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zsgurl's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book! I always love a good Beauty and the Beast story. But don’t look for a grumpy/sunshine trope here! More like grumpy/shrew. The heroine is thoroughly likable with her sharp mind and even sharper tongue! There hero is perfectly growly and beastly. And if the premise for them getting together is a little weak, who cares! The emotions are so well written that you are totally rooting for them, even when he is full-trope-defining pushing her away. And the smut!! Woo hoo! I was there for every well written spicy scene.
This was my first by Amalie Howard, but it definitely won’t be my last!
This was my first by Amalie Howard, but it definitely won’t be my last!
riareadsromance's review against another edition
3.0
I’m undecided on quite how I feel about this book. I really liked both of the main characters, Thane in particular was very similar to Ash from The Duchess Deal <\i> by Tessa Dare, which I loved, however this story perhaps didn’t have quite as much charm and wit as TDD.
I felt that the plot was flimsy in parts, the whole set up with the sister and the positioning of Beaumont as a formidable villain in the first 3rd of the book was good but then we hear almost nothing of him for the rest of the story and Isobel also moves out so what had seemed to be the central plot points were kind of just...removed half way through.
Also, for me, the back and forth of both the MCs feelings became repetitive. He can’t resist her, they have sex, he pulls away. Repeat. There are at least 3 instances of her being disappointed he’s not going to come to an event and then him showing up anyway. I felt that the hang-ups of both MCs were re-hashed rather than being explored more deeply. There is never a point where they sit down and actually talk to each other about their feelings, it’s all just avoidance sprinkled with sex. Though there were more sex scenes than there usually are in HRs, which I was here for, they felt almost rushed, each one lasted only 2-3 pages and I felt they didn’t always help to build the emotional intimacy between the characters. Also, hardly any foreplay!
Overall, this book was an enjoyable read and the author definitely excels at creating characters who feel real but the plot - or lack thereof - could have benefitted from being a lot tighter which affected the pacing in some parts of the story. I think 3.5 ⭐️ is fair.
I felt that the plot was flimsy in parts, the whole set up with the sister and the positioning of Beaumont as a formidable villain in the first 3rd of the book was good but then we hear almost nothing of him for the rest of the story and Isobel also moves out so what had seemed to be the central plot points were kind of just...removed half way through.
Also, for me, the back and forth of both the MCs feelings became repetitive. He can’t resist her, they have sex, he pulls away. Repeat. There are at least 3 instances of her being disappointed he’s not going to come to an event and then him showing up anyway. I felt that the hang-ups of both MCs were re-hashed rather than being explored more deeply. There is never a point where they sit down and actually talk to each other about their feelings, it’s all just avoidance sprinkled with sex. Though there were more sex scenes than there usually are in HRs, which I was here for, they felt almost rushed, each one lasted only 2-3 pages and I felt they didn’t always help to build the emotional intimacy between the characters. Also, hardly any foreplay!
Overall, this book was an enjoyable read and the author definitely excels at creating characters who feel real but the plot - or lack thereof - could have benefitted from being a lot tighter which affected the pacing in some parts of the story. I think 3.5 ⭐️ is fair.
alyssa1204's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
docrobreads's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bookishmya's review against another edition
4.0
I so enjoyed that Astrid fought for everything in her life. She was not a woman to sit back and let life happen. No, she dove in and actively took what she wanted. When faced with the Duke’s cold implacable stance she pushed back forcing him not only to see her but to see himself. Their story tells a tale of the healing power of love and how a positive outlook truly can heal the heart. I especially loved Thane’s staff, shining in the background as characters that loved him despite himself and truly wished him happiness and peace. Scattered throughout are so many nuggets of wisdom and thought-provoking gems. Another great story by Howard.
redmoran1's review
5.0
לא קראתי ספרים היסטוריים המון שנים אבל לפני כמה שבועות זה היה אחד הספרים שכנרת ז"ל שהייתה חברה בקבוצת וואטסאפ על ספרים , המליצה בחום והחלטתי לקרוא אותו לזכרה
literary_heather's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Too many plot holes and pacing issues for me to really enjoy. I also found the narrator for the audiobook odd - sounded a bit like your elderly aunt reading sex scenes. I had to switch to the library ebook to get through those chapters, I couldn't stand to listen to it.