A very good instalment in the series. Again, a delicious mystery entwined with historical facts (though the real motive of **spoiler alert** 4.2 stars
A very good instalment in the series. Again, a delicious mystery entwined with historical facts (though the real motive of the murders ended being very plebeian) along with more deepening of the personal story of the St. Cyrs. I was very pleasantly surprised to have Miss Jane Austen incorporated as a character.
I liked this one better than Why Kings Confess because although Sebastian still had to conduct multiple rounds of the suspects, somehow the more sedate pacing of the investigation helped in making the development of these enquiries seem logical and organic. It looks like the next book will bear a marked personal angle, which of course I am impatient to get to....more
**spoiler alert** Sep 2024 note: And the GR bot strikes again! As someone commented, the bot is currently on rampage (definitely, there is no more apt**spoiler alert** Sep 2024 note: And the GR bot strikes again! As someone commented, the bot is currently on rampage (definitely, there is no more apt word for it!): deleting/merging ebook editions without warning, leaving behind a trail of errors like deleted book covers (this is why you will see so many 'broken' images), brutally remove book and re-adding it to shelves with a new date, eviscerating likes and comments to old reviews, misclassifying kindle editions as ebook etc. GR has known about it for months apparently, but nothing concrete has been done to stop this bloody bot. It is maddening how it is purely and simply throwing chaos on a daily basis to the shelves in total impunity....more
I came to this book because of the frequent recs from FB groups touting the angst/hurt and grovel.
There was indeed angst a**spoiler alert** 2.5 stars
I came to this book because of the frequent recs from FB groups touting the angst/hurt and grovel.
There was indeed angst and grovel, that hit emotionally, but overall, I did not connect with the story. The main reason being that until the big angst scene hit (around the 66% mark), I was actively dissing both leads. They came across to me as antipathetic, with their haughty and intense navel gazing attitudes. I get they had hard traumas, but for me, the writing failed to bring me in their corners. Also, the pace of the story was too slow and heavy in these first 66% and some of the transitions and conversations lacked finesse.
When the drama hit, I have to admit it was quite well done. This is really the one shining moment of the plot. The grovel was okay-ish, but again written in a smothering pathos manner. There was a grovel on the knees scene, but one again (why!?!? ...more
Reading the blurb I thought it was an interesting potential read given the boss-secretary-unrequited trope, but I did not s**spoiler alert** 3.7 stars
Reading the blurb I thought it was an interesting potential read given the boss-secretary-unrequited trope, but I did not schedule it for immediate reading until my friend Nikki recommended it to me. I am glad she did (thank you!) because this book was so much more than I thought.
I was tantalised when I realised that this book hid a trope that I absolutely love: when the H callously sets the h aside because she is not marriage material for him! I was conditioned for it by so many HPs that milked this trope for optimal tear jerking (memorably, The Billionaire's Pregnant Mistress, Forbidden or For Bedding?, Greek Tycoon, Inexperienced Mistress) but I always found the grovel part to the excellent angst so direly poor.
In this perspective, how did 'The Bonus' perform? First, I loved that TLS decided to tackle this trope. It is so rare for me to find it out of HP-landia, and so having a contemporary author with a very good writing style write it up was appreciable. Hats off TLS for this, because this trope deserves more limelight in non-HP books. Storywise, it gets a bit more complicated. The angst was there, heartbreaking but by the nature of this story it did not hit deep and hard for me and Gabriel's redemption, while cute and fine, lacked some meaningful depth. I am greedy because I wanted over the top drama, heart wrenching ugly tearing up and emotional confessions. The bases were there in the story, but the story tone was not geared towards what I wished for.
Instead, the chosen nature/ tone of the story was towards rom-com. Which of course does not lend itself to much real emotional depth. I understand fully that the genre is not conducive to it. But still, I feel that TLS should have at least included a strong 'bad blood letting' convo between Gracie and Gabriel (to have closure on why she never let him know her secret, and why he was so focused on having an Italian family) before they reconciled. Also, while the worldbuilding was very well done as a rom-com, the characterisation lacked depth in a way that felt like plot holes or shoddy editing (e.g. the interactions with the kids, Gabriel's dynamics with his mother and siblings etc).
Now, why the high rating then? Because it was a very good rom-com. I am not by essence a rom-com girl but TLS made me laugh out loud at various points of the plot. Which in itself is kind of a miracle ...more
There were so many things to love in this book, but also some maddening elements.
I loved the artful intermingling of ficti**spoiler alert** 4.1 stars
There were so many things to love in this book, but also some maddening elements.
I loved the artful intermingling of fiction and historical facts. It made for a fascinating and alluring read. As an amateur history enthusiast, I was richly served, including on the political ambience of the opposing camps of the period. I caught early on the inference about who was (potentially) Damion Pelletan and I even liked how the resolution came down to whether the truth mattered in the end. I of course devoured the personal developments in Sebastian and Hero's lives, as well as those of their close friends. I liked how the plot was tight with so many parallels and levels concerning family descendancy and inheritance, heredity, wars and their victims, PTSD, social classes and veneer, marital status and woes, and the notion of what constitutes mental instability.
What bothered me was Sebastian's poor sleuth skills. As an action man in a thriller story he was on top, but as a detective, he was below middling. Jumping from suspect to suspect in endless circles without a clear perspective on where he aims to head to was kind of tiring in the end. And some plot-contrived, out of the blue questioning irritated me (e.g. questioning his aunt on Giselle, Hero meeting LaChapelle and then the latter seeking Sebastian).
I am still enjoying greatly this series, and will certainly continue with the next books, but I am fervently wishing upon a star for Sebastian to please act a little bit more smarter and a little bit less aimlessly in his future adventures.
P.S. It was never explained Why Kings Confess. We were told how they believed they were above the mass and God anointed, and hence, would have no need to confess their sins in theory, but never offered an explanation about why they go through confession in practice....more
**spoiler alert** Sep 2024 note: Yet another instance where GR bot deletes/merges editions without warning and this book gets brutally removed from my**spoiler alert** Sep 2024 note: Yet another instance where GR bot deletes/merges editions without warning and this book gets brutally removed from my shelves so that it now appears as if I just added it. *In fine*, I know it doesn't matter, but I still hate it...more
A cute-ish, fun, quick read. My first WG ever, and I liked it. The plot was a bit uneven at times, but the characters were sy**spoiler alert** 4 stars
A cute-ish, fun, quick read. My first WG ever, and I liked it. The plot was a bit uneven at times, but the characters were sympathetic and the writing was very decent for a novella....more
A very nice and lovely surprise of a read. This is what Romeo and Juliet should have done for a bloodless HEA! Bravo MB!
Reg**spoiler alert** 4.2 stars
A very nice and lovely surprise of a read. This is what Romeo and Juliet should have done for a bloodless HEA! Bravo MB!
Reggie and Anna were so sweet and cute together. Reading the first chapter and then looking at the chapter list, I guessed where the plot was heading and that made me so giddy while going through the story. For once, the time jumps in the past did not bother me - I was asking for more! Thank you MB!
This is my second fully read EJ book after Not That Duke, and I now have reconfirmation that I do not care much for the wri**spoiler alert** 3.8 stars
This is my second fully read EJ book after Not That Duke, and I now have reconfirmation that I do not care much for the writing style (good, but weird to read for me, with at times puzzling conversations happening - it gets better in the second half), but there is an enticing essence to the plot that I enjoyed.
The story started as a retelling of Cinderella, but EJ adroitly gave it a life of its own. It was meant to be a rom-com of sorts, and I was amused many times. The evil uncle was totally unpalatable and cartoonish (on purpose). The karma that hit him was funny but after all the abuse and outrage he caused, I still wanted more pain and blood from him.
Unfortunately, the added levity also meant less 'deeper emotionality' to Ella and Fiennes' romance. They still made for a cute pairing with believable chemistry (in the light fairytale style). I positively adored their pets and I loved the ending with baby Lottie and the epistolary chapter.
P.S. I still don't get the book title. The two vows would be Fiennes' dilemma between two betrothed? And the viscount is the evil uncle? Why include him in the title then?? ...more
I have been holding back for so long to continue with this beloved series simply because I hate to have to wait for the next **spoiler alert** 4 stars
I have been holding back for so long to continue with this beloved series simply because I hate to have to wait for the next one to be published. As it is, I have still one left, so I am quite proud of the heroic patience I am exercising ...more
**spoiler alert** Sep 2024 note: GR kills me when its bot deletes/merges editions without warning meaning a past read like this book gets brutally rem**spoiler alert** Sep 2024 note: GR kills me when its bot deletes/merges editions without warning meaning a past read like this book gets brutally removed from my shelves so that the book now appears as if I added it in 2024. It works my inner OCD bad ...more
This is my second VL's book, and I find her writing superb, with well rounded characters and a certain wicked wittiness. Th**spoiler alert** 3.6 stars
This is my second VL's book, and I find her writing superb, with well rounded characters and a certain wicked wittiness. The two leads were not that easy to love, but by the end, I was rooting for them. Their romance was very sweet and tender. I esp. liked Asher and how he was a gentleman despite all the odds stacked against him.
My biggest issue with the book is that I didn't really like the premise of the plot, or at least the first 70% where Winn and Asher had their road trip adventure. It's definitely a me thing because the romcom vibe, though well done, is not my cup of tea. I enjoyed the drama between them in the last part much better. And I did enjoy a lot the side plot of Winn's parents rekindling romance - very nice vibes there (in the same style, the bits and pieces of Aunt Lolly's romance with her pirate were also delicious)!
On the trivial side, I felt cheated that we were not given details on Asher's financial status in the epilogue (and what protection he has in place against his father's schemes) and that his father had not yet faced his karma. I know the main focus was the romance, but I would have liked to see a little justice in action for poor Asher!
All in all, even if I did not connect fully with that particular plot, I look forward to read more from VL....more
So I DNF'd two other books before starting this one. Verdict? It was a decently written romance. The leads were sympathetic**spoiler alert** 3.5 stars
So I DNF'd two other books before starting this one. Verdict? It was a decently written romance. The leads were sympathetic, with some character developments. Their push and pull had some fine times (with some witty lines!) (and I am greedy, more brutal asshole moves would have been even more delicious!), and the last drama/ betrayal packed a good enough punch. His grovel was kind of passive-aggressive but I guess it was okay for this story and how Callie was depicted as being.
What chagrined me a bit was the plot holes on the world building. I get that this is fiction, and I am required to suspend disbelief. But I need some kind of basic logic to the plot, esp. when these plot points are the ones that drove the character together. To name a few:
It took me a long, long time to get round to reading my first Judith McNaught, but I finally did it! I can now understand w**spoiler alert** 4.4 stars
It took me a long, long time to get round to reading my first Judith McNaught, but I finally did it! I can now understand why she has legions of fans. This book was first published in 1987, and just from that I am impressed with JMN for having written such an elaborate, rich book then.
Personally, I found the plot a bit imperfect at the edges (namely (view spoiler)[the lack of resolution concerning the OW/ OM, the too quick ending with no proper epilogue, and Jason not apologising verbally and profusely for all the miseries he put her through (hide spoiler)]) but I have to admit that JMN's pen is phenomenal at storytelling and a master at using the 3rd person narrative to develop the worldbuilding. The characters had so many vivid layers, the humour was witty and the drama between Victoria and Jason was intense. Jason, understandably, had huge chips on his shoulders. I felt deeply for him for all the pain he endured in his life, but at the same time, it was discouraging that poor Victoria had to do all the work to break through his tough armour. His asshole-ness in the last part reached epic heights, and he was very lucky that Victoria had the will of a saint and the temper of a storm to toe up to him.
I would not say that I am completely satisfied with the story, but I still have to acknowledge and salute the talent of JMN and therefore, I am rounding this up....more
A very sleekly done Contemporary Romance, with good writing style, swift and dynamic pacing and charming characters. Not re**spoiler alert** 3.7 stars
A very sleekly done Contemporary Romance, with good writing style, swift and dynamic pacing and charming characters. Not really my style of romance, but I have to recognise when it is well done.
My main issue was with the H, Gavin. I believed in his come-to-Jesus moment and his love for Miranda but his bulldozing wooing did not sit that well with me. I get that it is in his personality to push for things he wants but it still grated me. To be honest, bulldozer Alphas in Contemporary Romance (obviously I am not talking about Fantasy Romance, Mafia, MC or even Smut books, lol ...more
This one was a recommendation oft made on FB groups. For an MC romance, it was not too shabby. There was high drama, unrequ**spoiler alert** 3.6 stars
This one was a recommendation oft made on FB groups. For an MC romance, it was not too shabby. There was high drama, unrequited feelings, ugly words, assholish behaviours (inc. revenge sex - but not cheating), loads of push-pull, some OW drama, club business (though thankfully no club bunnies trope) - overall, all decently handled by the author.
The big time angst was there but personally, I believe it could have packed a bigger punch if the writing had had that agonising visceral quality to it. However, I appreciated that the actions and behaviours of the main couple, though highly dramatic in nature, actually made sense for their age (they are both 17 in the first part of the story, and later 19-20 in the second part).
The book was a little too long imho, what with the addition of all sorts of sub-plots linked presumably to other books of the series. For certain events directly linked to the main couple in this book, it unnerved me that the details apparently happened in other books in the series and we only got the super glossed version here. Not cool, and it lent a certain woodeness to the story's pacing and transitions. Also, it bothered me that it took a very long time for the plot to clarify the ages of the leads in the two time periods of the story.
I am not sure I will check out the whole series (because it appears to be a big series with lots of criss-crossing plots) but it was a decent MC book that held my attention....more
Such a sweet, charming novella! I am impressed. Smooth writing and storytelling, nice plot with some tingling angst, sympathe**spoiler alert** 4 stars
Such a sweet, charming novella! I am impressed. Smooth writing and storytelling, nice plot with some tingling angst, sympathetic characters and a beautiful cover to boot. A clean romance (and a tiny bit Christian at the edges). Overall, a good book. An author to follow!...more
This is my second Tessa Dare, and I can say I really like her writing style. Her pen is very sleek and well worded, and her**spoiler alert** 3.8 stars
This is my second Tessa Dare, and I can say I really like her writing style. Her pen is very sleek and well worded, and her storytelling so captivating. And what a funny bone she has! There were loads of moments in the books where I was rotflol (memorably: the M-U-R-D-E-R scenes, the ...more
The list of books I have read in 2022-2024 makes it no secret that I have forayed a lot into Regency/ Victorian sleuth seri**spoiler alert** 2.6 stars
The list of books I have read in 2022-2024 makes it no secret that I have forayed a lot into Regency/ Victorian sleuth series and I have loved so many of them. So, with this book being Book 1 of a new series in that genre, it unfortunately suffers from the comparison to some of these other series. The book and its universe had many issues. But also some fine contours that might possibly make for better books as the learning curve gets less steeper? I have hope on this.
Loading...
