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shms's review
3.0
somewhat stilted in form I struggled to get into this, but the tale of the husband too blind to see the love his wife holds for him kept me reading.
shmsy's review
3.0
somewhat stilted in form I struggled to get into this, but the tale of the husband too blind to see the love his wife holds for him kept me reading.
changeusernamel8r's review
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
Note to my future self:
Don't reread this.
Don't recommend it.
Exasperating 3rd act breakup.
I should probably give it 2.75☆ but I feel guilty.
Don't reread this.
Don't recommend it.
Exasperating 3rd act breakup.
I should probably give it 2.75☆ but I feel guilty.
serialromancelibrarian's review
5.0
*** Book Q & A***
* How did the book make you feel?: I devoured this angsty book and was left wanting more.
* How do you feel about how the story was told?: The book begins when the h informs the H that his paragon lost love is now widowed because she expects him to leave her for the widow. What ensues is an angst fest of will-he or won’t-he as he chooses between the mother of his children and his lost love.
* What did you think about the main characters?: I loved the pragmatism and dignity of the h. She was a very strong character. The H was a blind, self absorbed ass for most of the book who didn’t realize what he had until people pointed it out to him. When he realized the error of his ways, his character underwent a lot of growth, which I appreciated. There is groveling.
* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: When the H finally sees how much he cares for the h and that the OW is a conniving you-know-what—he fights for the h.
* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: Arranged marriage, H is in love with OW
* What did you think about the ending?: I loved it, but would’ve loved at least one steamy reconciliation scene.
* What is your impression of the author?: I am new to this author, but I enjoyed this book very much. It was well-written.
* How did the book make you feel?: I devoured this angsty book and was left wanting more.
* How do you feel about how the story was told?: The book begins when the h informs the H that his paragon lost love is now widowed because she expects him to leave her for the widow. What ensues is an angst fest of will-he or won’t-he as he chooses between the mother of his children and his lost love.
* What did you think about the main characters?: I loved the pragmatism and dignity of the h. She was a very strong character. The H was a blind, self absorbed ass for most of the book who didn’t realize what he had until people pointed it out to him. When he realized the error of his ways, his character underwent a lot of growth, which I appreciated. There is groveling.
* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: When the H finally sees how much he cares for the h and that the OW is a conniving you-know-what—he fights for the h.
* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: Arranged marriage, H is in love with OW
* What did you think about the ending?: I loved it, but would’ve loved at least one steamy reconciliation scene.
* What is your impression of the author?: I am new to this author, but I enjoyed this book very much. It was well-written.
sunnyxviii's review
Unfortunately despite the speed of the events in the book …I was trudging through it.
I can’t pinpoint why exactly, but I did not understand either MC’s behavior nor thoughts. It was blatantly stated in their inner monologues, but it just did not seem to make any sense to me.
By the 50% mark, I finally gave up after realizing that I feel nothing for these characters.
I can’t pinpoint why exactly, but I did not understand either MC’s behavior nor thoughts. It was blatantly stated in their inner monologues, but it just did not seem to make any sense to me.
By the 50% mark, I finally gave up after realizing that I feel nothing for these characters.
stuffandwhatnot's review
3.0
Gave me serious 90s regency category romance vibes. Lord Grenville is a bit of a spoiled manchild who resented having to marry for money while the woman he fancied himself in love with married another. Five years later, she's now a widow and Grenville's 'difficult' wife, Felicity, seems to expect him to start an affair. The fun is in watching his slow realization that he's desperately in love with his wife, and that his careless words and actions have wounded her deeply. If we'd only gotten Felicity's POV, I would've said the grovel was insufficient. But we get Alex's POV as well, and get to watch as he sorts through everything he's said and done that hurt her, and feel his shame, so I was ultimately satisfied with the grovel.
I still would've liked a few more scenes at the end, post-grovel, perhaps of them in society showing the gossips what's what.
I still would've liked a few more scenes at the end, post-grovel, perhaps of them in society showing the gossips what's what.
taisie22's review
3.0
I was looking for some angsty books and this was on a list, so I grabbed it. While the plot fit the bill, I found the execution a bit lacking. It's an okay read but the characters were too black and white. Elizabeth, the lost love and villain of the romance, comes off as cartoonish in her dealings with Felicity, the steadfast wife. Felicity cuts and runs rather than fight while her husband Alex is in the middle of the two women, often clueless and just stupid in his behavior. But it's a fast read and fine as a story.
jamiegc's review
4.0
A new twist to the standard Regency plot as this storyline is about a marriage, rather than a courtship.
Alex has always been in love with Elizabeth, who was forced to marry someone else, so he married Felicity in a marriage of convenience.
Fast forward five years later when Elizabeth's husband dies and the happiness that Alex and Felicity did find is threatened.
This plot explores the difference between young, twitter-pated love and the everyday-ness of true love.
This plot was a mixture of the love triangle in Poldark and a small dose of the pettiness in Mean Girls.
Alex has always been in love with Elizabeth, who was forced to marry someone else, so he married Felicity in a marriage of convenience.
Fast forward five years later when Elizabeth's husband dies and the happiness that Alex and Felicity did find is threatened.
This plot explores the difference between young, twitter-pated love and the everyday-ness of true love.
This plot was a mixture of the love triangle in Poldark and a small dose of the pettiness in Mean Girls.