wildwolverine's review
1.0
There comes a time when an author that someone esteems finally produces a work that is embarrassing to read. This book was ridiculous, boring, awful, and plan creepy! Compared to the Castles Ever After series, this was a huge step down for Tessa Dare. This was like the stereotypical romance books readers avoid because it's so stupid and pointless.
First of all, the heroine was a complete Mary Sue. Susanna happened to be good at everything: shooting, medicine, teaching, therapy, marketing, genealogy, agriculture, and, of course, mind-reading. I'm all for intelligent heroines, but this one was a reach. She was so perfect that she was insufferable and boring. I was bored reading about how she was so smart that she felt all alone and couldn't talk to anyone. Thank goodness for that mind-reading.
Bram was also a whiney little wimp. I wish he had gone back to the army with his bad knee so he could get blown up. Despite all of his determination to lead a militia, Susanna somehow reads his mind and decides he needs hugs and pets. Why? Who knows. Especially since he goes after her religiously for everything but hugs and pets.
I seem to be in the minority for not liking this book, but nothing will make me change my mind. The pacing was everywhere. The dialogue was patronizing and stilted. The dad makes a complete character switch at the end of the book, creating a bunch of fake drama. The romance was... yeesh. It was manipulative and terrible. That's all I'm going to say.
First of all, the heroine was a complete Mary Sue. Susanna happened to be good at everything: shooting, medicine, teaching, therapy, marketing, genealogy, agriculture, and, of course, mind-reading. I'm all for intelligent heroines, but this one was a reach. She was so perfect that she was insufferable and boring. I was bored reading about how she was so smart that she felt all alone and couldn't talk to anyone. Thank goodness for that mind-reading.
Bram was also a whiney little wimp. I wish he had gone back to the army with his bad knee so he could get blown up. Despite all of his determination to lead a militia, Susanna somehow reads his mind and decides he needs hugs and pets. Why? Who knows. Especially since he goes after her religiously for everything but hugs and pets.
I seem to be in the minority for not liking this book, but nothing will make me change my mind. The pacing was everywhere. The dialogue was patronizing and stilted. The dad makes a complete character switch at the end of the book, creating a bunch of fake drama. The romance was... yeesh. It was manipulative and terrible. That's all I'm going to say.
swampgoddess's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Enjoyable, as always. But didn't grab me as much as Dare's later stories. Even though the heroine is a tall redhead
sri_savita's review against another edition
4.0
"I'm not going to accept your challenge. There will be no duel."
"Why not? Because I'm a woman?"
"No, because I've seen the way you spinsters handle a pistol. You'd shoot me dead where I stood."
4.5 stars. I really enjoyed the division between men and women trying to maintain control over Spindle Cove and renaming the places to suit their agenda, and competing skills/militias. I think because it was a series starter, Tessa likely wanted to introduce other characters but I didn't really need the perspectives of Minerva and Colin since I read their book a while back.
Bram definitely had some dated alpha male views, but I think he and Susanna were well-matched because she could challenge him, and I really liked how the two of them understood each other and their scars - the ones that were visible and the ones that weren't.
Also, Dinner was a great character!
"Why not? Because I'm a woman?"
"No, because I've seen the way you spinsters handle a pistol. You'd shoot me dead where I stood."
4.5 stars. I really enjoyed the division between men and women trying to maintain control over Spindle Cove and renaming the places to suit their agenda, and competing skills/militias. I think because it was a series starter, Tessa likely wanted to introduce other characters but I didn't really need the perspectives of Minerva and Colin since I read their book a while back.
Bram definitely had some dated alpha male views, but I think he and Susanna were well-matched because she could challenge him, and I really liked how the two of them understood each other and their scars - the ones that were visible and the ones that weren't.
Also, Dinner was a great character!
jessicalouise25's review against another edition
4.0
This was my least favourite of this series (at this point I've read only the first 3 books). I loved the community and spindle cove aspects. I laughed out loud at many of those parts. My only issue was with the first half or so of the book in which I felt there was a lack of actual connection between Bram and Susanna. Aside I enjoyed the book but it was definitely hindered by this aspect.
mendezamanda17's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
5.0
redwolf's review
lighthearted
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
4.5
laurenjodi's review against another edition
4.0
A Night to Surrender
4 Stars
Battle of the sexes in Regency England - the romance is engaging and the characters likeable but the plot lacks substance.
The small town setting is quaint and the notion of a safe haven for society's wallflowers is charming. However, neither is sufficiently developed and the dynamic between the women is missing the closeness and intimacy that is expected in these circumstances (Kleypas's Wallflowers has this in spades). Similarly, the relationships among the men lack comradeship.
The witty banter and sizzling chemistry between Bram and Susanna make it all worthwhile though. Bram is an injured war hero intent on returning to his regiment but cannot keep his hands of Susanna long enough to fulfill his mission of forming a militia. Susanna is intelligent, independent and fiercely proud of helping the young women who don't fit into society's image of perfection. She is a lovely heroine but does have a tendency to submit to Bram when he becomes overbearing, which is contrary to her characterization. Moreover, Bram can be sexist and tends to dismiss Susanna's concerns and wishes, which it irritating at times.
Overall, an entertaining read despite its shortcomings and the romances developing among the secondary characters have definite potential.
4 Stars
Battle of the sexes in Regency England - the romance is engaging and the characters likeable but the plot lacks substance.
The small town setting is quaint and the notion of a safe haven for society's wallflowers is charming. However, neither is sufficiently developed and the dynamic between the women is missing the closeness and intimacy that is expected in these circumstances (Kleypas's Wallflowers has this in spades). Similarly, the relationships among the men lack comradeship.
The witty banter and sizzling chemistry between Bram and Susanna make it all worthwhile though. Bram is an injured war hero intent on returning to his regiment but cannot keep his hands of Susanna long enough to fulfill his mission of forming a militia. Susanna is intelligent, independent and fiercely proud of helping the young women who don't fit into society's image of perfection. She is a lovely heroine but does have a tendency to submit to Bram when he becomes overbearing, which is contrary to her characterization. Moreover, Bram can be sexist and tends to dismiss Susanna's concerns and wishes, which it irritating at times.
Overall, an entertaining read despite its shortcomings and the romances developing among the secondary characters have definite potential.
geo_ix's review against another edition
2.0
I found this such a chore to read. Many times I considered DNFing it, but I just kept hoping it was improve and maybe I just needed it to grow on me more. It did sort of inprove perhaps a fraction but only enough for me to say I didn’t completely hate it, but I definitely cannot say I liked it.
I felt not one thing from or for the characters. They annoyed me and I kept finding myself putting the book down to do something else. Which is sad, I quite like the other Dare books I’ve read so far, but I think this series as a whole might not be for me, not just this one book. Perhaps I’ll never continue this one, I’m not 100% sure right now, but honestly I wasn’t that interested in Colin or Minerva, perhaps Thorne and the woman with the birthmark but I also wouldn’t really care if I never read it lol
I felt not one thing from or for the characters. They annoyed me and I kept finding myself putting the book down to do something else. Which is sad, I quite like the other Dare books I’ve read so far, but I think this series as a whole might not be for me, not just this one book. Perhaps I’ll never continue this one, I’m not 100% sure right now, but honestly I wasn’t that interested in Colin or Minerva, perhaps Thorne and the woman with the birthmark but I also wouldn’t really care if I never read it lol
mollyjeannette's review against another edition
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
emmaskies's review against another edition
2.75
AREA MAN DISCOVERS SAFE HAVEN COMMUNITY OF UNMARRIED WOMEN AND DECIDES IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED WITH THE POWER OF TOXIC MASCULINITY.
If I had to read this man’s thoughts about how what this perfectly content and competent woman actually needed in her life was “a real man” for much longer, I was going to commit a crime.
The heroine and everyone in her town is left worse off at the end of the book for the appearance of this man and his buddies. Truly the moral of this story genuinely seems to be that men ruin everything.
Low 3⭐️ because the last hundred pages were good, but not in a way that ever addressed the preceding 300 pages. Possibly 2.75. A rare miss from Tessa Dare for me.
Also worth noting I was super uncomfortable with the multiple instances of consent to sexual contact in this book boiling down to “if you’re not saying no then it’s a yes,” and an entire extended scene where he gets her consent to a situation for which he offers strict boundaries, but then proceeds to push and stretch those boundaries well past what they agreed on.
And bc it’s a romance novel she’s into it and yada yada whatever but that is very much not cool.
I will maybe continue this series bc I’ve heard A Week to be Wicked is really good (curious how that will go bc I fucking hate Colin) and I’m interested in what I’m sure is a Thorne/Kate book later in the series.
If I had to read this man’s thoughts about how what this perfectly content and competent woman actually needed in her life was “a real man” for much longer, I was going to commit a crime.
The heroine and everyone in her town is left worse off at the end of the book for the appearance of this man and his buddies. Truly the moral of this story genuinely seems to be that men ruin everything.
Low 3⭐️ because the last hundred pages were good, but not in a way that ever addressed the preceding 300 pages. Possibly 2.75. A rare miss from Tessa Dare for me.
Also worth noting I was super uncomfortable with the multiple instances of consent to sexual contact in this book boiling down to “if you’re not saying no then it’s a yes,” and an entire extended scene where he gets her consent to a situation for which he offers strict boundaries, but then proceeds to push and stretch those boundaries well past what they agreed on.
And bc it’s a romance novel she’s into it and yada yada whatever but that is very much not cool.
I will maybe continue this series bc I’ve heard A Week to be Wicked is really good (curious how that will go bc I fucking hate Colin) and I’m interested in what I’m sure is a Thorne/Kate book later in the series.