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dmrains's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual content and Classism
Minor: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
erebus53's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The vibe of this is sort of Pride and Prejudice, meets Indiana Jones at Studio Ghibli (Kiki + Howl's moving castle?) only with explicit sex. It's always going to be a bit cinematic when you have swords and sorcery - telekinetic witches throwing things around, and pirates with guns and cannon zooming about in flying buildings.
As in the first book, the sexy-times are explicit... and so is the consent and the birth control. Swashbuckling is certainly married to the unbuckling of swashes... but will it lead to marriage? There are a couple of other players/factions introduced that stay mostly in the background, but I can see them becoming more important in the next book.
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism
beckyyreadss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Okay, if you are wanting a pirate, action-packed feminist book, don’t read this book. It’s a romance book with a bit of action. Not saying that I didn’t enjoy this book, I just didn’t expect it to be all romance and a bit of action. I wanted it the other way around. After I read the new book in the series, I knew what I was getting into, but I still really wanted a more action-packed novel. I liked Charlotte and Alex’s relationship. I loved Alex in the first book so seeing him as the main character in this book was funny as. He sort of reminds of Damon Salvatore as a private. I think this book would have been better if it was a slow burn as both books sort of have an insta love trope in it which I'm not really enjoying in this series. It could have been 100 more pages for the slow burn and I would have liked it more. I liked the multiple POVs during this book.
I just was expecting more and wanting more from this book and it just never happened. Hopefully the next book in this series is better.
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Confinement, Blood, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
jelavision's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Minor: Child abuse and Confinement
purplepenning's review against another edition
4.0
Charlotte and Alex exchanged a smiling glance.
"I think what this is defies definition," Charlotte said.
India Holton is back with another definition-defying historical fantasy romance farce — now with more magic! more derring-do! more iron-spined maiden aunts! more innuendo! more rogues and rakes! more petticoats and pilfering! and (to my great enjoyment) more skillfully bastardized classic prose (mostly Austen, with a bit of the Bard thrown in)!
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual content, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
allisonwonderlandreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The series relies on a topsy-turvy bit of world-building that transposes a society of pirates (complete with flying houses) and now a league of witches onto historical romance. The witches rely on more subtle methods of magic, carefully aimed passive aggression, and battles of philanthropy to achieve their aims. Natural enemies of the pirates, it's no wonder that sparks fly and battle lines are drawn at the first meeting between pirate Alex O'Riley and witch Charlotte Pettifer. As they race to steal a powerful amulet that once belonged to the founder of both their groups, a reluctant alliance (or potential mutual kidnapping) may lead to something more.
Besides the humor and romance, I enjoyed the message in Charlotte's story. While the entire world is subversive in piratical fashion, Charlotte's rebellion went a step further and brought me a lot of joy. Diminished by years of training as heir apparent, Charlotte is a model witch. Her unscheduled, airborne adventures with a pirate unlock her personal agency and show her the unfettered freedom of loud feelings and life lived expansively. By the end of the book, she is practically unrecognizable after her transformative journey. Hers is a story of finding your own path, even outside the shadow of beloved heroines like Elizabeth Bennet, who it could be argued didn't have enough fun or adventure despite her great romance, anyway.
I had such a good time with this book, and it's truly one of a kind. Thanks to Berkley for my copy to read and review!
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury