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aminowrimo's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I was hoping for a "best friend in love with widow" trope that I would enjoy, but there was just so much back-and-forth between the main characters that it was kind of dizzying. I did not feel like there was much development at all. I felt as though Fenris and Ginny were just interacting long enough to have sex and then move on. I'm not sure why they fell in love, I'm not even sure why he loves her, and that's the entire premise of the trope!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
silvercal's review
4.0
Lady Eugenia has come to London to continue on with her life after the death of her beloved husband by sponsoring a young lady. What she does not expect is to run into the man that caused her so much pain when she married her husband. The Marquess of Fenris was her husbands best friend and did not think Eugenia was good enough for his friend. It also didn't help that he was immensely attracted to her himself but he stood aside and it cost him his friendship for some rude comments he made about Eugenia. Seeing Eugenia again at a ball, he knows that he can not let her slip away again. Fenris sets about to seduce Eugenia in any way possible. Eugenia absolutely can not stand Fenris though and is frustrated by her attraction, both body and mind, to the man that seemed to despise her so long ago. With Fenris' wicked touches and words whispered to her, she soon finds herself sharing part of herself with him. However, can Fenris break down all the shell that Eugenia has surrounded herself in and show her that true love can happen twice, that one does not need to be proper at all times?
This was another delicious, detailed, smoldering romance from Carolyn Jewel. Just like the previous book, Not Wicked Enough, I loved the attention to the fashion detail and surroundings. I loved the snappy, almost bitter banter between our couple in the beginning and how that quickly turned into a smoldering, passionate affair that led to a whole new slew of emotions. Eugenia loved her husband deeply and finds it hard to bear that she is moving on, and with a man that hurt her years ago. She finds Fenris hard to resist though as he is always showing up, taunting her with promises of what they could share together. Eugenia is always proper and then Fenris shows up, teaching her to smoke, sharing her first whiskey...tempting her to loosen up and let in a bit of un-properness. The love they share is blazing hot yet tender and romantic all at the same. There is a bit of a side story featuring Eugenia's charge and Fenris' father that adds in a dose of humor as the pair of them are enamored with botany. I quickly saw where that relationship was headed and I would have liked to have seen a bit more of that, odd as it was. Overall, a very strong battle of wills romance that is deeply sensual and breathtakingly enduring. A satisfying treat for all romance readers! 4 stars
Review copy won from the author, thank you!
This was another delicious, detailed, smoldering romance from Carolyn Jewel. Just like the previous book, Not Wicked Enough, I loved the attention to the fashion detail and surroundings. I loved the snappy, almost bitter banter between our couple in the beginning and how that quickly turned into a smoldering, passionate affair that led to a whole new slew of emotions. Eugenia loved her husband deeply and finds it hard to bear that she is moving on, and with a man that hurt her years ago. She finds Fenris hard to resist though as he is always showing up, taunting her with promises of what they could share together. Eugenia is always proper and then Fenris shows up, teaching her to smoke, sharing her first whiskey...tempting her to loosen up and let in a bit of un-properness. The love they share is blazing hot yet tender and romantic all at the same. There is a bit of a side story featuring Eugenia's charge and Fenris' father that adds in a dose of humor as the pair of them are enamored with botany. I quickly saw where that relationship was headed and I would have liked to have seen a bit more of that, odd as it was. Overall, a very strong battle of wills romance that is deeply sensual and breathtakingly enduring. A satisfying treat for all romance readers! 4 stars
Review copy won from the author, thank you!
larisa2021's review
4.0
4.5 Stars
I opened this ARC after trying to read more than a few current historic romances being raved about online, each of them failing to hook me into the story or caring for the protagonists. So many so I was thinking my more than three decade affaire d'coeur with historic romance was waning. Within pages Fenris and Eugenia put that notion to rest while steaming up my sunglasses.
Jewel excels at combining taunt, passionate emotions with stunning sensuality, all wrapped in biting wit and grounded in the publicly constrained Regency manners. Behind closed doors? Fenris and Eugenia weave together and unravel each other emotionally and physically. Their conflict and path through it is believable. Not a moment seems contrived. Even in a genre when HEA is a given.
The passionate encounters are frequent, enthralling and never voyeuristic. Tasteful comes to mind but is too tame...Erotic? Absolutely. Fenris and Eugenia's story couldn't be told otherwise, it takes passion to rattle them enough to be vulnerable to each other, to see past their own defenses. Their individual inner emotional conflicts ratchet the tension between them past sizzling to scorching.
All the book's characters are well-rounded individuals, not caricatures, from Lane right down to Eugenia's maid Martine and Camber's valet. Notably both servants are briefly "on scene' yet as defined as any of the main roles. Yes, I'm using stage/movie terms. The writing is that engrossing. By the second chapter finding out how these two get their HEA becomes necessary and vital.
The almost 180* shift from snarling dislike to clothes-flying lovers is perfect. I abhor bickering couples...these two fence and spar. An more mature and worldly Darcy and Jane. The explanations of how, why and what caused the enmity work very well. Nuances of past hurts, fear, immaturity, expected behavior and friendship detail their battle from discord to lovers. Fenris honestly admits so many reasons why Eugenia should take him, deviously using them to reach his goal.
Eugenia's turmoil as a widow not sure how to move past the sudden loss of her beloved husband, even four years after her shattering loss, is pitch perfect.
Now I'm dearly hoping Camber's story is revealed in greater detail, even if it is a short story for Christmas. Firmly on my keeper shelf, next to books like 'Slightly Dangerous' and 'Mine til Midnight' I recommend buying your own copy as soon as possible. In fact, I may do the unheard of and pre-order Jewel's next book instead of reading a library copy first...after I reread 'Not Wicker Enough' tonight and then probably reread this story again tomorrow...
I opened this ARC after trying to read more than a few current historic romances being raved about online, each of them failing to hook me into the story or caring for the protagonists. So many so I was thinking my more than three decade affaire d'coeur with historic romance was waning. Within pages Fenris and Eugenia put that notion to rest while steaming up my sunglasses.
Jewel excels at combining taunt, passionate emotions with stunning sensuality, all wrapped in biting wit and grounded in the publicly constrained Regency manners. Behind closed doors? Fenris and Eugenia weave together and unravel each other emotionally and physically. Their conflict and path through it is believable. Not a moment seems contrived. Even in a genre when HEA is a given.
The passionate encounters are frequent, enthralling and never voyeuristic. Tasteful comes to mind but is too tame...Erotic? Absolutely. Fenris and Eugenia's story couldn't be told otherwise, it takes passion to rattle them enough to be vulnerable to each other, to see past their own defenses. Their individual inner emotional conflicts ratchet the tension between them past sizzling to scorching.
All the book's characters are well-rounded individuals, not caricatures, from Lane right down to Eugenia's maid Martine and Camber's valet. Notably both servants are briefly "on scene' yet as defined as any of the main roles. Yes, I'm using stage/movie terms. The writing is that engrossing. By the second chapter finding out how these two get their HEA becomes necessary and vital.
The almost 180* shift from snarling dislike to clothes-flying lovers is perfect. I abhor bickering couples...these two fence and spar. An more mature and worldly Darcy and Jane. The explanations of how, why and what caused the enmity work very well. Nuances of past hurts, fear, immaturity, expected behavior and friendship detail their battle from discord to lovers. Fenris honestly admits so many reasons why Eugenia should take him, deviously using them to reach his goal.
Eugenia's turmoil as a widow not sure how to move past the sudden loss of her beloved husband, even four years after her shattering loss, is pitch perfect.
Now I'm dearly hoping Camber's story is revealed in greater detail, even if it is a short story for Christmas. Firmly on my keeper shelf, next to books like 'Slightly Dangerous' and 'Mine til Midnight' I recommend buying your own copy as soon as possible. In fact, I may do the unheard of and pre-order Jewel's next book instead of reading a library copy first...after I reread 'Not Wicker Enough' tonight and then probably reread this story again tomorrow...
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