cmpfaff's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
slee907's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-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
2.5
stormeno's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Sexual content, and Alcoholism
josisbooks's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
poppy_xx_c8's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Violence
Minor: Vomit, Classism, and Child death
alexandracowie's review
4.0
A very solid 3.5 stars rounded up! One of the more enjoyable in the franchise and a nice quick easy read
h_howell's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lexireads37's review
dark
emotional
funny
fast-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
4.5
imaginary_sauropod's review
medium-paced
3.5
Aumont wishes to drink himself to death. Darling is drawn to Aumont and Gale does some surreptitious match making by putting them on assignment together.
Teddy is a “companion” and is receiving anonymous letters from a stalker who is jealous of his other customers. Gale sets Darling and Aumont to help by protecting him and trying to flush out the stalker. After the stalker kills Teddy’s cat, they run away to Darling’s family home to prepare their final attack.
This book suffers less from continuity errors (though definitely still a problem) and more from why now. Aumont is only finally being completely suicidal even though it has been three years since Luke’s death? He’s actually one of the ton and has no money or contact with his family that was putting so much pressure on him to produce an heir that he didn’t marry Luke? I got stuck on that and it made it hard to fully suspend my disbelief.
The best part was definitely the part where they hang out at Darling’s family’s house. I also loved that Teddy got to be paired off, though it was a little weird as it seemed the book was trying to be sex work positive but then made it seem like Teddy did just want the right person to settle down with and the sex work was simply for the money and not because he truly loved the work.
I also enjoyed the respect for Darling’s desire to save sex for marriage. It was a little weird how he backtracked on that idea more than once and Aumont held him to his one time stated commitment. I understand a moment of weakness and not wanting to lose someone so that you give the option to not wait, but the fact that it happened multiple times and Aumont was the gentleman who refused made it seem like Darling wasn’t allowed to change his mind about his principles. Allowing your partner to change is an important aspect of a health relationship and so it didn’t feel right.
Still a fun romance in the feel of the other books, but I’m done with the series as the quality has decreased and the next book seems to have a lot of BDSM instead of the romance that I was reading for. Perhaps the series went on longer than necessary.
Teddy is a “companion” and is receiving anonymous letters from a stalker who is jealous of his other customers. Gale sets Darling and Aumont to help by protecting him and trying to flush out the stalker. After the stalker kills Teddy’s cat, they run away to Darling’s family home to prepare their final attack.
This book suffers less from continuity errors (though definitely still a problem) and more from why now. Aumont is only finally being completely suicidal even though it has been three years since Luke’s death? He’s actually one of the ton and has no money or contact with his family that was putting so much pressure on him to produce an heir that he didn’t marry Luke? I got stuck on that and it made it hard to fully suspend my disbelief.
The best part was definitely the part where they hang out at Darling’s family’s house. I also loved that Teddy got to be paired off, though it was a little weird as it seemed the book was trying to be sex work positive but then made it seem like Teddy did just want the right person to settle down with and the sex work was simply for the money and not because he truly loved the work.
I also enjoyed the respect for Darling’s desire to save sex for marriage. It was a little weird how he backtracked on that idea more than once and Aumont held him to his one time stated commitment. I understand a moment of weakness and not wanting to lose someone so that you give the option to not wait, but the fact that it happened multiple times and Aumont was the gentleman who refused made it seem like Darling wasn’t allowed to change his mind about his principles. Allowing your partner to change is an important aspect of a health relationship and so it didn’t feel right.
Still a fun romance in the feel of the other books, but I’m done with the series as the quality has decreased and the next book seems to have a lot of BDSM instead of the romance that I was reading for. Perhaps the series went on longer than necessary.