cassattack's review against another edition
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
4.0
emilygigs's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
lapon's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
3.5
I like the "country" vibe of this book with characters that either garden or take an active interest in agriculture.
Also the fact that for a romance novel, the characters are not flashy (the heroine is working class, the hero is an earl but not improbably handsome or well-dressed).
As a minus however, I found the hero's behaviour hard to justify after
Also the fact that for a romance novel, the characters are not flashy (the heroine is working class, the hero is an earl but not improbably handsome or well-dressed).
As a minus however, I found the hero's behaviour hard to justify after
Spoiler
he found out about the deception at Aphrodite's grottochihiro1010's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
nisha_nee's review
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Expected more out of this, sadly.
littlebookjockey's review against another edition
2.0
I wish I'd liked this one more. Sadly, I could tell it was Hoyt's first book, but that also means she's improved a lot because I love the Maiden Lane books I've read. The characters in this one annoyed me, and there was way too much noble idiocy. I would have preferred reading solely about the prostitutes in this one because I cared more about their storyline. I got annoyed with Edward's near-constant self-loathing about his scars. Once or twice would be fine, but the whole book? And the epilogue was totally predictable. Women have always blamed themselves when they can't have children with their husbands, but sometimes it's the husband who can't. I know it's reflective of the society, but still. Read my full review here.
eeclayton's review against another edition
4.0
Surprisingly enjoyable, really well-written. The ending of course was predictable, still the characters' journey there was interesting, even thought-provoking at points. Loved the parallel fairy tale.
ccgwalt's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars for story
4.5 stars for narration by Moira Quirk
I read this in print years ago, and still enjoyed the story. You need to suspend disbelief for the story to work, but if you can, it's a sexy, fun story. I like the fairy tale that begins each chapter. And Moira Quirk is amazing on the narration.
4.5 stars for narration by Moira Quirk
I read this in print years ago, and still enjoyed the story. You need to suspend disbelief for the story to work, but if you can, it's a sexy, fun story. I like the fairy tale that begins each chapter. And Moira Quirk is amazing on the narration.
scotcheroo's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.75
Read in 1 day. I love these unconventional historical heroines who take control of their own lives, wants & needs. 1760s England: Anna Wren is widowed 6 years now so she takes a (normally male-filled) secretary position for the local Earl, Edward de Raaf. Similar to <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b39d94b9-1bcf-41b5-a762-1aab41028ec6">The Duchess Deal</a>, Edward is disfigured with pock marks (his entire family died of the pox except him), yells a lot and frightens most women and some men. But he doesn't scare Anna. They have great banter and teasing and they're instantly attracted to each other. But this is one of those tropes where the man can't stand just his hand so he plans to go to London to visit an upscale brothel to satisfy his urges for Anna.
Anna happens to rescue a prostitute on the side of the road, Pearl, and when her well-to-do prostitute / kept-mistress Coral comes to collect her she takes advantage of Coral's offer to get her in to that very brothel the Earl is visiting.
Once Edward discovers it was Anna he had sex with he wants to marry her, even though the entire conflict between these 2 is that they don't get together because its presumed Anna can't have children. She and Peter tried for 3 years but never had a child. This was the only unanswered question I had. Clearly Peter had a child with Felicity. And in the epilogue Anna and Edward have a son after 2 years, and she's pregnant with a 2nd. Sooooo wth? If she got pregnant so quickly with the 2nd, why did it take so long to have the first? Why were her and Peter unable to have a kid?
This was actually the surprising plot point of the book. I really thought Anna would get pregnant after having sex with Edward, and that would be what gets them together. But instead he's so in love with Anna that he turns down his fianceé. And he defends Anna when Felicity and another guy blackmail them about her being in a brothel.
Tropes: scarred/disfigured hero, tortured / dark past hero, spinster heroine, servant heroine, plain jane heroine, tall muscular hero
The brothel scenes are spicyyyyy. I really liked both characters, especially Anna. I like that we get to be in both hero and heroine's POVs. Really my only complaints are that the main obstacle to them being together doesn't really make sense physically, and the villain was kind of weak - didn't like randomly switching to the villain's POV.
Anna happens to rescue a prostitute on the side of the road, Pearl, and when her well-to-do prostitute / kept-mistress Coral comes to collect her she takes advantage of Coral's offer to get her in to that very brothel the Earl is visiting.
Spoiler
Edward has never seen her with her hair down, she wears a butterfly mask, and neither speak so she's successful in having sex with him not once but again the next night too. On the 2nd night she's accosted leaving by men who were following her on Felicity Clearwater's orders after Felicity saw Anna wearing a locket. Turns out Anna's dead husband Peter cheated on her a lot. Felicity also has extramarrital affairs due to being married to an extremely old guy. Her oldest daughter actually looks a lot like Peter.Once Edward discovers it was Anna he had sex with he wants to marry her, even though the entire conflict between these 2 is that they don't get together because its presumed Anna can't have children. She and Peter tried for 3 years but never had a child. This was the only unanswered question I had. Clearly Peter had a child with Felicity. And in the epilogue Anna and Edward have a son after 2 years, and she's pregnant with a 2nd. Sooooo wth? If she got pregnant so quickly with the 2nd, why did it take so long to have the first? Why were her and Peter unable to have a kid?
This was actually the surprising plot point of the book. I really thought Anna would get pregnant after having sex with Edward, and that would be what gets them together. But instead he's so in love with Anna that he turns down his fianceé. And he defends Anna when Felicity and another guy blackmail them about her being in a brothel.
Tropes: scarred/disfigured hero, tortured / dark past hero, spinster heroine, servant heroine, plain jane heroine, tall muscular hero
The brothel scenes are spicyyyyy. I really liked both characters, especially Anna. I like that we get to be in both hero and heroine's POVs. Really my only complaints are that the main obstacle to them being together doesn't really make sense physically, and the villain was kind of weak - didn't like randomly switching to the villain's POV.