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carbs666's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
We love autistic characters in historical romance in this house! Alice's desire to get what she wants and her absolute certainty that what she wants is Daniel are really enjoyable as driving forces for the plot. I felt so touched by how safe these two complete freaks felt with each other.
I know the tone and pacing of this book (and the rest of the series) won't appeal to everyone, but I find it so funny and engaging. I also felt like the epilogue that capped off the whole series was surprisingly lovely. This whole series was fun and unique, I strongly recommend if you're willing to read something bonkers!
I know the tone and pacing of this book (and the rest of the series) won't appeal to everyone, but I find it so funny and engaging. I also felt like the epilogue that capped off the whole series was surprisingly lovely. This whole series was fun and unique, I strongly recommend if you're willing to read something bonkers!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent and Child abuse
Minor: Violence
witcheep's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
If you look for haphazard and dangerous events for fun (such as playing tennis with grenades) drizzled all over the plot of poorly hidden espionnage and awkward sexual awakening, this is a book for you. Alas, it feels too irrational and childish, if that is not what you seek.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Classism, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Pregnancy
emalderwood's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
Another fun read in this series! Also loved getting some autistic rep from Alice.
Alice's sensory experiences and overwhelm I felt were well handled and realistic, including how she herself felt about them. Her autistic traits were kept mostly consistent through the book and went deeper than stereotypes - her autism was a part of what made her, her but she encompassed more beyond the symptom checklist and had her own unique coping mechanisms that allowed her individuality to shine. She also experienced difficulty, and shame, and pain from how her autism impacts her. I really appreciated how that was handled. Alice's hurt and reflections on who she is vs who her many masks are made me feel seen.
I did feel that Alice's lack of awareness around idiom and subtleties of conversation weren't entirely consistent with her character, though. I appreciated her not picking up on all of them or interpreting them incorrectly or just not noticing when someone was speaking with double meaning. What I wasn't as much a fan of was how that was the case in every situation. I felt that as an intelligent spy, who supposedly has spent so long masking and pretending to be someone else undercover, that she would at least have studied and learned the real meaning of some of the idioms and euphemisms people were using. Even if she still forgot or had to take a minute to figure it out, or got it wrong sometimes, it wouldn't have felt it so at odds with how she's had to adapt over her life and mask.
Overall a great read and I absolutely adored Alice. I could tell the author took her time trying to do her justice.
Alice's sensory experiences and overwhelm I felt were well handled and realistic, including how she herself felt about them. Her autistic traits were kept mostly consistent through the book and went deeper than stereotypes - her autism was a part of what made her, her but she encompassed more beyond the symptom checklist and had her own unique coping mechanisms that allowed her individuality to shine. She also experienced difficulty, and shame, and pain from how her autism impacts her. I really appreciated how that was handled. Alice's hurt and reflections on who she is vs who her many masks are made me feel seen.
I did feel that Alice's lack of awareness around idiom and subtleties of conversation weren't entirely consistent with her character, though. I appreciated her not picking up on all of them or interpreting them incorrectly or just not noticing when someone was speaking with double meaning. What I wasn't as much a fan of was how that was the case in every situation. I felt that as an intelligent spy, who supposedly has spent so long masking and pretending to be someone else undercover, that she would at least have studied and learned the real meaning of some of the idioms and euphemisms people were using. Even if she still forgot or had to take a minute to figure it out, or got it wrong sometimes, it wouldn't have felt it so at odds with how she's had to adapt over her life and mask.
Overall a great read and I absolutely adored Alice. I could tell the author took her time trying to do her justice.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Ableism, Bullying, and Child abuse
overflowingshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
CW: Violence; gun violence; abandoment; child abuse; physial abuse; emotional abuse; pregnancy
Starting a new India Holton book means you’re in for a whimsical, over-the-top, fantastically fun time. And The Secret Service of Tea and Treason was just that. In the third and final book in Holton’s Dangerous Damsels series, you get a rollicking good time with an adventure involving spies, pirates, misquoted literary references, assassination attempts, and the overwhelming urge to clean everything. With all the hijinks and hilarity that ensues, Holton still manages to weave in an incredibly sweet romance.
I absolutely adore India Holton’s writing style – she has such a unique voice that I’ve yet to find anywhere else. Her stories are bonkers in the best possible way, and I love how she plays with conventional tropes and plots but flips them on their head to deliver the unexpected. Of all the books in the Dangerous Damsels series, this one had me laughing out loud the most. It was so funny! I swear I had a grin on my face the entire time I read this, as I was having such a blast. I love how tongue-in-cheek her style is. The book never takes itself too seriously, which works perfectly for the story. I love how Holton plays with classic literary references, as I love trying to see how many I recognize.
While this series does not need to be read in order, I feel you get the most out of it if you do! I think I would be a bit confused if I entered this world in this book, as the world-building happens in the earlier books. But every book in this series has been a delight, so I recommend picking up The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels first and reading in order.
As I expected, the plot for this is bonkers. We have a secret spy agency composed of servants who thrive on order, sending their two best agents undercover as married pirates, pirates who thrive on chaos, to stop an attempted assassination of Queen Victoria. What can go wrong? A lot! But it is such a fun time! You literally never know what is going to happen next. For example, I did not expect a conga line and a tiger to show up in the same scene. It was also super fun to see some familiar faces from previous books, as it felt like everyone and their mother showed up to the pirate’s house party (even if they weren’t invited!).
Our two main characters in The Secret Society of Tea and Treason are two familiar faces from The League of Gentlewomen Witches, as we have Daniel Bixby, butler extraordinaire, and Alice Dearlove, a lady’s maid of unusual talents. I was intrigued by these two since their chance meeting in an alley in Clacton-on-Sea in the last book.
I truly appreciate the neurodivergent representation in this book. While never stated directly in the book, India Holton has shared that she wrote Daniel and Alice to be autistic (Holton is autistic herself). They present quite differently from each other, which I liked as neurodivergent people are not a monolith; they’re individuals. I hope people who are neurodivergent can feel seen by Holton’s characters, as I think she does a good job capturing different experiences and presenting neurodivergence in a way that does not stigmatize it.
I felt like we spent a little more time with Alice than with Daniel, so I felt I got to understand her a little bit, though Daniel holds a lot close to his chest, which could contribute to my feeling that way. I loved that they both are bibliophiles (I can relate), and books are the most important thing to both of them. They both had some traumatic experiences growing up raised by AUNT that left its mark on them in different ways. But I loved how they both felt they could confide in each other – there is a level of trust between them that feels unusual for them as secret agents. They also notice things about each other that everyone else seems to overlook – such as Alice with her finger tapping – and know how to give each other the space they need to be comfortable. I also loved how much the chaos of the pirates went against everything they stand for – Alice and Daniel thrive on order, cleanliness, and rules. As AUNT’s best undercover agents, they’re genuinely TERRIBLE at being undercover as pirates.
The romance in this book was super sweet! I loved watching Daniel and Alice explore their connection, as it was so pure and perfect. AUNT has taught them that feelings are a weakness, but once they give in to their feelings, they realize how much of a strength it is to feel love. I absolutely love a fake-dating scenario, and we get a bit of that with Alice and Daniel’s relationship, as they’re supposed to be undercover as a married couple. That leads to so many delicious moments of them having to show off how married people act at the urging (and swooning) of the other pirate ladies. The chemistry between them was apparent to everyone, and it was so fun to watch the sexual tension and emotions build until they spilled over (in some very sexy ways!). Daniel’s also so enamored with Alice and that’s one of my favorite tropes. By the end, it truly felt like they found their person, and I was so happy for them and that they were willing to fight for their love in the end.
I’m so sad that the Dangerous Damsels series is over, but I loved how it wrapped everything up! It was so great to see Ned and Cecilia, and Alex and Charlotte again. Alex and Daniel’s friendship was one of my favorite secondary relationships in this book, and I loved the role it played in this story (even if both of them won’t come out and say they’re friends). The epilogue did a great job tying everything together, and I got a bit misty-eyed at having to say goodbye to this wild world of lady pirates, witches, spies, and flying houses.
I cannot wait to see what India Holton writes next! Holton’s writing style is unlike anything I’ve ever read – her plots are wild and over the top, but her characters have such heart, and the romances sizzle. Her next book, The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love, kicks off a new series, and I’m already excited to read it in 2024!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gun violence
Moderate: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Pregnancy
erebus53's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This third book in the Dangerous Damsels collection has a lot more going for it than the previous titles, though your mileage may vary. Personally I am in love with it because I finally feel represented in a romance story.
As in previous books the action focuses around the pirates, who dress big, and use magic to fly around in houses, (avoiding sun and freckles), and with gallant rumbistification (a word coined by a different Kiwi author so I'm sticking to it), witches who don't exist and while not doing so use magic to move objects around and artfully assault any who would come into conflict with them. Add to this Her Majesty's spies, a.. downstairs network of handmaids, butlers and sundry help in deep cover attempting to keep the other two factions away from each other while protecting the interests of The Crown.
While the other 2 books were, nerdy, bookish, sex-positive, and loaded with Jane Austen-like verbal jousting, a new element is introduced in the narrative - that of hyper-literal Autism. When a couple of your main characters are being baffled by deft social-maneuvering and would rather slip off into a quiet room and read some poetry, all of a sudden this storytelling becomes entirely relatable.
OOof, this book made me catch feels. When your two main characters are Autistic, and kept under thumb by a manipulative organisation that praises them for being gifted and efficient, while gaslighting them and encouraging them lean into their tendency to ignore their emotions, this all gets a little DARK. Traumatised orphans, trained to excellence, trained to follow rules and orders, punished into compliance, and thus developing idiosyncratic coping strategies... is all a bit close to home.
As far as romance and sexytimes is concerned these two are so marvellous. They are very broken by their previous experiences, but start their navigation of each other by co-regulating, making each other feel safe, discussing their needs and expectations beforehand, identifying their triggers and sensory differences, and trying to get the hang of how their own feelings work. It's a work of art, and I loved the journey. Very saucy.. and neuro-spicy.
Again, your mileage may vary, but I am the target audience.
As in previous books the action focuses around the pirates, who dress big, and use magic to fly around in houses, (avoiding sun and freckles), and with gallant rumbistification (a word coined by a different Kiwi author so I'm sticking to it), witches who don't exist and while not doing so use magic to move objects around and artfully assault any who would come into conflict with them. Add to this Her Majesty's spies, a.. downstairs network of handmaids, butlers and sundry help in deep cover attempting to keep the other two factions away from each other while protecting the interests of The Crown.
While the other 2 books were, nerdy, bookish, sex-positive, and loaded with Jane Austen-like verbal jousting, a new element is introduced in the narrative - that of hyper-literal Autism. When a couple of your main characters are being baffled by deft social-maneuvering and would rather slip off into a quiet room and read some poetry, all of a sudden this storytelling becomes entirely relatable.
OOof, this book made me catch feels. When your two main characters are Autistic, and kept under thumb by a manipulative organisation that praises them for being gifted and efficient, while gaslighting them and encouraging them lean into their tendency to ignore their emotions, this all gets a little DARK. Traumatised orphans, trained to excellence, trained to follow rules and orders, punished into compliance, and thus developing idiosyncratic coping strategies... is all a bit close to home.
As far as romance and sexytimes is concerned these two are so marvellous. They are very broken by their previous experiences, but start their navigation of each other by co-regulating, making each other feel safe, discussing their needs and expectations beforehand, identifying their triggers and sensory differences, and trying to get the hang of how their own feelings work. It's a work of art, and I loved the journey. Very saucy.. and neuro-spicy.
Again, your mileage may vary, but I am the target audience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Grief, Alcohol, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Injury/Injury detail
neliadiedenise's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Sexual assault
kendal_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Violence, Ableism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Child abuse
Minor: Death and Pregnancy
itsbexx's review against another edition
adventurous
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
naomiysl's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Pirates in flying houses! Wonderfully trope-y with enemies to lovers, false marriage, only one bed, and so on. Love the trope moments. BUT. The sex was so utterly... straight. Vanilla. Boring. I had to skip it, cause it really just gave me the ick. So I gave it a 2 because I enjoyed most of the read and the world building is great, but it's a real bummer to be finally at the climactic scene of the slow burn and not enjoy it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
samchase112's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
3.0
A delightful end to the series, complete with all the wackiness and heart I’ve come to except. While this sadly wasn’t my favorite — that title goes to The League of Gentlewoman Witches — I flew through it and still enjoy the world it takes place in. I was excited to read about Alice and Daniel, but sadly their characters fell a bit flat for me, especially since we barely got any Daniel POV (only when he was lusting or meeting friends??). Mainly, I was just looking for more; more character, more cohesive plot. But all in all, I’m sad to leave this series behind!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse and Violence
Minor: Abandonment and Pregnancy