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nononanette's review against another edition
4.0
Bentley, the notorious but charming younger son and Frederica. Unusually deep for the genre. Primarily a character study, an exploration of the power of the past to shape one’s life and the need to confront it in order to have a future.
Carlyle’s story departs from the typical “forced marriage” plot in that it is a psychological study of a truly tortured hero. Bentley’s tense relationship with his brother, his disastrous excesses, his underlying pain all stem from the past and he must confront his demons if he is to find happiness with Freddie. When the truth finally comes out, it makes sense of all of Bentley’s reckless and self-destructive behavior.
Freddie is almost as interesting a character as Bentley. She may be young, but her unusual life and circumstances have given her wisdom beyond her years. Her choices - first to refuse Bentley and then to accept the devil she knows - show her maturity and good sense. She also is the catalyst who forces Bentley to face the past. She is a good match for a complex hero.
Carlyle’s story departs from the typical “forced marriage” plot in that it is a psychological study of a truly tortured hero. Bentley’s tense relationship with his brother, his disastrous excesses, his underlying pain all stem from the past and he must confront his demons if he is to find happiness with Freddie. When the truth finally comes out, it makes sense of all of Bentley’s reckless and self-destructive behavior.
Freddie is almost as interesting a character as Bentley. She may be young, but her unusual life and circumstances have given her wisdom beyond her years. Her choices - first to refuse Bentley and then to accept the devil she knows - show her maturity and good sense. She also is the catalyst who forces Bentley to face the past. She is a good match for a complex hero.
juliana_caterin's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.0
abbythompson's review against another edition
4.0
I have been waiting for Bentley's story since he was introduced! What an interesting, complex, fascinating character. I loved his contradictions - the ultimate bad boy with a heart of gold. His past trauma made sense of his later actions, as did his confusion and reluctance to understand what happened.
Pairing up Bentley with Freddie, who we met in Carlyle's first novel My False Heart was a stroke of linking genius. I loved seeing Freddie all grown up and standing up for herself. Her compassion and fears were genuinely motivated and consistent throughout Carlyle's novels.
I worry, though, that Carlyle is getting a little sloppy. The writer's tics were present and there was a lot more "telling" rather than "showing." A good example is the repeated explanation that Freddie is an orphan and so family and home are very important to her. I'm not sure we really needed Bentley to tell us that. It was also unclear if it was meant for the readers or as a personal realization for Bentley.
Anyways, in the end, the story was hot, steamy, sweet and fun.
Pairing up Bentley with Freddie, who we met in Carlyle's first novel My False Heart was a stroke of linking genius. I loved seeing Freddie all grown up and standing up for herself. Her compassion and fears were genuinely motivated and consistent throughout Carlyle's novels.
I worry, though, that Carlyle is getting a little sloppy. The writer's tics were present and there was a lot more "telling" rather than "showing." A good example is the repeated explanation that Freddie is an orphan and so family and home are very important to her. I'm not sure we really needed Bentley to tell us that. It was also unclear if it was meant for the readers or as a personal realization for Bentley.
Anyways, in the end, the story was hot, steamy, sweet and fun.
ssejig's review against another edition
3.0
Frederica d'Avillez is positive she's never going to get married. She's illegitimate and didn't "take" in her first season. Now, her safety option, Johnny, has informed her that he's marrying his cousin.
Bentley Rutledge is positive he's never going to get married. He's mad and bad and a womanizer. Besides, he doesn't want to.
But when Freddie, a girl he's only noticed is a woman, comes home upset when he's just come in drunk, he can't stop her advances. He tries several times (despite saying he's not a gentleman) but he ends up deflowering the virgin. He knows that he has to do the right thing and writes a note that ends up blowing out the window when he makes his escape.
Freddie's family wants her to get married when they find out she's pregnant. But when she protests, they plan instead for her to take a long trip putting out the word that she's getting married to a distant cousin. Bentley is aghast. He's the one who took her virginity, Freddie should be marrying him! So he demands his rights and then whisks her off to Chalcote, the family seat. He hates it there but isn't really sure why. They'll have to work through the ghosts of his past in order to get ready for their future.
Bentley Rutledge is positive he's never going to get married. He's mad and bad and a womanizer. Besides, he doesn't want to.
But when Freddie, a girl he's only noticed is a woman, comes home upset when he's just come in drunk, he can't stop her advances. He tries several times (despite saying he's not a gentleman) but he ends up deflowering the virgin. He knows that he has to do the right thing and writes a note that ends up blowing out the window when he makes his escape.
Freddie's family wants her to get married when they find out she's pregnant. But when she protests, they plan instead for her to take a long trip putting out the word that she's getting married to a distant cousin. Bentley is aghast. He's the one who took her virginity, Freddie should be marrying him! So he demands his rights and then whisks her off to Chalcote, the family seat. He hates it there but isn't really sure why. They'll have to work through the ghosts of his past in order to get ready for their future.
oitb's review against another edition
3.0
This is a super interesting book. It's super introspective and digs deep into character backgrounds and the way childhood experiences shape adult lives in a significant way — and perhaps more significantly than anyone ever realizes — and Liz Carlyle takes good care of both characters in this regard. (The hero does get a bigger backstory than the heroine, but the heroine's arc doesn't suffer too much for it.)
In terms of the storytelling, I did wish everything was tighter — there were some chunks of the book where I found the plot got away from the story Carlyle was trying to tell. I also feel like while this could probably work as a standalone, I found it confusing not having read the first two books in the story, as the elder brother (hero of book 1) is featured heavily, and it probably would have helped to read his book first.
My other issue with the book — and this is more a critique of the time period when it was written/published — is that the heroine very much feels like a trash receptacle for all of the hero's bad behavior, and she persists/deals with it by being patient and loving and caring. There's not really any acknowledgment in the text that the heroine feels like she deserves better and will stop putting up with the hero's bullshit at a certain point. And to a degree, this kind of thinking is endemic to patriarchal society, but it's extra pronounced in books written prior to the last 5-10 years or so.
In terms of the storytelling, I did wish everything was tighter — there were some chunks of the book where I found the plot got away from the story Carlyle was trying to tell. I also feel like while this could probably work as a standalone, I found it confusing not having read the first two books in the story, as the elder brother (hero of book 1) is featured heavily, and it probably would have helped to read his book first.
My other issue with the book — and this is more a critique of the time period when it was written/published — is that the heroine very much feels like a trash receptacle for all of the hero's bad behavior, and she persists/deals with it by being patient and loving and caring. There's not really any acknowledgment in the text that the heroine feels like she deserves better and will stop putting up with the hero's bullshit at a certain point. And to a degree, this kind of thinking is endemic to patriarchal society, but it's extra pronounced in books written prior to the last 5-10 years or so.
fleurette's review against another edition
3.0
I generally enjoy books from Liz Carlyle, however, there are some that I liked more than this one.
Abandoned by her beloved for another woman, Freddie spends a passionate night with a long-time friend of the family - Bentely, a well-known lecher and a rake. When it turns out that she is pregnant, she is in trouble. Driven by complicated feelings, Bentley marries her and they go to his family estate together. Soon, it turns out that the rake may be a better husband than she expected and that he is tormented by demons with whom they both will have to deal if they want to be happy.
I didn't like the beginning of this story, it is mostly based on a misunderstanding and lack of communication between the main characters. This is not a scheme I like to see in my books. Bentley as a tortured hero is quite fascinating and complicated, he makes an interesting hero. I also like that Freddie, despite her young age, is rather mature and she does not run away from the confrontation when she depends on something. It was nice to watch the dynamics of their relationships and feelings between them. I do not have the slightest doubt that they both care about each other and it was easy for me to believe that they love each other.
I have not read the other books in this series, but they may be interesting. Although I think that Freddie and Bentley are probably the most interesting couple.
Abandoned by her beloved for another woman, Freddie spends a passionate night with a long-time friend of the family - Bentely, a well-known lecher and a rake. When it turns out that she is pregnant, she is in trouble. Driven by complicated feelings, Bentley marries her and they go to his family estate together. Soon, it turns out that the rake may be a better husband than she expected and that he is tormented by demons with whom they both will have to deal if they want to be happy.
I didn't like the beginning of this story, it is mostly based on a misunderstanding and lack of communication between the main characters. This is not a scheme I like to see in my books. Bentley as a tortured hero is quite fascinating and complicated, he makes an interesting hero. I also like that Freddie, despite her young age, is rather mature and she does not run away from the confrontation when she depends on something. It was nice to watch the dynamics of their relationships and feelings between them. I do not have the slightest doubt that they both care about each other and it was easy for me to believe that they love each other.
I have not read the other books in this series, but they may be interesting. Although I think that Freddie and Bentley are probably the most interesting couple.
rufus2020's review
emotional
funny
relaxing
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
georgiewhoissarahdrew's review
3.0
I didn't not like this - and there were some very affecting scenes - but it felt a little artificial.
The plot, like most of the best romances, is very definitely subordinated to the characters, so the focus remains on a really very young heroine, Freddie, and her older (rather shop-worn) love, B...
The plot, like most of the best romances, is very definitely subordinated to the characters, so the focus remains on a really very young heroine, Freddie, and her older (rather shop-worn) love, B...
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