dovahkiin_freyja's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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: Emotional abuse and Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy and Sexual assault
mcmizzie's review against another edition
3.75
Honestly this book is well crafted, well executed, beautifully written and delightfully steamy — I just couldn’t stand the hero and heroine. She was such an Enneagram 1 propriety miss it grated, and he was obnoxiously controlling and arrogant (beyond the trope fun, for me), even if it was a consistent characteristic. I loved the supporting cast and really just stuck it out so I’d go into Marrying Winterbourne with the full backstory (so far: very worth it to do so!).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexual assault
beccaand's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
finals thoughts:
- absolutely adored the familial interactions between West, Kathleen and the Ladies Ravenel
- wasn't completely sold on the romance between Devon and Kathleen until after the maybe 60% mark and it was kind of dubious even then
- not sure how I feel on the set up of Helen and Rhys's book being the failed engagement, but am intrigued enough to read it
- absolutely adored the familial interactions between West, Kathleen and the Ladies Ravenel
- wasn't completely sold on the romance between Devon and Kathleen until after the maybe 60% mark and it was kind of dubious even then
- not sure how I feel on the set up of Helen and Rhys's book being the failed engagement, but am intrigued enough to read it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism, Car accident, Death, and Sexual assault
Minor: Pregnancy
effectordinary's review against another edition
fast-paced
3.0
Wish I liked the characters more but they were a breeze to read about and definitely entertaining
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
kateped's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
hanna's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
has this author ever heard of this thing called 'consistent characterisation'
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexism, Death, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Alcoholism and Injury/Injury detail
aiyam's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
_alyssar_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol and Classism
Minor: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
lilyofthevalley_reads's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Least favourite Kleypas that I have read so far, which I expected coming into this one, knowing that people found it to be the least enjoyable and weakest of her recent novels. It started off with the enemies to lovers trope which if you know me, you know I’m a complete sucker for. However, I just found the only basis for their relationship was their sexual chemistry. Devon is always highly aroused by Kathleen in pants; I know it’s Victorian England and women never wore pants but still, Devon keep it in your pants dude. There was no discernible intellectual or emotional connection between the hero and heroine, other than he let her cry in front of him, even though it makes him uncomfortable because of his unresolved childhood trauma.
The good parts of this book were that I got to go back and read about the beginnings of Helen and Rhys’ relationship. I had previously read “Devil in Spring” and then “Marrying Winterbourne”, so I was curious how it all started between them. In particular, the detail about Helen’s rare, delicate orchid that Rhys’ is in charge of and how good care he takes of it was completely swoon-worthy 😍
Even though I didn’t end up enjoying this book as much as the other two I read in the “Ravenel” series, I think it helps greatly to read it order to get the full context of both Devon and Kathleen as well as Helen and Rhys’ relationships in future books.
The good parts of this book were that I got to go back and read about the beginnings of Helen and Rhys’ relationship. I had previously read “Devil in Spring” and then “Marrying Winterbourne”, so I was curious how it all started between them. In particular, the detail about Helen’s rare, delicate orchid that Rhys’ is in charge of and how good care he takes of it was completely swoon-worthy 😍
Even though I didn’t end up enjoying this book as much as the other two I read in the “Ravenel” series, I think it helps greatly to read it order to get the full context of both Devon and Kathleen as well as Helen and Rhys’ relationships in future books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Alcoholism
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