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rebecc_arc's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? It's complicated
3.25
I liked Sally as a heroine, but I feel a little more indifferent towards Col. We know nothing about him and I think there would have been a good deep conversation for them to have, which was also lacking. Maybe as an additional conversation through the walls in the gunroom, which I found quite cute.
Also, I started to count the "damn his eyes" and "devil take her" and their slight variations, but I stopped not even half way through the book, because I lost count. For both I counted about 20 repetitions.
Also, I started to count the "damn his eyes" and "devil take her" and their slight variations, but I stopped not even half way through the book, because I lost count. For both I counted about 20 repetitions.
jackiehorne's review
4.0
Very strong first entry in a new series. Will be purchasing a copy for my keeper shelf...
madgee's review
4.0
I am quite sincerely shocked . This was my I'm-alone-on-Valentine's-Day escapist read, but I found here something more than just distraction.
Rarely do I find a historical romance that celebrates such a healthy, equal relationship! Perhaps that is because those relationships are not particularly historically accurate. Who knows. But I bought every detail of Essex’s English navy– and even more so, her natural, compelling romance. I understood why Col and Sally fell in love, because I fell for each myself. No instalove here, my friends!! A beautiful love story between an adventurous, capable young woman and an intelligent, strong man.
Rarely do I find a historical romance that celebrates such a healthy, equal relationship! Perhaps that is because those relationships are not particularly historically accurate. Who knows. But I bought every detail of Essex’s English navy– and even more so, her natural, compelling romance. I understood why Col and Sally fell in love, because I fell for each myself. No instalove here, my friends!! A beautiful love story between an adventurous, capable young woman and an intelligent, strong man.
readerpants's review
5.0
Well, that is an excellent use of a Master's in Nautical Archeology! A delight.
kayedacus's review
3.0
2.75 stars
This was probably not the best Elizabeth Essex book for me to start with. Her writing style is enjoyable, for the most part, but this book, even with my own love for the Regency-era Royal Navy, wasn't enough to keep me going for more than a page or two at a time.
As with another book (audiobook) I was reading at the same time, I'd find myself skipping ahead to the next chapter, from the middle . . . just waiting for a plot to appear. Alas, there never was a very cohesive plot. And that was just the beginning of my problems with this book.
As a character, Sally Kent is too good to be true (I hate to re-use the term "Mary-Sue," but if the Sue fits. . .). She can do no wrong! She's a master at everything her hand touches---even all of the work of a Midshipman which she's never actually done before. Yes, I understand she supposedly (in another book somewhere??? but this is supposed to be the first book of a series!) grew up on her father's ships and thus would have a better understanding than a lot of other people of just how things work. But she has no trouble scrambling up and down the shrouds, doing all the physical labor, doing all of the mathematical work, etc., required of her as a mid. Then there's the fact that not only does she immediately fit in with all (but one of) the other midshipmen, she becomes the favorite, the one who protects all the others from the one who's a bully---and she even eventually wins him over!
Then there's the fact that there's no jeopardy in her being a girl disguised as a boy. Right from the beginning, the hero knows who she is. He not only chooses to keep her secret---but he lets her know he knows it. So there's never any tension between them because of it. Then, he eventually learns that the captain has known all along too. And pretty much everyone else on the ship has figured it out. And no one cares! Unfortunately, neither did I after a chapter or two of her absolute perfection.
And speaking of the "hero"----uh . . . I can't even remember his name. Hold on, let me go look it up. Oh, yeah, "Col." Col is so generic and so one dimensional as to be completely forgettable. He has almost no history, no connections, no passions (other than the Navy, of course) . . . nothing that makes him stand out in a crowd (of other romance novel heroes).
Then there's the fact that Essex has done her research. Oh, how she's done her research. She knows everything and then some about the early nineteenth-century Royal Navy---and she wants to use all of it in the pages of this one novel. But even though I spent almost five years researching it myself for my own writings, at times I was lost and confused, because most of the very specific language she uses is used without context to allow even a semi-knowledgeable person (like me) figure out what she's talking about.
I've been assured that these issues aren't as prevalent in the subsequent books in this series, so I might eventually read others. But right now, I think I'll set this series aside.
This was probably not the best Elizabeth Essex book for me to start with. Her writing style is enjoyable, for the most part, but this book, even with my own love for the Regency-era Royal Navy, wasn't enough to keep me going for more than a page or two at a time.
As with another book (audiobook) I was reading at the same time, I'd find myself skipping ahead to the next chapter, from the middle . . . just waiting for a plot to appear. Alas, there never was a very cohesive plot. And that was just the beginning of my problems with this book.
As a character, Sally Kent is too good to be true (I hate to re-use the term "Mary-Sue," but if the Sue fits. . .). She can do no wrong! She's a master at everything her hand touches---even all of the work of a Midshipman which she's never actually done before. Yes, I understand she supposedly (in another book somewhere??? but this is supposed to be the first book of a series!) grew up on her father's ships and thus would have a better understanding than a lot of other people of just how things work. But she has no trouble scrambling up and down the shrouds, doing all the physical labor, doing all of the mathematical work, etc., required of her as a mid. Then there's the fact that not only does she immediately fit in with all (but one of) the other midshipmen, she becomes the favorite, the one who protects all the others from the one who's a bully---and she even eventually wins him over!
Then there's the fact that there's no jeopardy in her being a girl disguised as a boy. Right from the beginning, the hero knows who she is. He not only chooses to keep her secret---but he lets her know he knows it. So there's never any tension between them because of it. Then, he eventually learns that the captain has known all along too. And pretty much everyone else on the ship has figured it out. And no one cares! Unfortunately, neither did I after a chapter or two of her absolute perfection.
And speaking of the "hero"----uh . . . I can't even remember his name. Hold on, let me go look it up. Oh, yeah, "Col." Col is so generic and so one dimensional as to be completely forgettable. He has almost no history, no connections, no passions (other than the Navy, of course) . . . nothing that makes him stand out in a crowd (of other romance novel heroes).
Then there's the fact that Essex has done her research. Oh, how she's done her research. She knows everything and then some about the early nineteenth-century Royal Navy---and she wants to use all of it in the pages of this one novel. But even though I spent almost five years researching it myself for my own writings, at times I was lost and confused, because most of the very specific language she uses is used without context to allow even a semi-knowledgeable person (like me) figure out what she's talking about.
I've been assured that these issues aren't as prevalent in the subsequent books in this series, so I might eventually read others. But right now, I think I'll set this series aside.
andipants's review
3.0
I liked the premise here a bit more than the execution. I was hoping for basically a more grownup version of the Bloody Jack series — girl dresses as a boy to join the Navy, hijinks ensue. And it was basically that (plus sexytimes, obvs), but it never felt quite as fleshed out as that series. Partially, obviously, I'm sure this is due to it being a single book as opposed to an entire series (the rest of this series, as in most romance series, focuses on other characters), but I still would have liked more backstory for Sally. Her exceeding skill and knowledge of naval life rather strains belief, and her reasons for taking her brother's place seemed very broad and platitude-y; both of these issues would have been helped with a few carefully placed flashbacks, rather than just telling us over and over again how much she loves the sea.
There were also some plot points that seemed underdeveloped or overly contrived. Obviously Sally and Col end up. And the plotline with Mr. Gamage was just unceremoniously dropped with no real resolution once it stopped being thematically useful.
There were also several points where the dialogue got way too jargon-heavy. It seems clear the author did her research, and that's cool, but more context clues would have been super useful, especially in some of the action-heavy scenes, because I definitely found my eyes glazing over when orders started being shouted and signals relayed, because I had no idea what was going on — and that's a shame, because there was a lot of action in this book, which otherwise was very enjoyable. I definitely like a side of swashbuckling with my romance.
That said, I did enjoy the relationship here — Sally gets to be competent and badass, and she and Col treat each other with respect and admiration. I also found the bit at the end refreshing, where, which gives an otherwise very male-dominated book a brief but strong nod to the power of female friendship. Overall, a solid 3 stars.
There were also some plot points that seemed underdeveloped or overly contrived. Obviously Sally and Col end up
Spoiler
on a covert mission together, conveniently allowing them a couple days off the ship all aloneThere were also several points where the dialogue got way too jargon-heavy. It seems clear the author did her research, and that's cool, but more context clues would have been super useful, especially in some of the action-heavy scenes, because I definitely found my eyes glazing over when orders started being shouted and signals relayed, because I had no idea what was going on — and that's a shame, because there was a lot of action in this book, which otherwise was very enjoyable. I definitely like a side of swashbuckling with my romance.
That said, I did enjoy the relationship here — Sally gets to be competent and badass, and she and Col treat each other with respect and admiration. I also found the bit at the end refreshing, where
Spoiler
Sally's sister-in-law, whom she is initially inclined to dismiss as a shallow airhead, turns out to be an awesome, intelligent, and supportive friendxlynt's review
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
smuttty19's review
3.0
When her brother goes AWOL Sally decides to impersonate him. Now she’s trapped at sea surrounded by men pretending to be one of them. Her Lieutenant happens to be her older brothers’ best friend, Col.
I just never understand how people can be tricked into thinking FMCs are guys. I liked that this one had her in war, that was pretty unique for my HR reads. Her relationship with the younger sailors is the sweetest.
Overall book ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice
I just never understand how people can be tricked into thinking FMCs are guys. I liked that this one had her in war, that was pretty unique for my HR reads. Her relationship with the younger sailors is the sweetest.
Overall book ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice