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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
This is my favorite book from the "MacKenzie & McBrides" series.
I am rating this book a 5-star because this book is muuch better than all the other books of the series. I do NOT "love" the book, however. Many parts of this book have made angry.
I liked this book much better than the other because:
1) Violet was 28 while Daniel was 25. I feel as if the fact that she was older than him made the two of them more compatible with each other.
Let me explain more. I am soo used to historical romances wherein the hero is older than the heroine. In those books, I notice that the heroine seems annoyingly more innocent of the harsher sides in life than the hero. This book was a nice change from that.
2) I would describe Daniel as an alpha-hero but some readers might disagree with me because Daniel is super considerate, kind, generous, and has a big heart. He does like everything to be his way, and he makes sure they end up the way he like them to be. At the same time, he was ever so patient with Violet. There are very few books wherein the guy is an apla male who is ever so patient with the heroine and does not take her independence away. This author did a very beautiful job depicting an amazing alpha hero who not only loves and respects the heroine but also sees her as an eqqual.
3) In all of the books featuring one of the 4 MacKenzie brothers-Ian, Mac, Cameron, and Hart-as the main character, Jennifer Ashley wrote statements relating "God" to one of the MacKenzie brothers. Those statements ANNOYED and ENRAGED me soo much!!
However, those types of statements were nonexistent in this book. I really appreciate that.
Of course. there was mention of God in this book, too, but that mention was not annoying at all.
4) Cameron's reaction to his belief about daniel's death was one of the most beautiful and compassionate thing I have ever read about. No, I do not mean the part about him openly crying in grief .
5) Violet likes children. She genuinely liked all of Daniel's siblings and cousins. I loved Violet for that.
6) Daniel is generous and nice to everyone, no matter what kind of people they are. Many people see courtesans in a a very negative light, but not Daniel. He sees them as humans with feelings and dreams of their own.
Also, he is generous with helping people with their debt problems or financial problems. He is the first hero of this series I fell in love with.
Yes, the other heroes of the book might be men with better morals. They might have also done more to bring justice and help individuals of lower class, e.g. Sinclair McBride. However, they did not radiate Daniel's open. generous, and honest personality. They did not show the kind of thoughtfulness and patience as Danile have shown with Violet. That is why Daniel is the only one of the hero from this series whom I fell in love with.
There are heroines, other that Violet, in this book series whom I fell in love with, too.
7) I liked the ending Jennifer Ashley gave to Violet's mother and the maid, Mary.
8) I liked Violet's skills with reading people. I also liked that she possessed knowledge of palm-reading.
9) Violet and Daniel are both adventurous people. I love that they pursue adventure together, e.g. balloon ride, motorcar racing, etc.
I suppose now would be the time to mention the things I disliked or hated about the book. However, as the book progressed, I was soo enchanted. The book became so much better that I have forgotten what I hated abou it. It is truly a marvelous book.
One thing I did hate is how unjust and ruthless people in power can be to the lower class working people, especially females from the lower class. This book showed that well.
I do not hate that this book showed tat mistreatment toward the lower class. I hate that this sort of thing happens. Portrayal of such thing made the book realistic.
I am rating this book a 5-star because this book is muuch better than all the other books of the series. I do NOT "love" the book, however. Many parts of this book have made angry.
I liked this book much better than the other because:
1) Violet was 28 while Daniel was 25. I feel as if the fact that she was older than him made the two of them more compatible with each other.
Let me explain more. I am soo used to historical romances wherein the hero is older than the heroine. In those books, I notice that the heroine seems annoyingly more innocent of the harsher sides in life than the hero. This book was a nice change from that.
2) I would describe Daniel as an alpha-hero but some readers might disagree with me because Daniel is super considerate, kind, generous, and has a big heart. He does like everything to be his way, and he makes sure they end up the way he like them to be. At the same time, he was ever so patient with Violet. There are very few books wherein the guy is an apla male who is ever so patient with the heroine and does not take her independence away. This author did a very beautiful job depicting an amazing alpha hero who not only loves and respects the heroine but also sees her as an eqqual.
3) In all of the books featuring one of the 4 MacKenzie brothers-Ian, Mac, Cameron, and Hart-as the main character, Jennifer Ashley wrote statements relating "God" to one of the MacKenzie brothers. Those statements ANNOYED and ENRAGED me soo much!!
However, those types of statements were nonexistent in this book. I really appreciate that.
Of course. there was mention of God in this book, too, but that mention was not annoying at all.
4) Cameron's reaction to his belief about daniel's death was one of the most beautiful and compassionate thing I have ever read about. No, I do not mean the part about him openly crying in grief .
Spoiler
Daniel was shot in his chest while trying to help Violet against someone from her past. Violet was grieving over Daniel's body, and Cameron, Daniel's father, put his arms around Violet in a gesture of comforting her. I loved that he did not try to deal with his grief by placing blame on Violet, something most people would have done.5) Violet likes children. She genuinely liked all of Daniel's siblings and cousins. I loved Violet for that.
6) Daniel is generous and nice to everyone, no matter what kind of people they are. Many people see courtesans in a a very negative light, but not Daniel. He sees them as humans with feelings and dreams of their own.
Also, he is generous with helping people with their debt problems or financial problems. He is the first hero of this series I fell in love with.
Yes, the other heroes of the book might be men with better morals. They might have also done more to bring justice and help individuals of lower class, e.g. Sinclair McBride. However, they did not radiate Daniel's open. generous, and honest personality. They did not show the kind of thoughtfulness and patience as Danile have shown with Violet. That is why Daniel is the only one of the hero from this series whom I fell in love with.
There are heroines, other that Violet, in this book series whom I fell in love with, too.
7) I liked the ending Jennifer Ashley gave to Violet's mother and the maid, Mary.
8) I liked Violet's skills with reading people. I also liked that she possessed knowledge of palm-reading.
9) Violet and Daniel are both adventurous people. I love that they pursue adventure together, e.g. balloon ride, motorcar racing, etc.
I suppose now would be the time to mention the things I disliked or hated about the book. However, as the book progressed, I was soo enchanted. The book became so much better that I have forgotten what I hated abou it. It is truly a marvelous book.
One thing I did hate is how unjust and ruthless people in power can be to the lower class working people, especially females from the lower class. This book showed that well.
I do not hate that this book showed tat mistreatment toward the lower class. I hate that this sort of thing happens. Portrayal of such thing made the book realistic.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
There is a lot to like about this book, and I think Violet is a very interesting character. But the plot was quite rambley in the sense that I didn’t feel like there had been much editing to pull things back into the early parts that happened later on. A lot felt unresolved or resolved too quickly. The settings in Paris and the hobbies of late 19th century mechanics were interesting but not highlighted to their full potential. I did think the SA was dealt with well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault
Minor: Miscarriage
This is a romance set in the late Victorian era - so it has both hot air balloons and motorcars, and the refinement and finery of a historical romance. Violet is a fraud and a sort of medium, while Daniel is a wealthy Scot. Their paths cross in London and their romance takes them to France and back. The book felt a little long to me. I felt like things were pretty well resolved about halfway through, but our hero and heroine continued the good fight against those that would keep them apart. Set a little later than I typically prefer (Regency), but still a good story.
adventurous
emotional
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:
No
She's a huckster who invents on the side, he's an inventor who scams on the side.
Daniel has been a mainstay favorite in-universe and he finally gets his own book.
I liked this one, but was a bit burned out on the voice acting performance edit/choices. Might be a better eyeball read if I revisit the Mackenzies.
Daniel has been a mainstay favorite in-universe and he finally gets his own book.
I liked this one, but was a bit burned out on the voice acting performance edit/choices. Might be a better eyeball read if I revisit the Mackenzies.
Least favorite of the series. Not sure why he loved her or why she loved him.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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
adventurous
emotional
reflective
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
It wasn't perfect, but I think it might be my second favorite of this series and it was a perfect escape from NaNoWriMo pressures.