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arlangrey17's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
4.75
allisonwonderlandreads's review
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
rachel_tb's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
francisdee's review against another edition
4.0
This was so fun and sweet!
My only complaint is that it might have been a bit hasty, as in maybe it should have taken a bit more time? But at the same time I knew the day I met my bf I wanted to be with him and we are still together after 6 years so..
Also I was a bit confused throughout the book because the characters seemed to mean weeks when it was days, but it might just be me being too punctilious.
Also, and I do apologise, I was not overly fond with the narrator (Joel Leslie). Mr Leslie if you read this I'm sorry it's me not you!
Hot scale: there are a few explicit sex scenes and they are very cute and sweet!
My only complaint is that it might have been a bit hasty, as in maybe it should have taken a bit more time? But at the same time I knew the day I met my bf I wanted to be with him and we are still together after 6 years so..
Also I was a bit confused throughout the book because the characters seemed to mean weeks when it was days, but it might just be me being too punctilious.
Also, and I do apologise, I was not overly fond with the narrator (Joel Leslie). Mr Leslie if you read this I'm sorry it's me not you!
Hot scale: there are a few explicit sex scenes and they are very cute and sweet!
gillianw's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars rounded up
(clears throat and starts to sing)
How do you solve a problem like Ben Sedgwick? How do you catch a vicar and pin him down?
It Takes Two to Tumble features a charming, genial vicar caring for wayward, motherless children (who climb trees) while their father (a captain, no less and a stranger to his children) is away at sea. When the captain returns home for a brief visit, he is affronted at the audacity of seeing his rag tag mob of three doing things like laughing and enjoying themselves, and initially blames the vicar for allowing them to act like ruffians. The ruffians put a mouse their father's pocket and, the vicar warns, may put something in his bed at night. But the vicar and the captain fall in love, the children learn to love their father (as he learns to love them) and they live happily ever after. Oh, and the vicar quits his job at the abbey...er, the vicarage and they get married. Well, get married in the sense that they pledge their troth to each other - unofficially, of course - but still...
Does any of that sound a little familiar?
Look, I have no problem with an author borrowing from such great source material, giving it a twist and making it their own (see Alexis Hall's Billionaire series), but if you thin out the characters and leave loose ends, it all seems kind of pointless. This isn't a bad book by any means. It has a certain charm and likability, but it doesn't come close to measuring up to the author's previous series, so for me this book is a little disappointing.
Maybe my expectations were too high, but that's only because I have read Cat Sebastian's other books and thoroughly enjoyed them. She makes her characters work hard for their HEA's but never at the cost of being too angsty or insufferable. You always feel like you've gone on a journey with them as they discover things about themselves they never realized. In this book, though, I didn't feel that same tension, that same level of engagement. Plus, the side characters had things wrapped up so neatly, it was almost eye-rolling.
I'm giving this 3.5 stars because even a not-so-great Cat Sebastian book is still better than a lot of books I've read this year. But I still maintain it's not up to her usual standards.
(clears throat and starts to sing)
How do you solve a problem like Ben Sedgwick? How do you catch a vicar and pin him down?
It Takes Two to Tumble features a charming, genial vicar caring for wayward, motherless children (who climb trees) while their father (a captain, no less and a stranger to his children) is away at sea. When the captain returns home for a brief visit, he is affronted at the audacity of seeing his rag tag mob of three doing things like laughing and enjoying themselves, and initially blames the vicar for allowing them to act like ruffians. The ruffians put a mouse their father's pocket and, the vicar warns, may put something in his bed at night. But the vicar and the captain fall in love, the children learn to love their father (as he learns to love them) and they live happily ever after. Oh, and the vicar quits his job at the abbey...er, the vicarage and they get married. Well, get married in the sense that they pledge their troth to each other - unofficially, of course - but still...
Does any of that sound a little familiar?
Look, I have no problem with an author borrowing from such great source material, giving it a twist and making it their own (see Alexis Hall's Billionaire series), but if you thin out the characters and leave loose ends, it all seems kind of pointless. This isn't a bad book by any means. It has a certain charm and likability, but it doesn't come close to measuring up to the author's previous series, so for me this book is a little disappointing.
Maybe my expectations were too high, but that's only because I have read Cat Sebastian's other books and thoroughly enjoyed them. She makes her characters work hard for their HEA's but never at the cost of being too angsty or insufferable. You always feel like you've gone on a journey with them as they discover things about themselves they never realized. In this book, though, I didn't feel that same tension, that same level of engagement. Plus, the side characters had things wrapped up so neatly, it was almost eye-rolling.
I'm giving this 3.5 stars because even a not-so-great Cat Sebastian book is still better than a lot of books I've read this year. But I still maintain it's not up to her usual standards.
reclusivebookslug's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I read this series in reverse order and that had a particularly negative effect on my experience of reading this first book. Other reasons it's not a favorite are that the characters are a bit boring, I'm a person who's quite critical of organized religion, and it feels sort of basic within the subgenre of gay historical romance.
heabooknerd's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a gentle and heart warming read with lovable characters and beautiful writing. Cat Sebastian is such a great writer and it really shines through in this one. I was completely immersed in the world she created and the romance she was developing. These two are so adorable together and I loved how honest and open they are. Ben was raised in an unconditional family with his father, mother, and his father’s mistress. He’s known he was attracted to men but he’s always pushed it away. Not out of shame but because he wanted a traditional life – the complete opposite of his upbringing. Phillip has spent most of his adult life on a ship, away from his wife and his children but he has to return when his wife dies. On top of that, his first mate, the man he was beginning to love, has also died. But no matter what else is going on, Ben and Phillip can’t stay away from each other, their attraction is too strong.
Ben was so wonderful and I loved his character! He’s just so earnest and open and his care for other people was so sweet. Ben genuinely enjoys helping the people in his parish and his devotion to being a vicar is written so well.
I can’t wait to read more in this series. We only see Hartley in this one but we hear a bit about the other brothers and I’m looking forward to more! Can we get a novella with Alice Crawford? Because she was such a wonderfully written side character.
I know it’s realistic to the time this book takes place in but I was a bit bothered by how uninvolved Phillip has been in his children’s lives prior to his return home. It just bothers me a bit that he could just walk away from his family in the past.
Ben was so wonderful and I loved his character! He’s just so earnest and open and his care for other people was so sweet. Ben genuinely enjoys helping the people in his parish and his devotion to being a vicar is written so well.
I can’t wait to read more in this series. We only see Hartley in this one but we hear a bit about the other brothers and I’m looking forward to more! Can we get a novella with Alice Crawford? Because she was such a wonderfully written side character.
I know it’s realistic to the time this book takes place in but I was a bit bothered by how uninvolved Phillip has been in his children’s lives prior to his return home. It just bothers me a bit that he could just walk away from his family in the past.
rellimreads's review
5.0
12/21/2022 - Relisten. Just as wonderful as the first time.
8/15/2020 - I absolutely adored this audiobook. I admit that it has a lot of my favorite tropes - age gap, grumpy/sunshine, and a variation of nanny. Cat Sebastian's writing and Joel Leslie's terrific narration made this one I'll be happy to listen to over and over again.
I loved Phillip's growth as a man and a father. I particularly appreciated Sebastian's approach to writing about children, their inclusion in the story, and respect for them as vibrant individuals worthy of respect. Ben was also a fantastic character and witnessing his heartache at disappointing those he loved because he needed to honor himself was simultaneously sad and beautiful. The relationship.between the two men was somewhat of a slow burn but in the best of ways. There were also a lot of laughs which made this a delight to listen to.
I'm looking forward to Heartly's story in A Gentleman Never Keeps Score.
Joel Leslie's narration was amazing. His accents were perfect. Delivery, timing, and emotions were impeccable. This is the sort of narration that can be held as a standard to which all narrators should aspire. ❤
8/15/2020 - I absolutely adored this audiobook. I admit that it has a lot of my favorite tropes - age gap, grumpy/sunshine, and a variation of nanny. Cat Sebastian's writing and Joel Leslie's terrific narration made this one I'll be happy to listen to over and over again.
I loved Phillip's growth as a man and a father. I particularly appreciated Sebastian's approach to writing about children, their inclusion in the story, and respect for them as vibrant individuals worthy of respect. Ben was also a fantastic character and witnessing his heartache at disappointing those he loved because he needed to honor himself was simultaneously sad and beautiful. The relationship.between the two men was somewhat of a slow burn but in the best of ways. There were also a lot of laughs which made this a delight to listen to.
I'm looking forward to Heartly's story in A Gentleman Never Keeps Score.
Joel Leslie's narration was amazing. His accents were perfect. Delivery, timing, and emotions were impeccable. This is the sort of narration that can be held as a standard to which all narrators should aspire. ❤