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livlamentloathe's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
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? Yes
3.0
5 stars for Ses and Caleb. 3 stars for Sera and Mal. I did appreciate that for once, the male side was pining entirely. Love that. The side plot was a cursory thing for me. I was too focused on the silly American. I gotta reread Bombshell now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Sexual content, Child death, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Infertility, Pregnancy, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Infidelity
sam_gorny's review against another edition
4.0
Would have been higher except for the baby epilogue, especially after the discussion of her infertility throughout the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy, Infertility, and Miscarriage
kyeruhh's review
emotional
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Infertility
mcmizzie's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Ugh I do love a repentant man in love, even if his infidelity & cruelty was really terrible. This was such an emotional book but I loved the love, and loved seeing more of Sophie from Rogue Not Taken.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Infidelity and Infertility
theunrealerin's review
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
4.0
Second chance historical.romqnce love. Good premise - making your wife find her replacement before you will divorce her. Lovely devotion and putting another first.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Child death
carbs666's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
4.5
A marriage redemption plot with truly complex and powerful characters you want to root for. McLean is a master at writing stories about women who stand in their power and men who love them for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
bookedinsideout's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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
05/03/2022 (audio): ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I think I enjoyed it more this time... the grovel, the sisters, the audiobook performance, the preview to Caleb and Sesily. (And I stopped before the epilogue.) Plus it's the book that inspired my latest tattoo (the sparrow and the dove).
07/26/2021: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really went back and forth on this! I think one of the best things about this book is that a group of adult siblings got to go spend a month together, leaving their husbands and devoting time to each other. Though a month might be a bit much, I loved that they got this time together and that it meant we got more of the Talbot sisters.
After The Rogue Not Taken I wasn’t sure how the Duke of Haven was going to become any kind of hero, so I think his vulnerability and openness were crucial for making this work, and I’m still not sure that he shared enough of that with Sera, especially compared to what we got to see. I was also pretty put off by what Sera did to fracture Mal’s trust (if it was really for them, couldn’t she just talk to him about it and keep him in the loop?) and apparently she was incredibly apologetic, but it was kind of the opposite of Malcolm - I didn’t feel like I really got to see that. She was fighting for her freedom, but she took the choice away from him.
I loved the underwater ballroom and the dove and the sparrow and the conversations about keeping the past with them and fighting for the future. I’m not usually a fan of second-chance romances, but I thought that was really beautiful. And then I was really, really disappointed with that miracle baby/babies/kid epilogue, because I believed this couple was going to be one of the few child-free couples in historical romance (maybe even unmarried!), but apparently you really do need children to be happy.
And on a lighter note, I can’t believe with the previews of Sesily and Caleb that “we” had to wait 4 years for their story - and I say “we” recognizing how lucky I am that I *only* have to wait a month. I recognized the Bareknuckle Bastards, but I realized only towards the end of this book that Felicity, one of the “suitresses,” is Felicity from Wicked and the Wallflower, the first Sarah MacLean book that I read. I’ll have to circle back, but for now I can’t wait for more of Sesily.
I think I enjoyed it more this time... the grovel, the sisters, the audiobook performance, the preview to Caleb and Sesily. (And I stopped before the epilogue.) Plus it's the book that inspired my latest tattoo (the sparrow and the dove).
07/26/2021: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really went back and forth on this! I think one of the best things about this book is that a group of adult siblings got to go spend a month together, leaving their husbands and devoting time to each other. Though a month might be a bit much, I loved that they got this time together and that it meant we got more of the Talbot sisters.
After The Rogue Not Taken I wasn’t sure how the Duke of Haven was going to become any kind of hero, so I think his vulnerability and openness were crucial for making this work, and I’m still not sure that he shared enough of that with Sera, especially compared to what we got to see. I was also pretty put off by what Sera did to fracture Mal’s trust (if it was really for them, couldn’t she just talk to him about it and keep him in the loop?) and apparently she was incredibly apologetic, but it was kind of the opposite of Malcolm - I didn’t feel like I really got to see that. She was fighting for her freedom, but she took the choice away from him.
I loved the underwater ballroom and the dove and the sparrow and the conversations about keeping the past with them and fighting for the future. I’m not usually a fan of second-chance romances, but I thought that was really beautiful. And then I was really, really disappointed with that miracle baby/babies/kid epilogue, because I believed this couple was going to be one of the few child-free couples in historical romance (maybe even unmarried!), but apparently you really do need children to be happy.
And on a lighter note, I can’t believe with the previews of Sesily and Caleb that “we” had to wait 4 years for their story - and I say “we” recognizing how lucky I am that I *only* have to wait a month. I recognized the Bareknuckle Bastards, but I realized only towards the end of this book that Felicity, one of the “suitresses,” is Felicity from Wicked and the Wallflower, the first Sarah MacLean book that I read. I’ll have to circle back, but for now I can’t wait for more of Sesily.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Infertility and Infidelity
Minor: Pregnancy
CW: Miscarriage, infertility (ending with a baby/kid epilogue)
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