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nebraskanwriter's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I really struggle to rate this book because I loved this story up until the 70% mark or so. I loved the author’s writing, the main characters quick wit and lively banter, it was all done exceptionally well and I was really enjoying the story.
However, around the 70% mark of the story, something is discovered about one of the side characters that could literally ruin her entire life if anyone finds out. In strict confidence, this side character tells our main character, Diana. Diana then proceeds to tell multiple characters this secret all while saying “I was told this in the strictest of confidence, please don’t tell anyone.” The whole thing just left a bad taste in my mouth. If any one of them let this woman’s secret slip, they all would be perfectly fine and could all carry on their merry way but she would literally be completely and utterly ruined. Yet no one cared, least of all our main character. I just wish that had all been handled differently and it greatly effected my feelings toward the book. After that I just lost interest in the book and skimmed the remaining pages left.
Additionally, our love interest’s “body count” is higher than all the wars ever fought combined, and we’re supposed to find that romantic? I know this is something that is mentioned in regency romances quite frequently but it is not romantic at all how many conquests the love interest has had whilst the main woman character is either a virgin/had only one partner. I just have always hated the unnecessary emphasis on how much more experienced he is than her and that it is talked about SO much how MANY women he has slept with.
Also, I felt like the ending was incredibly rushed. We had all this wonderful tension, back and forth banter and quips the whole book right up until the end. Then the author threw in a random curveball and 10 pages later its solved and all is forgiven? It just felt so strange to throw in a last minute conflict for seemingly no rhyme or reason whatsoever.
Last thing, the premise of this book is spicy, somewhat. A widower taking a man as a lover to show him how to please women in the bedroom. I thought this was going to be a spicy book given that premise. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. They literally do it once, pretty cut and paste, written kinda dryly and then that’s pretty much it.
It was just so strange to me that there was such a disconnect between the main “thing” that is supposed to make up the bulk of your story yet is written so lack-luster and it never happens again. The majority of this book is very Pride & Prejudice-esque where it’s just rich people playing cards, talking and eating sandwiches. A sprinkle of spice in a premise that should have been mucho caliente but was luke warm at best.
So, overall, I did enjoy this book (contrary to how this review may make it sound). I really liked the writing, the author is a great writer in the way she describes things, writes emotions and banter. So I did really enjoy it in those areas. But I just feel like there was this big unnecessary shift at the end of the story that completely changed the tone of the story and disconnected me from the characters as well as several writer’s decisions that I did not like at all. Disappointed.
However, around the 70% mark of the story, something is discovered about one of the side characters that could literally ruin her entire life if anyone finds out. In strict confidence, this side character tells our main character, Diana. Diana then proceeds to tell multiple characters this secret all while saying “I was told this in the strictest of confidence, please don’t tell anyone.” The whole thing just left a bad taste in my mouth. If any one of them let this woman’s secret slip, they all would be perfectly fine and could all carry on their merry way but she would literally be completely and utterly ruined. Yet no one cared, least of all our main character. I just wish that had all been handled differently and it greatly effected my feelings toward the book. After that I just lost interest in the book and skimmed the remaining pages left.
Additionally, our love interest’s “body count” is higher than all the wars ever fought combined, and we’re supposed to find that romantic? I know this is something that is mentioned in regency romances quite frequently but it is not romantic at all how many conquests the love interest has had whilst the main woman character is either a virgin/had only one partner. I just have always hated the unnecessary emphasis on how much more experienced he is than her and that it is talked about SO much how MANY women he has slept with.
Also, I felt like the ending was incredibly rushed. We had all this wonderful tension, back and forth banter and quips the whole book right up until the end. Then the author threw in a random curveball and 10 pages later its solved and all is forgiven? It just felt so strange to throw in a last minute conflict for seemingly no rhyme or reason whatsoever.
Last thing, the premise of this book is spicy, somewhat. A widower taking a man as a lover to show him how to please women in the bedroom. I thought this was going to be a spicy book given that premise. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. They literally do it once, pretty cut and paste, written kinda dryly and then that’s pretty much it.
It was just so strange to me that there was such a disconnect between the main “thing” that is supposed to make up the bulk of your story yet is written so lack-luster and it never happens again. The majority of this book is very Pride & Prejudice-esque where it’s just rich people playing cards, talking and eating sandwiches. A sprinkle of spice in a premise that should have been mucho caliente but was luke warm at best.
So, overall, I did enjoy this book (contrary to how this review may make it sound). I really liked the writing, the author is a great writer in the way she describes things, writes emotions and banter. So I did really enjoy it in those areas. But I just feel like there was this big unnecessary shift at the end of the story that completely changed the tone of the story and disconnected me from the characters as well as several writer’s decisions that I did not like at all. Disappointed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Alcohol
writtenbydnicole's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Grief, and Death of parent
jasmin_doux's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-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
5.0
This has quickly become my favourite book. A great book for getting back into reading, very lighthearted and hilarious. it’s smart and has lots of feminism which i loved. the characters are so amazing and i found myself falling in love with each and every one of them. i adore the way this author writes things and look forward to the third book in the series coming out.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Grief, and Alcohol