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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
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
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love this series so much! This family is just great. I’m holding my breath and hoping we will get a Truman book. He’s so sweet and mysterious and he could become my everything with his own book. Just saying.
Althea has gone off to London for a 3rd season but her goal isn’t really to find a husband. Her goal is to get her play writing groove back. She finds her muse in Viscount St. James who is an interesting character. He’s so much more than he seems.
Everyone in society knows who St. James is but they tend to see him has a bumbling oaf because of his cruel uncle. St. James just accepts his uncle cruelty because he has the money and power and St. James is just trying to protect the who people in his life he loves.
One person not quite in his life is Althea who he has loved from afar for a long time. Now she is causing him some problems and he has to get in her way to stop her 😏
Althea has gone off to London for a 3rd season but her goal isn’t really to find a husband. Her goal is to get her play writing groove back. She finds her muse in Viscount St. James who is an interesting character. He’s so much more than he seems.
Everyone in society knows who St. James is but they tend to see him has a bumbling oaf because of his cruel uncle. St. James just accepts his uncle cruelty because he has the money and power and St. James is just trying to protect the who people in his life he loves.
One person not quite in his life is Althea who he has loved from afar for a long time. Now she is causing him some problems and he has to get in her way to stop her 😏
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What I liked: I liked the gentleman highwayman concept. I wish it would have been a more involved part of the plot. The female main character was strong and resilient. I also enjoyed the forced proximity. There were some satisfying kisses and a good spicy scene.
What I didn’t like: I wasn’t sure how accurate the concept of a female playwright was to the time period. Of course, I couldn’t tell what time period the book was set in, and that annoyed me. The female main character struggles to trust seemed a bit over the top. And the ending and resolution happened much too fast.
Overall it was a mid-tier historical romance with some decent spice.
Thank you to @Netgalley @avonbooks and @harpervoyagerus for the chance to review this ARC.
What I didn’t like: I wasn’t sure how accurate the concept of a female playwright was to the time period. Of course, I couldn’t tell what time period the book was set in, and that annoyed me. The female main character struggles to trust seemed a bit over the top. And the ending and resolution happened much too fast.
Overall it was a mid-tier historical romance with some decent spice.
Thank you to @Netgalley @avonbooks and @harpervoyagerus for the chance to review this ARC.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Miss Althea Hartley was really patient with the multiple gown ruiner, Jasper Trueblood, Viscount St. James in Vivienne Lorret’s “This Much is True” from The Liar’s Club series!
I enjoyed the dual identity aspect! We got a spectacle-wearing nobleman who turned into a mix of part super hero and part outlaw to benefit the needy. The brave hero identity was great however it was the flower maker that made me swoon.
I enjoyed Althea’s flair! She was a playwright that lost her inspiration and I loved her determination to find her source of tingles. Her character was more than a third season debutante, her dreams gave her depth and her daring made memorable scenes.
I loved Althea and Jasper together! He would pop out of nowhere and they were tethered closer together with each encounter through their wit. She would defend him and not back down. Then they had an entertaining reunion scene in front of an actual audience no less!
I highly recommend this theatrical and well-paced book containing dreams coming true for the individuals and of course a happily ever after!
Thank you to Net Galley, Avon Books, and Harper Voyager US for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Regardless of the other books on my NetGalley TBR list (all of which publish earlier than July 2025) ((this review was written on 10/30/24 and 10/31/24)), I started this and focused and read only this title over two and a half days until I was finished
*Thea is the youngest of the Hartley children, in her third season, a playwright whose muse has abandoned her
*Jasper St James is an utterly utterly wonderful MMC - a veritable perfect Robin Hood who takes care of those he loves
*Tales of Lady Content, Lord Turgid and Lord Flaccid appear
*Nell Hunicutt makes a quick reappearance
*perfect together MC’s
**also, this title SERIOUSLY put the Spandau Ballet song ‘True’ in my head and it wouldn’t leave. For days.
“This much is true
This much is true
I know, I know, I know this much is true
This much is true
This much is true (huh huh)
This much is true
This much is true
I know this much is true
This much is true (huh huh)
This much is true (I know this much is true)
This much is true (huh huh)
This much is true (I know this much is true)
I know, I know, I know this much is true”
And that’s what I had in my head when I thought about this story, when I wasn’t thinking about how much I adored Lady Broadbent, Jasper, and Thea.
Incredibly romantic, I loved this one and Jasper’s paper flowers, and Jasper.
On a scale of swoons - I’d say this is wonderfully swoony. The first full on intimacy scene is a high serving of romance, emotional foreplay, and steam. The first post-coital scene is full of lovely longing, of the star crossed, we-can-never-be-together variety, and it all works.
The longing in this one is excellent, and if I could rate that more than 5 stars, I would (a slow burn, full of longing romance is my preferred and I’m very choosy about what I like, and what I love. This, I loved.
Though it wasn’t completely perfect - I found the ending very abrupt, and some of situations didn’t strike me as fully plausible. I’m still rating this up to five stars, because despite my issues, it was a very enjoyable story, and again, the longing in this is not to be trifled with.
I’ve loved this entire trilogy and though I wish this would have been a series with more titles, I look forward to reading whatever Ms Lorret writes next.
Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the DRC
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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
This was my first book by this author and I loved the writing, character development, spice, and most importantly the humor. It was subtle and unexpected at times, perfectly lightening a scene when it was needed.
I feel like I’ve been reading more stories set outside the aristocracy lately but the setup for this one was different that I enjoyed returning to ballrooms and musicales. Both MC are aristocratic but neither hold a lot of relative influence or wealth. While there is more to the plot it comes down to the MC having to figure out how to overcome the obstacles standing in their way to be together without having wealth and influence readily available. It leads to a unique resolution but was fitting to the story.
The character development for Thea and Jasper was so well done. On the surface they’re a vigilante highwayman and purposeful bumbling hero and a playwright heroine. Underneath, they’ve both been subjective to narcissistic people that have made them feel less than. They each see one another for who they are and provide the things they need to be their best self. I loved the passion they had for one another and Jasper not knowing what to do with his feelings.
The side characters were great too, offering a found family for Jasper that was endearing and a supportive family for Thea that allowed for honest conversations and healing.
For as much as the rest of the book felt fully fleshed out and purposeful, the ending felt rushed and not as thought out as the rest of the book. Even with all that though, it couldn’t overshadow my feelings on the book as a whole. The characters are memorable, the humor was spot on, and the spice was delightful.
This Much is True is the third book in The Liars Club series.
I had no issue reading this as a standalone.
A slow burn with three open doors explicit encounters.
I received an advance reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I feel like I’ve been reading more stories set outside the aristocracy lately but the setup for this one was different that I enjoyed returning to ballrooms and musicales. Both MC are aristocratic but neither hold a lot of relative influence or wealth. While there is more to the plot it comes down to the MC having to figure out how to overcome the obstacles standing in their way to be together without having wealth and influence readily available. It leads to a unique resolution but was fitting to the story.
The character development for Thea and Jasper was so well done. On the surface they’re a vigilante highwayman and purposeful bumbling hero and a playwright heroine. Underneath, they’ve both been subjective to narcissistic people that have made them feel less than. They each see one another for who they are and provide the things they need to be their best self. I loved the passion they had for one another and Jasper not knowing what to do with his feelings.
The side characters were great too, offering a found family for Jasper that was endearing and a supportive family for Thea that allowed for honest conversations and healing.
For as much as the rest of the book felt fully fleshed out and purposeful, the ending felt rushed and not as thought out as the rest of the book. Even with all that though, it couldn’t overshadow my feelings on the book as a whole. The characters are memorable, the humor was spot on, and the spice was delightful.
This Much is True is the third book in The Liars Club series.
I had no issue reading this as a standalone.
A slow burn with three open doors explicit encounters.
I received an advance reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Enjoyed the general premise and the romance between Thea and Jasper. Nothing like two vulnerable and kind-hearted people falling in love. I loved seeing her see him, even before she knew he was playing a part for the ton. And the paper flowers? The absolute best.
The pacing threw me off, though. I felt like we were riding at a moderate pace for the first 80% of the book, and then all of a sudden, a lot of things needed to be resolved quickly. It was dizzying. Just the sheer number of plot points being resolved so quickly. They didn't get the attention they deserved. Either the book needed another 20 pages, or--perhaps better--a bit of a streamlining.
That said, the central romance is lovely. So what if the plot gets overly full all of a sudden? Way better than being boring, and this novel manages to be heartwarming and exciting all the way through. It's just worth the last-act frenzy.
I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley for an honest review.
The pacing threw me off, though. I felt like we were riding at a moderate pace for the first 80% of the book, and then all of a sudden, a lot of things needed to be resolved quickly. It was dizzying. Just the sheer number of plot points being resolved so quickly. They didn't get the attention they deserved. Either the book needed another 20 pages, or--perhaps better--a bit of a streamlining.
That said, the central romance is lovely. So what if the plot gets overly full all of a sudden? Way better than being boring, and this novel manages to be heartwarming and exciting all the way through. It's just worth the last-act frenzy.
I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley for an honest review.
hopeful
slow-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:
Complicated
I’m not going to lie, I struggled with this book a bit. This already has not been my favorite series from Vivienne and this book just didn’t really work for me. I found the beginning to be painfully slow and there were so many character that I kept thinking I should know these people from the previous books but couldn’t remember them. I found myself skimming quite a lot and then I would get confused but didn’t care enough to go back and figure out what I missed. I did like Althea and Jasper and which we had just gotten more of their romance because I do think there was a great romance hidden in all the other things going on. There were so many plot pieces and it didn’t feel like anything got fully resolved. This was exacerbated by the fact there was no epilogue. I’m pretty sure this was the last book in this series, so the lack of an epilogue is baffling.
Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Big love for this book...and I've surprised myself for the "why".
I have been reading historical romances for many, many years, and I've always been drawn to the strong hero and the heroine in need of a little bit of saving. I'm not going to say that I don't enjoy the more modern version of romance heroines...strong, independent and self-reliant. But there is no denying, for me anyway, the pull and all the tingles from a hero being overprotective of his heroine. This particular story had that throwback feel of the best historical historicals (HA, HA), and I must say I miss those stories of brave, in-charge heroes who will do anything to shelter their ladies.
In this particular story, both hero and heroine have their own problems. Althea Hartley has had her self-confidence diminished and been demeaned for her playwriting abilities. And in her third season she feels that she should make an effort to find a husband perhaps putting her love of playwriting secondary. Jasper Trueblood is a viscount who is under the thumb of his evil earl of an uncle. He feels he must play the bumbling nitwit that his uncle portrays him as in order to shield and protect others that he loves. But while he is publicly ridiculed for his witlessness, in reality he is bravely working behind the scenes to help others and hopefully put an end to his uncle's tyranny.
Both Althea and Jasper are written as such genuinely good humans, but who are personally in need of just a little TLC. They are selfless in their devotion to those close to them, but each is able to see what it is the other needs and is willing to help the other see it as well. While the plot here is well-constructed, it's Althea and Jasper who breathe life into it. Love them both so much.
I enjoyed the first book in this Liars' Club series (It Had to be a Duke) but have somehow missed the second (The Trouble with Inventing a Viscount) and will rectify that ASAP.
My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager / Avon for providing the free early arc of This Much is True for review. The opinions are strictly my own.
I have been reading historical romances for many, many years, and I've always been drawn to the strong hero and the heroine in need of a little bit of saving. I'm not going to say that I don't enjoy the more modern version of romance heroines...strong, independent and self-reliant. But there is no denying, for me anyway, the pull and all the tingles from a hero being overprotective of his heroine. This particular story had that throwback feel of the best historical historicals (HA, HA), and I must say I miss those stories of brave, in-charge heroes who will do anything to shelter their ladies.
In this particular story, both hero and heroine have their own problems. Althea Hartley has had her self-confidence diminished and been demeaned for her playwriting abilities. And in her third season she feels that she should make an effort to find a husband perhaps putting her love of playwriting secondary. Jasper Trueblood is a viscount who is under the thumb of his evil earl of an uncle. He feels he must play the bumbling nitwit that his uncle portrays him as in order to shield and protect others that he loves. But while he is publicly ridiculed for his witlessness, in reality he is bravely working behind the scenes to help others and hopefully put an end to his uncle's tyranny.
Both Althea and Jasper are written as such genuinely good humans, but who are personally in need of just a little TLC. They are selfless in their devotion to those close to them, but each is able to see what it is the other needs and is willing to help the other see it as well. While the plot here is well-constructed, it's Althea and Jasper who breathe life into it. Love them both so much.
I enjoyed the first book in this Liars' Club series (It Had to be a Duke) but have somehow missed the second (The Trouble with Inventing a Viscount) and will rectify that ASAP.
My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager / Avon for providing the free early arc of This Much is True for review. The opinions are strictly my own.