did appear to be thinking. “America,” he cried.
“She’s gone,” repeated Valentine slowly, “to America?”
“Well, not immediately. It’s quite far away.”
Alexis Hall is so hit or miss for me that I really, really struggle to know what to expect or how to rate their work. Something Fabulous, similarly to Husband Material, had something special about it. The combination of insecure fragility and self-confidence of our main characters. The exploration of identity against the backdrop of self-sabotage. The ludicrous scenarios and downright hilarious side characters. But, as it sometimes does, this story went a bit too far.
The concept, of course, is a young duke is pursuing his runaway bride-to-be with the help of her flamboyant twin brother and despite the fact that he actually dislikes the idea of marrying this girl as much as she dislikes the idea of marrying him. Along the way, the duke discovers that he may, in fact, actually have feelings for her brother, but still feels obliged to pursue her before she makes any perilous mistakes or ruins either of their reputations.
The problem was that the bride-to-be, Miss Arabella "Belle" Tarleton, was utterly unbearable in every way. What started off as hilarious hijinks quickly dissolved into frustrating stupidity. No one listened. No one used their words. Instead of discussing things at pertinent moments, our protagonists compulsively obeyed this weird obsession with refusing to speak until they had reached a certain venue that was several days behind them, leading to imprisonment in a lesbian couples' cellar, an unnecessary duel, and multiple kidnappings of minor nobility.
It could have been incredible. Instead, the comedy wound up completely played out and the whole plot became utterly irritating to read about. I, personally, would have vastly preferred Belle actually be kidnapped by pirates while Bonny and Valentine explored each other in that meadow by the waterfall. I may read the sequel, because I did enjoy Peggy's character, but only if Belle is shipped to another continent so I don't have to deal with her.
To his credit, and from his scrunched-up face and pursed lips, Tarleton did appear to be thinking. “America,” he cried.
“She’s gone,” repeated Valentine slowly, “to America?”
“Well, not immediately. It’s quite far away.”
Alexis Hall is so hit or miss for me that I really, really struggle to know what to expect or how to rate their work. Something Fabulous, similarly to Husband Material, had something special about it. The combination of insecure fragility and self-confidence of our main characters. The exploration of identity against the backdrop of self-sabotage. The ludicrous scenarios and downright hilarious side characters. But, as it sometimes does, this story went a bit too far.
The concept, of course, is a young duke is pursuing his runaway bride-to-be with the help of her flamboyant twin brother and despite the fact that he actually dislikes the idea of marrying this girl as much as she dislikes the idea of marrying him. Along the way, the duke discovers that he may, in fact, actually have feelings for her brother, but still feels obliged to pursue her before she makes any perilous mistakes or ruins either of their reputations.
The problem was that the bride-to-be, Miss Arabella "Belle" Tarleton, was utterly unbearable in every way. What started off as hilarious hijinks quickly dissolved into frustrating stupidity. No one listened. No one used their words. Instead of discussing things at pertinent moments, our protagonists compulsively obeyed this weird obsession with refusing to speak until they had reached a certain venue that was several days behind them, leading to imprisonment in a lesbian couples' cellar, an unnecessary duel, and multiple kidnappings of minor nobility.
It could have been incredible. Instead, the comedy wound up completely played out and the whole plot became utterly irritating to read about. I, personally, would have vastly preferred Belle actually be kidnapped by pirates while Bonny and Valentine explored each other in that meadow by the waterfall. I may read the sequel, because I did enjoy Peggy's character, but only if Belle is shipped to another continent so I don't have to deal with her.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Classism
Minor: Death of parent, Outing, and Gaslighting
allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I aspire to be as funny as Alexis Hall. Which is probably part of why this felt like a loving parody of historical romance with favorite tropes stripped of their gravitas and smolder to leave only the slightly ridiculous. Prepare for awkward encounters, social missteps, and perilous situations like an incompetent duel and a hostage scenario.
Part of my excitement for this release (in addition to the obvious Alexis Hall factor) was the demi representation in Valentine. While I think seeing his experience included in the genre is inherently valuable, I did end up with complicated feelings towards his characterization. I love the sunshine/grump trope, but ace curmudgeons are becoming tiresome to me, even though I might be a bit of one myself. Valentine not only comes to terms with his sexuality on page but also must address his general inability to empathize or have patience with others' points of view. While I think this is more an area of growth for him due to the way he was raised and the immense, unquestioned power he holds as a duke, I am frustrated with how some of these qualities seem to be conflated with being ace in fiction or general social perception. I don't appreciate the feeling that my sexuality is anticipated to come hand-in-hand with general social uncomfortability or a struggle to make emotional connections of any stripe. It didn't feel pointed here but more like a symptom of a larger unfortunate pattern or even an unhappy coincidence. To shift from that broader critique, I did personally struggle with seeing Valentine's feelings of being unloveable as a result of his demi identity. He worries about being too odd even for the queer community he is just coming to learn exists. There's nothing wrong with it; tis but a flesh wound for this reviewer.
In terms of the romance, the banter was predictably 10/10, especially in conjunction with Valentine's very confused thoughts about what is going on re: flirting, innuendo, and social subtext. It's decidedly less amusing when he is harmful to other people due to the toxic concoction of his ignorance and sense of inherent, expected authority that perhaps only a duke can so completely personify. The emotional connection grows to be something sweet and pleasant in the latter half of the book, and the rejection of social expectations in favor of personal happiness was very satisfying to behold.
Thanks to Montlake for my copy to read and review!
Part of my excitement for this release (in addition to the obvious Alexis Hall factor) was the demi representation in Valentine. While I think seeing his experience included in the genre is inherently valuable, I did end up with complicated feelings towards his characterization. I love the sunshine/grump trope, but ace curmudgeons are becoming tiresome to me, even though I might be a bit of one myself. Valentine not only comes to terms with his sexuality on page but also must address his general inability to empathize or have patience with others' points of view. While I think this is more an area of growth for him due to the way he was raised and the immense, unquestioned power he holds as a duke, I am frustrated with how some of these qualities seem to be conflated with being ace in fiction or general social perception. I don't appreciate the feeling that my sexuality is anticipated to come hand-in-hand with general social uncomfortability or a struggle to make emotional connections of any stripe. It didn't feel pointed here but more like a symptom of a larger unfortunate pattern or even an unhappy coincidence. To shift from that broader critique, I did personally struggle with seeing Valentine's feelings of being unloveable as a result of his demi identity. He worries about being too odd even for the queer community he is just coming to learn exists. There's nothing wrong with it; tis but a flesh wound for this reviewer.
In terms of the romance, the banter was predictably 10/10, especially in conjunction with Valentine's very confused thoughts about what is going on re: flirting, innuendo, and social subtext. It's decidedly less amusing when he is harmful to other people due to the toxic concoction of his ignorance and sense of inherent, expected authority that perhaps only a duke can so completely personify. The emotional connection grows to be something sweet and pleasant in the latter half of the book, and the rejection of social expectations in favor of personal happiness was very satisfying to behold.
Thanks to Montlake for my copy to read and review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia, Transphobia, Acephobia/Arophobia, Lesbophobia, and Classism
Minor: Gun violence
readingelli's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A queer love story, including realising your own feelings, going against society, and hijinks and shenanigans. Made me laugh, made me cry, made me happy to see people like me having romantic and fulfilling adventures.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gun violence, Sexism, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail