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jordannahst's review against another edition
4.5
This might be Alice’s best book yet. And that’s coming from someone who absolutely adores her medieval novels! This was just so different to what I’m used to when it comes to historical romance. I absolutely loved it! Theo was such a great heroine – I love her a lot and she deserves the entire world 🥺 and I have to mention my soft spot for Clem(ent) lol. The side characters were brilliant too (one of AC’s wonderful talents!!). I’m so, so happy everyone got their happy endings (well almost, maybe Felix’s will come soon!). Eddie and Harold!!! I KNEW IT!!!! All the love for one of my favourite authors always 💖
idmiliris's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
riz715zo's review
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.5
what in the world was up with the editing - name changes and misnaming, paragraphs from one spot in the wrong time - not sure what happened between this book and the others which I absolutely loved. The actual characters felt flat. Bummer.
bookish_kristina's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
This series is the best, most original group of books I’ve read in forever. So well done. So far each book has explored a completely original and different part of Victorian society through the eyes of two compelling and complete characters who marry for convenience and ultimately find love. This book was set in the theatres and music halls of Victorian London. A young woman with big dreams of being a male impersonator and acting in male stage roles is stifled by her family. She seeks freedom by marrying a somewhat retired, brutish but charming, prizefighter who owns a music hall. This book gives us glimpses into the rougher side of Victorian life juxtaposed by the staunchly strict middle class mores of the time. i found it extremely interesting. Clem, the hero, is a known charmer and a bit of a flash gentry - a flashy lower class person who has made something of himself - and yet doesn’t attempt to comport himself as a respectable man. He is a complicated hero, in earlier books shown as a ladies man, but his still waters run deep. He is NOT a man-whore in this book, he seems to have out grown that side of himself, so this is not a rake redemption story. He is, however, a man who has not known much love in his life and has to learn how to be honest, supportive and vulnerable with his Dora - with that being said it does take him awhile to get there. He keeps a secret from his wife in this book for a long time, and it eats away at him. So I did like Clem, but maybe not so much as I liked Ben from the last book.
In this story it was Theodora who stole the show - literally on stage as a male impersonator and in the story - with her strength, optimism, vulnerability, determination and loyalty. This loyalty bites her in the ass a few times, but she is always so resilient. She was a great character.
And as usual with this series, there is a lot of hot/awkward/polite Victorian sex, this book erred on the side of awkward more often than not, but I loved it. It was authentic. Not all sex is this perfectly choreographed gymnastics we see too often in romance. This was still swoon worthy, but also funny and sweet.
So I highly recommend this series to anyone into HR or historical fiction, romance, or just wants to try something new and original.
This series is the best, most original group of books I’ve read in forever. So well done. So far each book has explored a completely original and different part of Victorian society through the eyes of two compelling and complete characters who marry for convenience and ultimately find love. This book was set in the theatres and music halls of Victorian London. A young woman with big dreams of being a male impersonator and acting in male stage roles is stifled by her family. She seeks freedom by marrying a somewhat retired, brutish but charming, prizefighter who owns a music hall. This book gives us glimpses into the rougher side of Victorian life juxtaposed by the staunchly strict middle class mores of the time. i found it extremely interesting. Clem, the hero, is a known charmer and a bit of a flash gentry - a flashy lower class person who has made something of himself - and yet doesn’t attempt to comport himself as a respectable man. He is a complicated hero, in earlier books shown as a ladies man, but his still waters run deep. He is NOT a man-whore in this book, he seems to have out grown that side of himself, so this is not a rake redemption story. He is, however, a man who has not known much love in his life and has to learn how to be honest, supportive and vulnerable with his Dora - with that being said it does take him awhile to get there. He keeps a secret from his wife in this book for a long time, and it eats away at him. So I did like Clem, but maybe not so much as I liked Ben from the last book.
In this story it was Theodora who stole the show - literally on stage as a male impersonator and in the story - with her strength, optimism, vulnerability, determination and loyalty. This loyalty bites her in the ass a few times, but she is always so resilient. She was a great character.
And as usual with this series, there is a lot of hot/awkward/polite Victorian sex, this book erred on the side of awkward more often than not, but I loved it. It was authentic. Not all sex is this perfectly choreographed gymnastics we see too often in romance. This was still swoon worthy, but also funny and sweet.
So I highly recommend this series to anyone into HR or historical fiction, romance, or just wants to try something new and original.
c4nd1e's review against another edition
4.0
Theo wants to be an actress. She and her siblings were raised by their uncle, who owned a theater. When their uncle died, he gave Theo and her siblings each partial ownership of the theater, but since Theo is an unmarried woman, her brother controls all of it. Now her brother wants her to give up acting to work as an unpaid housekeeper in their family home.
Clem is a former prize fighter who now runs a music hall. He wants to expand his business and he has his eye on Theo's family theater.
Theo propositions Clem with a convenient marriage so they can both get what they want. He will have partial ownership of the theater, and she can work as an actress at the music hall.
I really like Theo and I love that she figured out a way to follow her dreams. She's a unique character and has many qualities that seem almost contradictory, but somehow it works and makes sense. She's confident and perceptive, but insecure and naive.
Clem has always thought of himself as ruthless. He was alone from a young age, became a prizefighter, then, when his fighting career slowed, he opened a music hall. He is enamored with Theo pretty much from the get-go, but tries to keep her at arm's length. It takes a while for him to figure out his feelings.
This book has some cameos from the first two Victorian prizefighter books.
Clem is a former prize fighter who now runs a music hall. He wants to expand his business and he has his eye on Theo's family theater.
Theo propositions Clem with a convenient marriage so they can both get what they want. He will have partial ownership of the theater, and she can work as an actress at the music hall.
I really like Theo and I love that she figured out a way to follow her dreams. She's a unique character and has many qualities that seem almost contradictory, but somehow it works and makes sense. She's confident and perceptive, but insecure and naive.
Clem has always thought of himself as ruthless. He was alone from a young age, became a prizefighter, then, when his fighting career slowed, he opened a music hall. He is enamored with Theo pretty much from the get-go, but tries to keep her at arm's length. It takes a while for him to figure out his feelings.
This book has some cameos from the first two Victorian prizefighter books.
_mj_'s review
4.0
It's not my favorite, but it's still wonderful. Felt a little slow and repetitive, but Clem was precious, and I'm so proud of Dora!
alexmcf's review against another edition
5.0
I think this might be my favourite Alice Coldbreath novel. Theo is incredibly likeable and is the right kind of ‘not like other girls’ character - meaning she’s warm, relatable and her quirks don’t come at the detriment of other women.
The characters are hot to trot and the sexy talk wasn’t cringey (to me
The characters are hot to trot and the sexy talk wasn’t cringey (to me
leabookjoy's review against another edition
4.0
French & English reviews
Une petite romance sympa mais j'ai eu du mal à m'attacher aux personnages (originaux que ce soit les secondaires ou les principaux !) et j'ai trouvé la romance un peu ... Plate ?
Bref, une lecture agréable mais pas passionnante et pas ma préférée de l'auteure ...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A nice little romance but I had a hard time getting attached to the characters (original whether secondary or main !) and I found the romance a bit ... Dull ?
In short, a pleasant but not exciting read and not my favorite of the author ...
Merged review:
French & English reviews
Une petite romance sympa mais j'ai eu du mal à m'attacher aux personnages (originaux que ce soit les secondaires ou les principaux !) et j'ai trouvé la romance un peu ... Plate ?
Bref, une lecture agréable mais pas passionnante et pas ma préférée de l'auteure ...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A nice little romance but I had a hard time getting attached to the characters (original whether secondary or main !) and I found the romance a bit ... Dull ?
In short, a pleasant but not exciting read and not my favorite of the author ...
Une petite romance sympa mais j'ai eu du mal à m'attacher aux personnages (originaux que ce soit les secondaires ou les principaux !) et j'ai trouvé la romance un peu ... Plate ?
Bref, une lecture agréable mais pas passionnante et pas ma préférée de l'auteure ...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A nice little romance but I had a hard time getting attached to the characters (original whether secondary or main !) and I found the romance a bit ... Dull ?
In short, a pleasant but not exciting read and not my favorite of the author ...
Merged review:
French & English reviews
Une petite romance sympa mais j'ai eu du mal à m'attacher aux personnages (originaux que ce soit les secondaires ou les principaux !) et j'ai trouvé la romance un peu ... Plate ?
Bref, une lecture agréable mais pas passionnante et pas ma préférée de l'auteure ...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A nice little romance but I had a hard time getting attached to the characters (original whether secondary or main !) and I found the romance a bit ... Dull ?
In short, a pleasant but not exciting read and not my favorite of the author ...
lesemaus9812's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
shemi's review
4.5
I dont understand the need for the fmc's to be so plain, but I love how different the stories in this series are, while carrying the same themes of amazing unconventional love with the best kind of men. I love this authors writing