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tiffanynoel's review against another edition
5.0
This was so sweet and so fun! I thoroughly enjoyed it! Newton and Ellie are the cutest and getting more of Artemis and Charlie before reading their book was delightful!
writings_of_a_reader's review against another edition
4.0
Newton Hughes has long dreamed of pursuing a career in law, an acceptable choice for a gentleman of status and wealth. His parents, however, disapprove of his ambition, urging him instead to take his rightful place as a gentleman of leisure—with a suitable wife of their choosing, of course.
Ellie Napper would like nothing more than for her parents to abandon their incessant efforts to marry her off to the greatest possible advantage. Her lack of matrimonial enthusiasm drives her family mad, but she refuses to feign frivolity in order to make herself more palatable to potential suitors.
When Ellie and Newton are introduced through their mutual acquaintance, Charlie Jonquil, they commiserate over their shared plight. In desperation, they hatch a plan: Ellie and Newton will feign an interest in each other—enough to convince their parents not to push them toward unwanted matches but not enough to cause whispers or expectations. Their plot quickly spirals out of control, but the greatest complication is the one they didn’t see coming: their plan never included falling in love.
I was surprised to find this little standalone book by Sarah M. Eden is actually tied to a couple of her series. The main one of interest for me is The Jonquil Brothers, but this is also tied to The Lancaster Family series as well. I've been eagerly awaiting the day that the 7th Jonquil Brothers book will be published and I wasn't finding any info on it. Then I discovered that it's actually also the 5th book in The Lancaster Family series and that's how it's listed here on Goodreads. I'm really excited to finally have found it and that it will be published this year!
So obviously these two series have been tied to each other for a long while. I've never read the Lancaster series, but I plan to get to that one eventually. That brings us to this book. This is a standalone with main characters who are not a part of either of those series, but it acts as kind of as a bridge between those two series with Charlie Jonquil and Artemis Lancaster as supporting characters. Charlie and Artemis have known each other their whole lives as their families are close, but they can't stand each other...or at least that's what they say. In this book they help out friends, Ellie and Newton who are being pushed by their families to court people they do not wish to court.
I thought this was a fun story with very likable characters. It was easy to sympathize with Ellie's plight. Her family was truly awful to her and often accused her of doing the very things they were doing. Newton was a great love interest and I enjoyed seeing their romance blossom. I would have liked an epilogue with a little more at the end, with some insight into how Newton's family receives Ellie as his betrothed, but maybe we will get more of that in the book about Charlie and Artemis.
Overall this was a great read, and I liked it better than some of Eden's longer books that are part of The Jonquil Brothers series.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
Ellie Napper would like nothing more than for her parents to abandon their incessant efforts to marry her off to the greatest possible advantage. Her lack of matrimonial enthusiasm drives her family mad, but she refuses to feign frivolity in order to make herself more palatable to potential suitors.
When Ellie and Newton are introduced through their mutual acquaintance, Charlie Jonquil, they commiserate over their shared plight. In desperation, they hatch a plan: Ellie and Newton will feign an interest in each other—enough to convince their parents not to push them toward unwanted matches but not enough to cause whispers or expectations. Their plot quickly spirals out of control, but the greatest complication is the one they didn’t see coming: their plan never included falling in love.
I was surprised to find this little standalone book by Sarah M. Eden is actually tied to a couple of her series. The main one of interest for me is The Jonquil Brothers, but this is also tied to The Lancaster Family series as well. I've been eagerly awaiting the day that the 7th Jonquil Brothers book will be published and I wasn't finding any info on it. Then I discovered that it's actually also the 5th book in The Lancaster Family series and that's how it's listed here on Goodreads. I'm really excited to finally have found it and that it will be published this year!
So obviously these two series have been tied to each other for a long while. I've never read the Lancaster series, but I plan to get to that one eventually. That brings us to this book. This is a standalone with main characters who are not a part of either of those series, but it acts as kind of as a bridge between those two series with Charlie Jonquil and Artemis Lancaster as supporting characters. Charlie and Artemis have known each other their whole lives as their families are close, but they can't stand each other...or at least that's what they say. In this book they help out friends, Ellie and Newton who are being pushed by their families to court people they do not wish to court.
I thought this was a fun story with very likable characters. It was easy to sympathize with Ellie's plight. Her family was truly awful to her and often accused her of doing the very things they were doing. Newton was a great love interest and I enjoyed seeing their romance blossom. I would have liked an epilogue with a little more at the end, with some insight into how Newton's family receives Ellie as his betrothed, but maybe we will get more of that in the book about Charlie and Artemis.
Overall this was a great read, and I liked it better than some of Eden's longer books that are part of The Jonquil Brothers series.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
user613's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
This was a cute, short, clean romance.
It was sweet to watch how Ellie, with Artemis’ help, overcame her family’s criticism and blossomed into the confident, witty, courageous girls she really was.
There were really four characters, instead of the usual two in romance, between Artemis and Charlie, Ellie and Newton, though the story was Ellie and Newton's. None of the characters were particularly developed or outshone the others, which made for a slightly boring, predictable feel to the book. It read, more than anything, like the prequal to Charlie and Artemis’ romance, the next book in the series. Which was a bit too bad, since Ellie and Newton's story could have stood on its own merit too.
There were some amusing scenes. I did, however, expect a bit more from Artemis. It’s hard to be funny all the time, I guess. Artemis also, unexpectedly, had many words of wisdom to share, which somewhat made up for the lack of hysterics on her part.
“For insults, you said, ‘Retreat, wield my shield, or return fire.’” Ellie said.
“War terminology?”
“Being a young lady in Society means being constantly under attack,” Artemis said. “Battle tactics suit the situation horrifyingly well.”
Content: clean
Romance: a few hugs and two kisses
Religion: Greek Artemis’ huntresses are mentioned once, and Leto is mentioned twice.
Other: Ellie’s parents are demeaning of her.
This was a cute, short, clean romance.
It was sweet to watch how Ellie, with Artemis’ help, overcame her family’s criticism and blossomed into the confident, witty, courageous girls she really was.
There were really four characters, instead of the usual two in romance, between Artemis and Charlie, Ellie and Newton, though the story was Ellie and Newton's. None of the characters were particularly developed or outshone the others, which made for a slightly boring, predictable feel to the book. It read, more than anything, like the prequal to Charlie and Artemis’ romance, the next book in the series. Which was a bit too bad, since Ellie and Newton's story could have stood on its own merit too.
There were some amusing scenes. I did, however, expect a bit more from Artemis. It’s hard to be funny all the time, I guess. Artemis also, unexpectedly, had many words of wisdom to share, which somewhat made up for the lack of hysterics on her part.
“For insults, you said, ‘Retreat, wield my shield, or return fire.’” Ellie said.
“War terminology?”
“Being a young lady in Society means being constantly under attack,” Artemis said. “Battle tactics suit the situation horrifyingly well.”
Content: clean
Romance: a few hugs and two kisses
Religion: Greek Artemis’ huntresses are mentioned once, and Leto is mentioned twice.
Other: Ellie’s parents are demeaning of her.
Spoiler
Throughout the book she learns to believe in herself and stand up for herself.annashiv's review against another edition
3.0
Felt a bit juvenile. No one really grew. There wasn't really a climax or even real problems. Artemis just sort of fixed everything and it just didn't feel grounded, if that makes sense
reading_sweet_romance's review against another edition
4.0
A sweet and innocent regency romance about following your heart.
sarah_moynihan's review against another edition
4.0
'Newton Hughes has long dreamed of pursuing a career in law, an acceptable choice for a gentleman of status and wealth. His parents, however, disapprove of his ambition, urging him instead to take his rightful place as a gentleman of leisure—with a suitable wife of their choosing, of course.
Ellie Napper would like nothing more than for her parents to abandon their incessant efforts to marry her off to the greatest possible advantage. Her lack of matrimonial enthusiasm drives her family mad, but she refuses to feign frivolity in order to make herself more palatable to potential suitors.
When Ellie and Newton are introduced through their mutual acquaintance, Charlie Jonquil, they commiserate over their shared plight. In desperation, they hatch a plan: Ellie and Newton will feign an interest in each other—enough to convince their parents not to push them toward unwanted matches but not enough to cause whispers or expectations. Their plot quickly spirals out of control, but the greatest complication is the one they didn’t see coming: their plan never included falling in love'
__________________________
The Best-Laid Plans is a novella in Sarah M. Eden's The Lancaster Family series.
I've really enjoyed books in the past by this author and there was nothing really wrong with this novella, but I'm overall pretty ambivalent about it. I honestly had a hard time starting my review for this novella because I don't really have much to say about it. Ellie and Newton are sweet characters and it was nice to see characters I have loved from the Jonquil series, but the plot wasn't very original. It felt like something I had read before, like it was following a predetermined script. That sounds really negative, but I did enjoy it. Perhaps it just wasn't what I expected based on what I have read by this author before.
So overall it was a sweet novella and enjoyable, especially if you have read the related books and know the other characters, but it is also fairly predictable.
Ellie Napper would like nothing more than for her parents to abandon their incessant efforts to marry her off to the greatest possible advantage. Her lack of matrimonial enthusiasm drives her family mad, but she refuses to feign frivolity in order to make herself more palatable to potential suitors.
When Ellie and Newton are introduced through their mutual acquaintance, Charlie Jonquil, they commiserate over their shared plight. In desperation, they hatch a plan: Ellie and Newton will feign an interest in each other—enough to convince their parents not to push them toward unwanted matches but not enough to cause whispers or expectations. Their plot quickly spirals out of control, but the greatest complication is the one they didn’t see coming: their plan never included falling in love'
__________________________
The Best-Laid Plans is a novella in Sarah M. Eden's The Lancaster Family series.
I've really enjoyed books in the past by this author and there was nothing really wrong with this novella, but I'm overall pretty ambivalent about it. I honestly had a hard time starting my review for this novella because I don't really have much to say about it. Ellie and Newton are sweet characters and it was nice to see characters I have loved from the Jonquil series, but the plot wasn't very original. It felt like something I had read before, like it was following a predetermined script. That sounds really negative, but I did enjoy it. Perhaps it just wasn't what I expected based on what I have read by this author before.
So overall it was a sweet novella and enjoyable, especially if you have read the related books and know the other characters, but it is also fairly predictable.
kskidmore7's review against another edition
3.0
I would have given it 4 but I listened to it and I really don't like the reader.
oliviazh's review
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
jamiehatch4488's review against another edition
4.0
I'm excited to read more about these friends of Artemis!