fringebookreviews's review
4.0
I’m gonna assume he didn’t go back off to war lol? But he did build her a library and got two chairs for them to sit in forever so
kndacus's review
4.0
Cute novella; and given that it's listed as the eighth story in a series, it stands on its own just fine---no need to have read any of the other books in the series. It also served as a great introduction to this author. I'll definitely be reading more of her books in the future!
bananatricky's review
4.0
Three and a half stars.
Super short free novella.
Lady Matilda Kingsley is an orphan under the care of her Cousin Egbert. Against her will she is drawn into a gamble on behalf of her uncle against Major Owen Turner, her childhood friend and the man she was in love with before he abruptly went off to war four years earlier.
I enjoyed this but it was very short. Also, for some reason I was hoping for a rehash of the cheesy film A Hazard of Hearts, based on a Barbara Cartland novel, in which a father loses his daughter in a game of chance to the evil Lord Wrotham ...
Anyway, a sweet novella.
Super short free novella.
Lady Matilda Kingsley is an orphan under the care of her Cousin Egbert. Against her will she is drawn into a gamble on behalf of her uncle against Major Owen Turner, her childhood friend and the man she was in love with before he abruptly went off to war four years earlier.
I enjoyed this but it was very short. Also, for some reason I was hoping for a rehash of the cheesy film A Hazard of Hearts, based on a Barbara Cartland novel, in which a father loses his daughter in a game of chance to the evil Lord Wrotham ...
Anyway, a sweet novella.
bhavani's review
2.0
Rating 2.5 stars
All I Want is a 3-chapter short story about childhood sweethearts Matilda and Owen. Lady Matilda Kingsley, as she is officially known, is the daughter of a marquess, who met Owen Turner, when they were children. But when she was 16, Owen suddenly left to join the army without saying anything to her. Four years later he's back from France. Now a Major, she meets him at an event she's attending with her cousin and guardian, Lord Addington. Owen has wagered his only possession, a cottage in North Yorkshire over a game of twenty-one with Addington. Addington makes Matilda play his hand for him and the lovers find themselves caught in a game against each other.
The strength of this story is Owen's and Matilda's interior monologues, which I think is essential given the story's length. I'm not in favour of short stories because I think there's not enough time to explore the characters, their motivations, settings, and themes. While I liked All I Want, it hasn't changed my mind that story length matters, especially in a romance tale.
P.S.: I like the reference to Roald Dahl's Matilda and her love of books.
All I Want is a 3-chapter short story about childhood sweethearts Matilda and Owen. Lady Matilda Kingsley, as she is officially known, is the daughter of a marquess, who met Owen Turner, when they were children. But when she was 16, Owen suddenly left to join the army without saying anything to her. Four years later he's back from France. Now a Major, she meets him at an event she's attending with her cousin and guardian, Lord Addington. Owen has wagered his only possession, a cottage in North Yorkshire over a game of twenty-one with Addington. Addington makes Matilda play his hand for him and the lovers find themselves caught in a game against each other.
The strength of this story is Owen's and Matilda's interior monologues, which I think is essential given the story's length. I'm not in favour of short stories because I think there's not enough time to explore the characters, their motivations, settings, and themes. While I liked All I Want, it hasn't changed my mind that story length matters, especially in a romance tale.
P.S.: I like the reference to Roald Dahl's Matilda and her love of books.
emilylouisef's review
2.0
Cute, but would've been better as a full length rather than a novella I think.
jmacattack's review
4.0
Short and sweet
This was a very quick and easy read, and it was a lot of fun. I would recommend it to anyone who needed something quick.
This was a very quick and easy read, and it was a lot of fun. I would recommend it to anyone who needed something quick.
dianed's review
5.0
What a delightful short story. I have loved the Dukes of War series and this short story fits right in with the theme and tone of the rest. Everything worth having is depending on a turn of the cards. Who will win the bet. Two long lost lovers come together - will they be able to start again? Take the time to see how it ends.