mollyxmiller's review against another edition
4.0
Very interesting retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Although I'd say for the most part this read kind of similar to other period romance I've read, I did like that Tessa Dare found a way to write about a writer (something very difficult to do without boring an audience to tears or making us out to be complete nut cases) that was unexpected and enjoyable.
sri_savita's review against another edition
5.0
"This is property. Don’t you understand how rare that is for a woman? Property always belongs to our fathers, brothers, husbands, sons. We never get to own anything."
"Don’t tell me you’re one of those women with radical ideas."
"I’m one of those women with nothing. There are a great many of us."
This wasn't an academic argument. It was personal. If she didn't defend the idea of lasting happiness, how could she hold out any hope for her own?
When Tessa does Gothic Romance it's a love letter to stories - wild, tender, & with a dash of mystery. I love stories within stories because it takes a special skill as a writer to make us invested in both, and Tessa does it well here. The fairytales that everyone is super into in this book kind of reminded of something from the Inkheart series I loved as a kid, or like the eerie Hazelwood or Fillory tales from other similar setups.
All the characters are wonderfully drawn! That moment with Abigail and Wendell was so cute, and I loved the main four people taking care of this castle and forming their own found family.
I DARE (see what I did there) you to read this and not grin from ear to ear. It's impossible not to have fun and laugh when you read a book of hers - especially this one. Like she says in the dedication, this takes fandom and gives it a historical romance spin.
"Doesn't matter how many of your granny's tea trays you strap to your chest, that doesn't make you a knight."
"There's no order of the Starched Cravat."
"Why not? We spend our workdays wearing long black robes and powdered wigs."
This was just so fun and wonderful and I loved the setup of mutual enemies living in a castle that neither one of them wants to surrender, and how it evolved into little moments of kindness like making sure things were in the right place to make it easier to navigate. Very much delivered on the beauty and the beast premise.
"No man deserves a woman like that, he mortgages his very soul to win her, and spends his life paying off the debt."
It was rather like trying to work with a small, glowing sun in the room.
"Don’t tell me you’re one of those women with radical ideas."
"I’m one of those women with nothing. There are a great many of us."
This wasn't an academic argument. It was personal. If she didn't defend the idea of lasting happiness, how could she hold out any hope for her own?
When Tessa does Gothic Romance it's a love letter to stories - wild, tender, & with a dash of mystery. I love stories within stories because it takes a special skill as a writer to make us invested in both, and Tessa does it well here. The fairytales that everyone is super into in this book kind of reminded of something from the Inkheart series I loved as a kid, or like the eerie Hazelwood or Fillory tales from other similar setups.
All the characters are wonderfully drawn! That moment with Abigail and Wendell was so cute, and I loved the main four people taking care of this castle and forming their own found family.
I DARE (see what I did there) you to read this and not grin from ear to ear. It's impossible not to have fun and laugh when you read a book of hers - especially this one. Like she says in the dedication, this takes fandom and gives it a historical romance spin.
"Doesn't matter how many of your granny's tea trays you strap to your chest, that doesn't make you a knight."
"There's no order of the Starched Cravat."
"Why not? We spend our workdays wearing long black robes and powdered wigs."
This was just so fun and wonderful and I loved the setup of mutual enemies living in a castle that neither one of them wants to surrender, and how it evolved into little moments of kindness like making sure things were in the right place to make it easier to navigate. Very much delivered on the beauty and the beast premise.
"No man deserves a woman like that, he mortgages his very soul to win her, and spends his life paying off the debt."
It was rather like trying to work with a small, glowing sun in the room.
kappareads's review against another edition
3.0
I'm gonna stick with a rating of 3.5 stars for now, but just know it's not an exact rating. My opinion of this book hovers somewhere in the realm of 3 and 4 stars.
I think the biggest thing was that, for all I've heard people rave about Tessa Dare, for my first of her books this was just kind of okay? The hero and heroine had their moments where I really enjoyed them but also moments where they really got on my nerves.
What I really wanted was an authors note on the research she did into writing a blind protagonist and how disability was treated in regency era and also how "fandoms" were back then because the latter really started to feel anachronistic by the end.
I think the biggest thing was that, for all I've heard people rave about Tessa Dare, for my first of her books this was just kind of okay? The hero and heroine had their moments where I really enjoyed them but also moments where they really got on my nerves.
What I really wanted was an authors note on the research she did into writing a blind protagonist and how disability was treated in regency era and also how "fandoms" were back then because the latter really started to feel anachronistic by the end.
jessicalouise25's review against another edition
4.0
I've very recently begun to read historical romance books and this is definitely my favourite so far.
From the first time we meet Ransom in the first few pages he is witty and I couldn't help but instantly fall in love with him.
The story starts strong and this continues throughout, as it turns out I couldn't put it down. It's also a very quick read but the story felt substantial and not at all rushed. There are points when it could have been wrapped up and it would have been acceptable but the story continued. I loved this because so many books feel like they are rushed through to the end and there is little time to continue the development which has begun to occur.
That brings me to another wonderful thing about this book. It's all about development. The characters are flawed. They have real issues, both emotional and physical, which they help each other to overcome. The character development is abundant and gives the story more depth.
This book was witty, fast paced and just a really fun read. The characters were imperfect and yet so very loveable.
The relationship was sweet, fiery and a pleasure to read about. Also the epilogue was just perfect.
The cover of this book isn't good and does not do justice to the wonderful story inside.
From the first time we meet Ransom in the first few pages he is witty and I couldn't help but instantly fall in love with him.
The story starts strong and this continues throughout, as it turns out I couldn't put it down. It's also a very quick read but the story felt substantial and not at all rushed. There are points when it could have been wrapped up and it would have been acceptable but the story continued. I loved this because so many books feel like they are rushed through to the end and there is little time to continue the development which has begun to occur.
That brings me to another wonderful thing about this book. It's all about development. The characters are flawed. They have real issues, both emotional and physical, which they help each other to overcome. The character development is abundant and gives the story more depth.
This book was witty, fast paced and just a really fun read. The characters were imperfect and yet so very loveable.
The relationship was sweet, fiery and a pleasure to read about. Also the epilogue was just perfect.
The cover of this book isn't good and does not do justice to the wonderful story inside.
bianca_rodriguez's review against another edition
3.0
this was fun but I found the plot/setting to be a bit lacking….and tbh i’m still giggling at the fact the hero’s name was “ransom” lmao like girl me too
theanachronismreads's review against another edition
5.0
Love love love
Oh Tessa Dare. She does it again, and it gets me every time. Her way with words and emotions is just so uniquely hers- and against the backdrop of a serial story and a castle I’m just so excited to see where this series goes. Izzy is quintessentially sunshine with a motto like ‘doubt not’ and there’s no grump quite like a Tessa Dare grump. What a gem.
Oh Tessa Dare. She does it again, and it gets me every time. Her way with words and emotions is just so uniquely hers- and against the backdrop of a serial story and a castle I’m just so excited to see where this series goes. Izzy is quintessentially sunshine with a motto like ‘doubt not’ and there’s no grump quite like a Tessa Dare grump. What a gem.
fromthevault's review against another edition
3.0
reread (apr 2021) — 3.5 stars
first read (feb 2018) — 4 stars
first read (feb 2018) — 4 stars
muskoxquarterly's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25