ulrikedg's review against another edition
1.0
DNF @ 24%.
Woo, this one's rough. Apparently, I bought it for $2 on Kindle in Nov 2020. I have no memory of this purchase, but I came across it in my local library's Hoopla audio offerings, and decided to check it out. I now slightly regret not reading the digital version, so I could highlight the terrible lines. So many quotes that sound like they're straight out of the Men Write Women twitter feed!
"Confident women didn't exist in Aberystwyth; they only existed in books or in Beatrice's dreams."
Audiobook narrator Gabrielle Baker is much, much better than this writing warrants, and her Welsh accent sounds vaguely Jamaican.
Woo, this one's rough. Apparently, I bought it for $2 on Kindle in Nov 2020. I have no memory of this purchase, but I came across it in my local library's Hoopla audio offerings, and decided to check it out. I now slightly regret not reading the digital version, so I could highlight the terrible lines. So many quotes that sound like they're straight out of the Men Write Women twitter feed!
"Confident women didn't exist in Aberystwyth; they only existed in books or in Beatrice's dreams."
Audiobook narrator Gabrielle Baker is much, much better than this writing warrants, and her Welsh accent sounds vaguely Jamaican.
grazergroves's review
1.0
dnf @ 53%
as much as i wanted to like this book, the characters were weak, the setting was not well fleshed out enough to be compelling, and it was both rushed and repetitive. beatrice was exhausting, nell was one-note, their chemistry was manufactured, and with that as the only central premise (given the slapdash, nonsequitur plot that failed to accomplish anything), this book is left with nothing. the prose itself also leaves much to be desired - when beginning, I thought it would be only average, but the failure of the book to present any interesting ideas made it absolutely grating.
not worth the $5 i paid for it on google play & this is coming from someone who spends money on gacha games
as much as i wanted to like this book, the characters were weak, the setting was not well fleshed out enough to be compelling, and it was both rushed and repetitive. beatrice was exhausting, nell was one-note, their chemistry was manufactured, and with that as the only central premise (given the slapdash, nonsequitur plot that failed to accomplish anything), this book is left with nothing. the prose itself also leaves much to be desired - when beginning, I thought it would be only average, but the failure of the book to present any interesting ideas made it absolutely grating.
not worth the $5 i paid for it on google play & this is coming from someone who spends money on gacha games
cakt1991's review
emotional
slow-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
4.0
I’ve had Her Lady’s Honor on my TBR for a while, since around the time it first came out. Renée Dahlia has since published prequels, some of which I’ve checked out, but I didn’t get around to this book until now. But unfortunately, while I love some aspects, others fall short.
I continue to love Renée Dahlia’s choice to focus on the period just after the Great War, highlighting its impact on people from varying walks of life. And to write it from an explicitly queer lens makes it stand out even more. I loved exploring the types of roles women could play, from the more conventional (Beatrice) to the slightly unconventional (Nell). And the fact that Nell’s profession as a veterinarian draws from Aleen Cust, who I also read about relatively recently was a nice surprise.
As far as the characters, I did mostly like them. Renée Dahlia has a sense of self-awareness about the privilege Nell has, and I like how she grapples with that. But Beatrice is perhaps the harder of the two to really warm to, as she’s constantly on Nell’s case. I get where she’s coming from, but at times it felt like overcompensation to shift the dynamics, that it moved a little too far in the other direction for me. It ultimately sours the romance, which sucks, as they do have decent chemistry in other aspects.
This was well-intentioned, but it missed the mark. However, I still enjoy it for what it is, as there are some interesting aspects: the plot is engaging, and Renée Dahlia’s interest in the time period comes through on page. If you’re open to trying a sapphic historical set in a different time period, it’s worth giving this a try to see how you like it.
rachelini's review
4.0
Some interesting reviews of this on the site - so many people didn't like Beatrice or couldn't understand why Nell liked her. But I liked the relationship - they both had their assumptions and had to work past them, and I appreciated that they had to work to even see what a future might look like.
giuliastartaglia's review
2.0
Thank you Netgalley and Carina Press for the ARC.
Her Lady's Honor made me feel very mixed things. If from a side I loved the chemistry and the development between the girls, from the other I was so frustrated with Beatrice that I was more annoyed at their relationship than anything else.
I appreciated the themes: privilege is a very important topic at the moment - and always - so it touched very points that I agreed with. But it's not possible to have a character thinking something and then acting the entire opposite.
And it was really annoying how everything Nell did was not accepted and highly fought againsy by Beatrice. I do agree that some actions Nell did went from privilege and should've been called out but when everything she does even if it's done for a good cause drags and it's only fighting, it get's tiring.
The only thing that stand out was definitely the writing. Renée Dahlia can totally write scenaries and scenes really well. So I'm going to keep an eye out for this author, but this unfortunaely was more a miss than a win for me.
Her Lady's Honor made me feel very mixed things. If from a side I loved the chemistry and the development between the girls, from the other I was so frustrated with Beatrice that I was more annoyed at their relationship than anything else.
I appreciated the themes: privilege is a very important topic at the moment - and always - so it touched very points that I agreed with. But it's not possible to have a character thinking something and then acting the entire opposite.
And it was really annoying how everything Nell did was not accepted and highly fought againsy by Beatrice. I do agree that some actions Nell did went from privilege and should've been called out but when everything she does even if it's done for a good cause drags and it's only fighting, it get's tiring.
The only thing that stand out was definitely the writing. Renée Dahlia can totally write scenaries and scenes really well. So I'm going to keep an eye out for this author, but this unfortunaely was more a miss than a win for me.
rjordan19's review against another edition
2.0
Nell has fought bravely in the Great War as a veterinarian. Constantly healing horses and other animals only to send them back out into the fray has made her a changed woman. She's no longer the lady she was when she left. She brings her captains warhorse back to him, taking months to travel by foot. When she arrives, she is drawn in to a number of family problems and her interest captured by the captain's daughter, Beatrice.
Beatrice has basically lived the life of a servant for her family. Her father, who she cannot even call that name as he demands he call her Captain, is overbearing, selfish, and cruel. And war has made him that much worse. Beatrice takes care of everything and everyone in the house. When she sees Nell, she begins to dream of everything she's been missing in this life.
I think you should give this book a try if you are looking for
-a FF story – neither woman is a virgin, but neither is extremely experienced
-a post WWI time frame – It seems so hard to find romance that takes place in this time, so kudos for adding another
-class differences – Nell is a lady and comes from money while Beatrice has lived her life with much less
-a diverse character map that includes people of color, discussions on slavery, problems with class distinction, and the unbalanced world between the sexes.
Kudos for this author for being one wanting to tackle all of this. There's a lot of heavy themes being addressed in this book and I respect that. I really hope this hits all the spots for some readers.
But, as a romance reader, I was not a fan of this book. I was so excited to try my first FF relationship, and especially excited about the time frame of the book. I found myself liking Nell as the book started but as it went on, I couldn't find anything I liked. I found Nell's behavior a bit disappointing on a number of occasions and also slightly out of character for what I had seen from her thus far in the book. But nothing compared to Beatrice. I found her utterly unlikable. She seemed like a miserable, jealous lump that couldn't wait to lash out at an available victim. This story I found so depressing. I had to force myself to read it. I felt morose reading it. I felt like I needed to put on a large black billowing dress, climb the tallest gothic tower I could find, and stare out in to the mist while I finished the book. There was a lot of mopping up water. I still don't understand how it could rain that much. It was overwhelming and constant themes of how unfair life was to women, to other races. There seemed to be no relief, I was just continually beat over the head with it until the book ended. I also read the words “Oh, crap.” and wasn't a fan of that. I guess for that time period it might be appropriate. For me, it felt out of place. It feels almost like Beatrice just uses Nell for sex because of her looks. Because she surely doesn't seem to like her. She repeatedly makes nasty comments about Nell's aristocratic family and background and it's like she wants to punish her for that. She reprimands Nell for her coping strategies from the war and calls them dirty little habits. She's just...ugh. I felt like Nell walked into a house of horrors when she brought back the horse. She should have run away. But she stayed to be abused. I did have issue with some of the things Nell said too. But not to the level of Beatrice. Beatrice demands things of Nell then cruelly pushes her away because she's not family. She's downright mean. Sadly, I didn't like anything about this book.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions on the novel are my own.
Beatrice has basically lived the life of a servant for her family. Her father, who she cannot even call that name as he demands he call her Captain, is overbearing, selfish, and cruel. And war has made him that much worse. Beatrice takes care of everything and everyone in the house. When she sees Nell, she begins to dream of everything she's been missing in this life.
I think you should give this book a try if you are looking for
-a FF story – neither woman is a virgin, but neither is extremely experienced
-a post WWI time frame – It seems so hard to find romance that takes place in this time, so kudos for adding another
-class differences – Nell is a lady and comes from money while Beatrice has lived her life with much less
-a diverse character map that includes people of color, discussions on slavery, problems with class distinction, and the unbalanced world between the sexes.
Kudos for this author for being one wanting to tackle all of this. There's a lot of heavy themes being addressed in this book and I respect that. I really hope this hits all the spots for some readers.
But, as a romance reader, I was not a fan of this book. I was so excited to try my first FF relationship, and especially excited about the time frame of the book. I found myself liking Nell as the book started but as it went on, I couldn't find anything I liked. I found Nell's behavior a bit disappointing on a number of occasions and also slightly out of character for what I had seen from her thus far in the book. But nothing compared to Beatrice. I found her utterly unlikable. She seemed like a miserable, jealous lump that couldn't wait to lash out at an available victim. This story I found so depressing. I had to force myself to read it. I felt morose reading it. I felt like I needed to put on a large black billowing dress, climb the tallest gothic tower I could find, and stare out in to the mist while I finished the book. There was a lot of mopping up water. I still don't understand how it could rain that much. It was overwhelming and constant themes of how unfair life was to women, to other races. There seemed to be no relief, I was just continually beat over the head with it until the book ended. I also read the words “Oh, crap.” and wasn't a fan of that. I guess for that time period it might be appropriate. For me, it felt out of place. It feels almost like Beatrice just uses Nell for sex because of her looks. Because she surely doesn't seem to like her. She repeatedly makes nasty comments about Nell's aristocratic family and background and it's like she wants to punish her for that. She reprimands Nell for her coping strategies from the war and calls them dirty little habits. She's just...ugh. I felt like Nell walked into a house of horrors when she brought back the horse. She should have run away. But she stayed to be abused. I did have issue with some of the things Nell said too. But not to the level of Beatrice. Beatrice demands things of Nell then cruelly pushes her away because she's not family. She's downright mean. Sadly, I didn't like anything about this book.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions on the novel are my own.
rekhainbc's review
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Appreciate the effort for realism given the time period
bookishmermaid's review
2.0
Thank you Netgalley and Carina Press for the ARC.
Her Lady's Honor made me feel very mixed things. If from a side I loved the chemistry and the development between the girls, from the other I was so frustrated with Beatrice that I was more annoyed at their relationship than anything else.
I appreciated the themes: privilege is a very important topic at the moment - and always - so it touched very points that I agreed with. But it's not possible to have a character thinking something and then acting the entire opposite.
And it was really annoying how everything Nell did was not accepted and highly fought againsy by Beatrice. I do agree that some actions Nell did went from privilege and should've been called out but when everything she does even if it's done for a good cause drags and it's only fighting, it get's tiring.
The only thing that stand out was definitely the writing. Renée Dahlia can totally write scenaries and scenes really well. So I'm going to keep an eye out for this author, but this unfortunaely was more a miss than a win for me.
Her Lady's Honor made me feel very mixed things. If from a side I loved the chemistry and the development between the girls, from the other I was so frustrated with Beatrice that I was more annoyed at their relationship than anything else.
I appreciated the themes: privilege is a very important topic at the moment - and always - so it touched very points that I agreed with. But it's not possible to have a character thinking something and then acting the entire opposite.
And it was really annoying how everything Nell did was not accepted and highly fought againsy by Beatrice. I do agree that some actions Nell did went from privilege and should've been called out but when everything she does even if it's done for a good cause drags and it's only fighting, it get's tiring.
The only thing that stand out was definitely the writing. Renée Dahlia can totally write scenaries and scenes really well. So I'm going to keep an eye out for this author, but this unfortunaely was more a miss than a win for me.
shereadstales's review
3.0
Thanks to NetGalley/HARLEQUIN – Carina Press for the digital ARC of this book.
The great war is over and Lady Eleanor “Nell” St. George, who served as a veterinarian for the war horses has been tasked with returning Tommy, beloved warhorse of her Colonel. It’s been a long journey, but all she has to do is drop the horse off, get him settled, then head home for her life as a Lady. All of that changes when she meets the colonel’s eldest daughter, Beatrice, and is almost immediately smitten. Though the years were tough, war was actually a relief for Beatrice, who was free of her tyrannical father and his temper. It’s gotten worse since he returned home, but when Nell shows up, Beatrice feel a little hope that there might be something outside this servant’s life. Despite their differences in social standing, the two kindle the embers of their attraction and will have to pull Beatrice’s family together when tragedy strikes.
This book was solidly okay. I didn’t love it, and I didn’t dislike it. It was melodrama at its finest, something I can definitely appreciate, but I didn’t always connect with the characters like I wanted to. Historic lesbians, you got me there. I’m a sucker for period pieces starring strong, female leads, and bonus points for queer ones. I didn’t like the colonel, which you’re not supposed to, but his temper and the events leading up to and following the pivotal point in the book didn’t flow as well for me as I would have liked.
I loved Nell and Beatrice but would have liked to see their relationship blossom a little more slowly, though tragedy does bring desperate people closer together, so it wasn’t unrealistic. Overall, I’d recommend this one for a quick, melodramatic read, and I am looking forward to more books from the Carina imprint.
The great war is over and Lady Eleanor “Nell” St. George, who served as a veterinarian for the war horses has been tasked with returning Tommy, beloved warhorse of her Colonel. It’s been a long journey, but all she has to do is drop the horse off, get him settled, then head home for her life as a Lady. All of that changes when she meets the colonel’s eldest daughter, Beatrice, and is almost immediately smitten. Though the years were tough, war was actually a relief for Beatrice, who was free of her tyrannical father and his temper. It’s gotten worse since he returned home, but when Nell shows up, Beatrice feel a little hope that there might be something outside this servant’s life. Despite their differences in social standing, the two kindle the embers of their attraction and will have to pull Beatrice’s family together when tragedy strikes.
This book was solidly okay. I didn’t love it, and I didn’t dislike it. It was melodrama at its finest, something I can definitely appreciate, but I didn’t always connect with the characters like I wanted to. Historic lesbians, you got me there. I’m a sucker for period pieces starring strong, female leads, and bonus points for queer ones. I didn’t like the colonel, which you’re not supposed to, but his temper and the events leading up to and following the pivotal point in the book didn’t flow as well for me as I would have liked.
I loved Nell and Beatrice but would have liked to see their relationship blossom a little more slowly, though tragedy does bring desperate people closer together, so it wasn’t unrealistic. Overall, I’d recommend this one for a quick, melodramatic read, and I am looking forward to more books from the Carina imprint.