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sydapel's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Reading an entire book in one day feels good when it feels like life is coming at me from all directions. Okay, let's start with the things I liked. What the author does really well is allow you to see the characters through each other's eyes, which I feel is the best way to make their relationship believable and also for me to fall for them. I loved the dynamic between our MCs, and Ophelia is up there with my favorite historical romance heroines. Due to the way she's lived her adult life, she crosses this interesting line between genders and often holds herself in a dominant position alongside Cal. However, this gets into my issue with the book, which is mainly that I wished we could have sacrificed all the different external conflicts and allowed the story to dive into Ophelia's gender and furthermore, Cal's sexuality. Having a bisexual hero and a gender non conforming heroine would have been SO. COOL. and it was sacrificed for messy issues that were frustrating and didn't really add to character development.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Grief, and Pregnancy
winter_light's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
amym84's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
Ophelia Hardwick lost her twin brother in a terrible accident. Out of necessity, Ophelia assumed his identity in order to get away from their domineering and abusive uncle. For ten years now, Phee has been living under Adam's name and she only has until the end of the year before she can claim her inheritance then disappear to finally live as herself again.
For the past two years Phee has been living in London working as an assistant to the Earl of Carlyle. Cal relies on Phee (whom he of course knows as Adam) to help keep his investments running smoothly with the information he gathers from those that live more on the outskirts of society. When Adam is attacked on his way home, Cal is thrown when he learns his best friend is a woman.
Now, faced with knowing the truth, Cal and Phee begin to see each other in a new light, but Phee cannot give up Adam's persona until she gets her inheritance.
This book has me a bit stumped. I've taken a couple of days after finishing trying to find the right words to convey my feels about the book and but the truth is I'm finding it difficult to form the words to back up my thoughts. So please bear with me.
While I found the book to be engaging and while I was reading I was invested in the story, the idea of Cal pretty much instantaneously pivoting his feels for Phee from platonic friendship into romantic interest nearly gave me whiplash. I think I could have dealt with it a bit had there been some exploration of the origination of Cal's feelings - i.e. on some level was he attracted to Adam?
Bringing that potential aspect of Cal's character up, for a good portion of the story Phee is considered a man by every other character and while it certainly did happen at the time that there were men who loved other men, it was certainly not something that was openly talked about. It was literally a punishable offense. I almost felt like the story, while not making light of this aspect, was also very quick to smooth over any potential conflict that may arise.
You can pretty much say that exact thing for all other potential conflicts in the story. More than a few are introduced but none are really committed to. The story felt a bit one-note in that regard.
However, both Cal and Phee are such striking characters. They're loyalty for each other and for those around them knows no bounds. It's Cal's penchant for having to fix every one else's mistakes that pulls him into one of the aforementioned conflicts.
The scenes with Cal and Phee together just spark with chemistry. Their attraction to one another leaped off the page, and Bethany Bennett certainly gave them plenty of steam.
Overall I enjoyed the book, I just wish it would have really committed itself to one type of conflict and really run with it. I think this would have made it a more compelling read. Regardless, however, I'm very interested in the next book in the series which will follow Cal's sister Emma. Introduced in this book as a secondary character, she went from being a quasi-spoiled brat to a good friend of Phee's, and I'd like to see how her HEA goes.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
For the past two years Phee has been living in London working as an assistant to the Earl of Carlyle. Cal relies on Phee (whom he of course knows as Adam) to help keep his investments running smoothly with the information he gathers from those that live more on the outskirts of society. When Adam is attacked on his way home, Cal is thrown when he learns his best friend is a woman.
Now, faced with knowing the truth, Cal and Phee begin to see each other in a new light, but Phee cannot give up Adam's persona until she gets her inheritance.
This book has me a bit stumped. I've taken a couple of days after finishing trying to find the right words to convey my feels about the book and but the truth is I'm finding it difficult to form the words to back up my thoughts. So please bear with me.
While I found the book to be engaging and while I was reading I was invested in the story, the idea of Cal pretty much instantaneously pivoting his feels for Phee from platonic friendship into romantic interest nearly gave me whiplash. I think I could have dealt with it a bit had there been some exploration of the origination of Cal's feelings - i.e. on some level was he attracted to Adam?
Bringing that potential aspect of Cal's character up, for a good portion of the story Phee is considered a man by every other character and while it certainly did happen at the time that there were men who loved other men, it was certainly not something that was openly talked about. It was literally a punishable offense. I almost felt like the story, while not making light of this aspect, was also very quick to smooth over any potential conflict that may arise.
You can pretty much say that exact thing for all other potential conflicts in the story. More than a few are introduced but none are really committed to. The story felt a bit one-note in that regard.
However, both Cal and Phee are such striking characters. They're loyalty for each other and for those around them knows no bounds. It's Cal's penchant for having to fix every one else's mistakes that pulls him into one of the aforementioned conflicts.
The scenes with Cal and Phee together just spark with chemistry. Their attraction to one another leaped off the page, and Bethany Bennett certainly gave them plenty of steam.
Overall I enjoyed the book, I just wish it would have really committed itself to one type of conflict and really run with it. I think this would have made it a more compelling read. Regardless, however, I'm very interested in the next book in the series which will follow Cal's sister Emma. Introduced in this book as a secondary character, she went from being a quasi-spoiled brat to a good friend of Phee's, and I'd like to see how her HEA goes.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Violence, and Death of parent
sarahsthoughtsonbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Absolutely love a hidden/secret identity trope. Phee has been masquerading as her dead twin brother for the last 10-11 years, and for the last two, she's been working for Cal, as a steward/secretary. Phee's been attracted to him for most of the time that's she's been in his employ. Cal doesn't even realize Adam is a woman until Phee admits to this masquerade.
I like how the reveal is done. It's fine early enough, and reasonably enough that it works for me.
Also, I need Violet to have her own book/novella/something to see that she gets her HEA. Excited for Emma's book next year.
Thank you to the publisher, Forever, for a gifted copy in exchange for a review. All opinions my own
CW: attempt at child marriage (when Phee is 13 her uncle tried to arrange a marriage to a man of 70(?)); Blackmail
I like how the reveal is done. It's fine early enough, and reasonably enough that it works for me.
Also, I need Violet to have her own book/novella/something to see that she gets her HEA. Excited for Emma's book next year.
Thank you to the publisher, Forever, for a gifted copy in exchange for a review. All opinions my own
CW: attempt at child marriage (when Phee is 13 her uncle tried to arrange a marriage to a man of 70(?)); Blackmail
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Child death, Blood, and Pregnancy
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