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coriandercilantro's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
prison abolition, trans women, and trans metaphors in MY historical romance? more likely than you'd think.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Injury/Injury detail
bea__reads's review against another edition
3.75
This was a fun story with good banter and tension. I honestly just love the idea of the group of women running elaborate schemes to take down the patriarchy & the aristocracy from within.
I found the conflict towards the end to be kind of shallow and ridiculous. I started to get annoyed by Adelaide refusing to believe Henry (or anyone). It just felt like unnecessary drama.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny and Kidnapping
Minor: Pregnancy
samchase112's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This was exactly the quick, fun read I needed right now! Nonstop action, nonstop romance. Sure, we don’t know anything about Adelaide or Henry outside their little romance bubble, and the ending was so rushed I can barely process it…but hey, at least it was fun!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, and Classism
Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexism, and Murder
onlyonebookshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Murder
what_karla_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
iamamyyyyy's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Violence
amandamyers's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-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
4.75
This book is yet another reminder why Sarah MacLean is my go to for romance recs/historical recommendations. I will simply never get enough!
Anyway, time for the important stuff: Adelaide and Clayborn. She’s a wallflower, originally a pickpocket from the streets of south London, but brought into society under a fake(ish) identity. She also has another side gig as “The Matchbreaker” which involves helping break unwanted engagements. Nobody knows it’s her, but of course the first time Clayborn sees her in her disguise, he knows exactly who she is based on their earlier interactions. Clayborn is actually Henry, Duke of Clayborn, and he definitely feels every bit of that title.
Adelaide and Clayborn did have a couple run-ins during Bombshell so I was very excited to see how they resolved their contentious relationship into something romantic, and it did not disappoint! The main story is based on a road trip (one bed trope, of course!) to chase down an eloping couple, and there’s highwaymen, angst, danger, found family, and of course, the Hell’s Belles.
Clayborn is absolutely obsessed with Adelaide, and of course it’s mutual, but I really loved his character so much. There was a lot to unpack from his past, and it’s represented in this little box puzzle that Adelaide figures out along their travels, and I just really liked that physical representation of his backstory.
I would recommend this if you like: road trip romances, girl gangs, found family.
I would not recommend this if you don’t like: progressive feminist themes/action in historicals, class difference romances.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Violence:sydapel's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I complain about Sarah Maclean's work and the oft tired tropes I personally feel she relies too heavily on, but I do read quite a lot of it. Overall, her latest works for me, though there's a reliance on telling the audience about their respective back stories rather than showing. Adelaide and Henry balance each other out well though, and I liked the overarching themes of this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Child abuse, and Death of parent
tostita's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Pregnancy and Confinement
kponturo's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Murder