bookwormbullet's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
tense
slow-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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Sexual harassment
kponturo's review
adventurous
funny
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? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Death, and Sexual harassment
soniajoy98's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Blood, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, Violence, Alcohol, Classism, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Child abuse, Infidelity, and Rape
carbs666's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-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? No
4.75
I keep thinking about this book long after having finished it. I think MacLean deserves more credit for writing some of the hottest sex scenes I've ever read, which is saying something, because I read a lot of sex scenes. I love the tensions between the LIs, how obvious it is that they need each other but how unwilling they are to drag each other into their messy lives. I'm a sucker for any romance that wraps up the external conflict through the quick thinking and combined power of the heroine and her weird, cool friends. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Death
inkedlings's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This was an enjoyable, exciting read. I'm especially intrigued by the world MacLean is creating here and the characters she fills it with. I always appreciate feminism in my historical novels because I personally think the context is ripe for it. In fact, I don't agree with the "modern sensibilities" in a historical setting criticism. Yes, the time was definitely more restrictive then and had a more defined set of social rules and norms. But that doesn't mean that feminist ideals, sentiments, and efforts did not exist back then. Women did not just start feeling certain ways in modern times. I'm sure there was a level of pushback in this era, too. That's how change happened and continues to happen. Also, despite an author's best efforts, any depiction of history will always lack complete accuracy, just by virtue of us not being able to encompass the entire human experience happening at any given time. From the experiences we choose to highlight to the people we choose to include in stories, there will always be a level of subjectivity. Add to the fact that this is fiction. I think it is just a matter of taste. Some people want to read about their "ideal image" of this period, and that's okay. And some people want the more subversive, peripheral, or fantastical aspects of it. And that's okay, too. I can enjoy both the former and the latter.
That being said, the romance itself wasn't that interesting to me because I'm a bit tired of the "hero with a secret who stays away to protect the heroine" trope. Though MacLean does a capable job of breathing life into the couple and their growing attachment to one another.
That being said, the romance itself wasn't that interesting to me because I'm a bit tired of the "hero with a secret who stays away to protect the heroine" trope. Though MacLean does a capable job of breathing life into the couple and their growing attachment to one another.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexism, and Violence
Minor: Sexual harassment
allisonwonderlandreads's review
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
"Love is nonsense, and you are going to need your girls with you to survive whatever it brings next."
So I have to admit to some foolishness on my part. I picked this up, delighted with the "first in a new series!" advertisement, not understanding it was actually "first in a new spinoff series, deeply embedded in an established world of characters with long, intertwined backstories" so my bad on that front. I wasted a lot of time in the beginning perplexed by shorthand reminders of characters and situations that were all completely new to me. I just figured other lovely fools like myself could use a warning on that front.
But let's get down to the fun of this book. I liked the set-up for the series, which is a team of women using information, craftiness, and occasional explosions to curb men who use their power to harm others. Sesily is this gender-bent rake/vigilante, which brought me great delight. Her wit is SHARP, and I found myself highlighting several one-liners on the off-chance it inspires me to be faster (and cleverer) on the uptake, myself. Sesily's wit, flirtatious nature, and penchant for scandal obviously lent itself to superior banter, as well. My favorite humor was the self-aware jokes that make nods to genre tropes and old standbys. I appreciated that Sesily broke so many barriers, not only through her boldness but also her lack of desire for children (only #1 cool aunt status). There's also something extremely satisfying about a thirty, flirty, and thriving historical heroine rather than a teenage ingenue just loose on the world.
Then we have Caleb. He's an overly dominant, protective alpha man for my tastes. There are no red flags in terms of unbalanced power dynamic or consent issues. In this case, it's merely a case of personal taste. In the last quarter, I did appreciate learning his backstory, but an intriguing background does not a compelling personality make.
This is a romance where I far preferred one lead over another, and I thought the sexual tension was much stronger than the emotional journey. For those reasons, I enjoyed my introduction to this series and to the author in general, but it wasn't my favorite. I look forward to seeing how the rest of the girl gang find their own love stories.
Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It's out now!
So I have to admit to some foolishness on my part. I picked this up, delighted with the "first in a new series!" advertisement, not understanding it was actually "first in a new spinoff series, deeply embedded in an established world of characters with long, intertwined backstories" so my bad on that front. I wasted a lot of time in the beginning perplexed by shorthand reminders of characters and situations that were all completely new to me. I just figured other lovely fools like myself could use a warning on that front.
But let's get down to the fun of this book. I liked the set-up for the series, which is a team of women using information, craftiness, and occasional explosions to curb men who use their power to harm others. Sesily is this gender-bent rake/vigilante, which brought me great delight. Her wit is SHARP, and I found myself highlighting several one-liners on the off-chance it inspires me to be faster (and cleverer) on the uptake, myself. Sesily's wit, flirtatious nature, and penchant for scandal obviously lent itself to superior banter, as well. My favorite humor was the self-aware jokes that make nods to genre tropes and old standbys. I appreciated that Sesily broke so many barriers, not only through her boldness but also her lack of desire for children (only #1 cool aunt status). There's also something extremely satisfying about a thirty, flirty, and thriving historical heroine rather than a teenage ingenue just loose on the world.
Then we have Caleb. He's an overly dominant, protective alpha man for my tastes. There are no red flags in terms of unbalanced power dynamic or consent issues. In this case, it's merely a case of personal taste. In the last quarter, I did appreciate learning his backstory, but an intriguing background does not a compelling personality make.
This is a romance where I far preferred one lead over another, and I thought the sexual tension was much stronger than the emotional journey. For those reasons, I enjoyed my introduction to this series and to the author in general, but it wasn't my favorite. I look forward to seeing how the rest of the girl gang find their own love stories.
Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It's out now!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Sexual content
Moderate: Violence and Sexual harassment
Minor: Blood
hollyenchanted's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-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? Yes
4.25
Sesily and Caleb, y'all. She is smart, gorgeous, accomplished (in all of the fun ways), and a true scandal. Her crush on her sister's bestie/business partner made so much sense to me, and his by-the-books stoic seriousness and protectiveness (whose love for our heroine is BECAUSE of how *much* she is) is my catnip. The first quarter is largely spent setting up the series, but it doesn't feel like a slog because Sesily and the Hell's Belle's are so dang fun. I can't WAIT for the rest of the series, and I loved seeing these two get together!
Some highlights:
"She turned to leave, to find her carriage and her way home, and console herself with wine and her cat and perhaps summon her friends to her side. They would come. Duchess would bring wine, and Adelaide would bring sympathy, and Imogen would bring fantasies of revenge." HOW FUN ARE THESE LADIES??
"Somehow it was worse than he'd expected. Because love might have reminded him that he should leave her. That he should keep her safe. But need...need made leaving her impossible. Because he needed, too. He ached with it. And he was hers, he always had been. From the moment he'd laid eyes on her. And what she needed, he would give her."
Anyway, read this book!
Some highlights:
"She turned to leave, to find her carriage and her way home, and console herself with wine and her cat and perhaps summon her friends to her side. They would come. Duchess would bring wine, and Adelaide would bring sympathy, and Imogen would bring fantasies of revenge." HOW FUN ARE THESE LADIES??
"Somehow it was worse than he'd expected. Because love might have reminded him that he should leave her. That he should keep her safe. But need...need made leaving her impossible. Because he needed, too. He ached with it. And he was hers, he always had been. From the moment he'd laid eyes on her. And what she needed, he would give her."
Anyway, read this book!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Sexual harassment, Violence, Physical abuse, Death, and Child abuse
Spoiler
the hero's sister was victimized by the bad-guys son, leading to the bad guy's murderSpoiler
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