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ninij's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
3.0
belacqua's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
alongreader's review against another edition
3.0
I love Nation, by Terry Pratchett. It's my favourite book ever. When I read the blurb on this one, I thought it might be kind of the same.
Spoiler; it's not. Or, at least, only very superficially. That's not necessarily bad; this is a fun read, plenty of fashionable mentions and historical details. Anna has a niche, and she's very very good at it. It's clear right from the off what's going to happen at the end, but the joy is in getting there.
I enjoyed the read, a few character details surprised me, the details were brilliant, and I didn't put it down until it was done. What more do you need in a romance?
Spoiler; it's not. Or, at least, only very superficially. That's not necessarily bad; this is a fun read, plenty of fashionable mentions and historical details. Anna has a niche, and she's very very good at it. It's clear right from the off what's going to happen at the end, but the joy is in getting there.
I enjoyed the read, a few character details surprised me, the details were brilliant, and I didn't put it down until it was done. What more do you need in a romance?
melissasbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this stand alone historical romance by Anna Godbersen. From the high society of San Francisco, to a Titanic-like luxury ship, to a desert island, to fashionable New York, this book takes the reader on an epic journey. Filled with romance, jealously, and twists and turns, this book was hard to put down!
I listened to the audiobook version and thoroughly enjoyed the narrator. She was able to really bring each character to life. I was truly on a cliff hanger until the end not knowing how things would turn out. A must read for anyone who enjoys angsty, historical romances with rich detail and swoon worthy characters!
I listened to the audiobook version and thoroughly enjoyed the narrator. She was able to really bring each character to life. I was truly on a cliff hanger until the end not knowing how things would turn out. A must read for anyone who enjoys angsty, historical romances with rich detail and swoon worthy characters!
thindbooks's review against another edition
3.0
*This arc was given to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*
Kind of like The Titanic but getting stranded on an island. Vida boards the Princess to get Fitzhugh to marry her but also meets his best friend, Sal, who gets under her skin. A hurricane hits and destroys the Princess, getting Vida, Fitzhugh, Sal, and other members stranded on an island. Now Vida is stuck between the two boys and doesn't know who will take her heart.
This book was a little hard to get into the story but once the part where the hurricane hits, that is when everything gets interesting. After that, it was hard to put down. The author's writing for the setting and storyline was good but I didn't enjoy her writing for the characters and pacing as much. The pacing at the beginning was a little slow and the story got more interesting when they got stranded but then at the end it was fast and everything was just dumped at the end. The only part of the book I enjoyed was the middle of the story.
The main characters of this book were Vida, Sal, and Fitz. It was only written in Vida's pov but I wish it was also written in the boy's pov. I didn't enjoy Vida as much as I wanted to. I didn't like her character because her emotions were all over the place which you will see in the book. I did enjoy seeing her develop throughout the book. Sal was my favorite guy from the book in the beginning when he was like the "bad boy" but then he turned different on the island. I was still hoping for some bad boy charms. The romance in this book is a love triangle and slow-burn love. The ending was expected with the romance. There is a part of me that enjoyed the characters but also didn't enjoy them.
Overall this book wasn't bad but I thought it could have been better. I did enjoy the storyline of getting stranded on the island but the pacing and characters were not on point. There are still chances that might be made to the final book. I know they aren't going to be major ones but who knows. To be honest this could be a perfect movie! I recommend this to readers who like romance histroical fiction, love triangles, and stories on getting stranded on an island.
Mini-blog tour coming on Thindbooks Blog (www.thindbooks.blogspot.com) from Nov 2-6!
Kind of like The Titanic but getting stranded on an island. Vida boards the Princess to get Fitzhugh to marry her but also meets his best friend, Sal, who gets under her skin. A hurricane hits and destroys the Princess, getting Vida, Fitzhugh, Sal, and other members stranded on an island. Now Vida is stuck between the two boys and doesn't know who will take her heart.
This book was a little hard to get into the story but once the part where the hurricane hits, that is when everything gets interesting. After that, it was hard to put down. The author's writing for the setting and storyline was good but I didn't enjoy her writing for the characters and pacing as much. The pacing at the beginning was a little slow and the story got more interesting when they got stranded but then at the end it was fast and everything was just dumped at the end. The only part of the book I enjoyed was the middle of the story.
The main characters of this book were Vida, Sal, and Fitz. It was only written in Vida's pov but I wish it was also written in the boy's pov. I didn't enjoy Vida as much as I wanted to. I didn't like her character because her emotions were all over the place which you will see in the book. I did enjoy seeing her develop throughout the book. Sal was my favorite guy from the book in the beginning when he was like the "bad boy" but then he turned different on the island. I was still hoping for some bad boy charms. The romance in this book is a love triangle and slow-burn love. The ending was expected with the romance. There is a part of me that enjoyed the characters but also didn't enjoy them.
Overall this book wasn't bad but I thought it could have been better. I did enjoy the storyline of getting stranded on the island but the pacing and characters were not on point. There are still chances that might be made to the final book. I know they aren't going to be major ones but who knows. To be honest this could be a perfect movie! I recommend this to readers who like romance histroical fiction, love triangles, and stories on getting stranded on an island.
Mini-blog tour coming on Thindbooks Blog (www.thindbooks.blogspot.com) from Nov 2-6!
brooke_review's review against another edition
3.0
If you are wondering what Anna Godbersen's (of Luxe series fame) new novel Beautiful Wild is about, imagine Titanic, but instead of Jack dying in the end, Rose, Jack, and Cal end up shipwrecked together on a deserted island. This book has all the trappings of early 20th century life for the rich and famous, including sumptuous ball gowns, luxury ocean liners, dashing young men, daring young women, and societal reputations to uphold.
Vida Hazzard has gotten herself into a sticky situation by spending time with the very handsome, very eligible Fitzhugh Farrar, and her honor is on the line. So what's an upper class girl to do when her reputation is in tatters? Why get the boy to marry her, of course! Which is why Vida, with parents in tow, sets sail on Fitz's luxury ocean liner to make him fall in love with her. Aside from all of the things that can most definitely go wrong on a massive ship in the middle of the ocean, Vida wasn't counting on falling more for Fitz's enigmatic friend Sal than for Fitz himself. When a hurricane wrecks their ship, these three find themselves stranded on an island where they have to learn how to survive in ways they never had before. But who will Vida choose - the charming Fitz or the rough-around-the-edges Sal?
Beautiful Wild was a mixed bag for me. Having never read Godbersen's Luxe series, I don't have a pre-ordained affinity for her like many of her other readers do. I didn't know what to expect; however, I did anticipate something a little deeper than what Godbersen provides in this book. Val, Fitz, and Sal are shallow and lack dimension and that little something special. Vida, in fact, is quite insufferable, and is just as haughty and flighty as you would imagine a girl of her standing to be. There's nothing endearing about her, and good luck to whichever guy she ends up choosing because he is going to have his hands full with her! As for the male characters, they were fairly indistinguishable from each other to me, and I felt indifferent toward both of them. I also found the writing in Beautiful Wild to be quite awkward and difficult to follow at times, and there were numerous passages that just could not hold my interest.
So, in all, Beautiful Wild is an "okay" read, but Titanic definitely did the doomed ship at sea story line better. This one lacks passion and purpose.
Vida Hazzard has gotten herself into a sticky situation by spending time with the very handsome, very eligible Fitzhugh Farrar, and her honor is on the line. So what's an upper class girl to do when her reputation is in tatters? Why get the boy to marry her, of course! Which is why Vida, with parents in tow, sets sail on Fitz's luxury ocean liner to make him fall in love with her. Aside from all of the things that can most definitely go wrong on a massive ship in the middle of the ocean, Vida wasn't counting on falling more for Fitz's enigmatic friend Sal than for Fitz himself. When a hurricane wrecks their ship, these three find themselves stranded on an island where they have to learn how to survive in ways they never had before. But who will Vida choose - the charming Fitz or the rough-around-the-edges Sal?
Beautiful Wild was a mixed bag for me. Having never read Godbersen's Luxe series, I don't have a pre-ordained affinity for her like many of her other readers do. I didn't know what to expect; however, I did anticipate something a little deeper than what Godbersen provides in this book. Val, Fitz, and Sal are shallow and lack dimension and that little something special. Vida, in fact, is quite insufferable, and is just as haughty and flighty as you would imagine a girl of her standing to be. There's nothing endearing about her, and good luck to whichever guy she ends up choosing because he is going to have his hands full with her! As for the male characters, they were fairly indistinguishable from each other to me, and I felt indifferent toward both of them. I also found the writing in Beautiful Wild to be quite awkward and difficult to follow at times, and there were numerous passages that just could not hold my interest.
So, in all, Beautiful Wild is an "okay" read, but Titanic definitely did the doomed ship at sea story line better. This one lacks passion and purpose.
littlemisscass's review against another edition
3.0
Good read. Anna Godbersen really excels at the tortured love story, but would have preferred a less rushed ending. Vida was excellent.
deduvick's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0