brucethegirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Lady Phoebe Batten has benefitted her entire life being the sister of a powerful duke, one that indulges her and cares about her. And is probably more overprotective than any other brother. Namely because Phoebe is blind, and through the course of the book her eye sight actually becomes progressively worse. Her brother has commanded that she be accompanied at all times by Captain James Trevillion. A brooding, mysterious sharpshooter with his own issues. He also is an auxiliary cane user and has a limp.
I enjoyed the grumpy/sunshine romance, and the angst about their not being able to be together due to SOCIETY. It led to some really great internal dialogue and being it was dual POV, I ate that up. I especially loved having a disability rep in BOTH leads. That neither let it make them helpless, or needed to be cured or whatever else. It was life, it was their reality. Now let's fall in love.
I didn't really care for the big reveal at the end. Well the kidnapping one, that was just very whoomp whoomp boring and not exciting at all. It was just... not anything close to the build up. Not to mention the aspects that were clearly set into play just to build further books in the series. Don't call this a standalone when its clearly not. I did enjoy James's family reveal. That was really great and well handled.
Overall, a fun time in a time period not often explored.
Graphic: Violence and Kidnapping
Moderate: Confinement and Rape
trashbinfluencer's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Death of parent, Classism, Chronic illness, Violence, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Ableism, Animal death, Blood, and Confinement
Minor: Outing, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Racism, Rape, Pregnancy, and Homophobia
onlyonebookshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual assault and Violence
allingoodtime'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Violence and Kidnapping
Moderate: Rape and Ableism
smithrachaelynn's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Death of parent, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail
plottrysts's review against another edition
3.5
We do have a bit of a disagreement on the rest of the book. This is one of Meg's favorite Maiden Lane entries, while Laine found it equal parts enrapturing and enraging. She might love James, Phoebe, and James+Phoebe, but everything else surrounding them (which is pretty much a lot of SA: threatened, implied, and past) fell into the Too Much category.
29-Word Summaries:
Meg: What happens when you can no longer spend your life upholding law and order? You get to uphold your own moral code, that’s what.
Laine: Phoebe is over being treated like a china doll, and James is aware that she's not made of porcelain but she doesn't know because she can't see his face.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Kidnapping, and Sexual violence
ylime620's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content and Kidnapping
Moderate: Ableism
dreamfyre's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Kidnapping and Sexual content
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Rape
ashleycmms's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Kidnapping and Ableism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Animal death, Death of parent, Body horror, and Animal cruelty
litokeland'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
3.5
Graphic: Sexual content and Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape