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megatza's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
An achingly romantic Beauty and the Beast retelling.
Julia's parents are always "sickly* (to be fair if you were bled as frequently as them, you probably would be too). She's been a few seasons on the marriage mart, and she thinks it's because she's not desirable despite a very sizable dowry. But the moment Jasper Blount meets her, she's all he wants, even when her father turns him away. Jasper has a nasty reputation as a war veteran with three bastards. And worst, he lives far away and would keep Julia from being able to comfort and care for her parents. She marries him anyway - at death's door from a double bleeding at her mother's behest - and they abscond to the moors to his crumbling estate.
True to its BATB roots, this is for the book lovers. Like all of Mimi Matthews's books, it's closed door, but so romantic you don't need more than passionate kisses.
Julia's parents are always "sickly* (to be fair if you were bled as frequently as them, you probably would be too). She's been a few seasons on the marriage mart, and she thinks it's because she's not desirable despite a very sizable dowry. But the moment Jasper Blount meets her, she's all he wants, even when her father turns him away. Jasper has a nasty reputation as a war veteran with three bastards. And worst, he lives far away and would keep Julia from being able to comfort and care for her parents. She marries him anyway - at death's door from a double bleeding at her mother's behest - and they abscond to the moors to his crumbling estate.
True to its BATB roots, this is for the book lovers. Like all of Mimi Matthews's books, it's closed door, but so romantic you don't need more than passionate kisses.
michmonette's review against another edition
4.0
This was niiice!! I guessed some of the twists at the end
llamallamacallurmama's review against another edition
3.75
**Most of my reviews contain detailed Content Notes (including CW/TW) sections, which may include spoilers and general tags. I have tried to mark them appropriately, but please use caution.**
3.75/5
Audio (Ell Potter and Sebastain Brown)
* Summary: Marriage of convenience between an heiress isolated and oppressed by her controlling parents and a scarred, notorious veteran with secrets (and a few kids).
* Stats: HR-Victorian, M/F, closed door, part of a series but stands alone.
* Notes: This was the first Mimi Matthews where I felt like the third act actually held up for me. I enjoyed the story and the recording (though there is one FMC POV section incorrectly read by the male narrator). There’s some obvious references to fairytales and other books that the author describes in her author’s note which were interesting and the whole thing was detailed and entertaining. I was a little frustrated with how the ending turned out with the FMC’s parents, but also felt like it was a reasonable and realistic conclusion to the story. The pacing did feel a little slow and occasionally repetitive - but I’d also guessed the “twist” very early, so maybe it just wasn’t stringing me along so well.
OTT and Spoilery Content Notes:
Veteran mmc, scarred mmc, shy FMC/FMC with social anxiety, ill parents, money problems, 32M/22F, death of previous partner mentioned, children, single parent MC, family abuse (of FMC, by parents, isolation/medical), mentions of war, mutilations, executions, and flogging, arranged unwanted marriage (attempted), mention of death in childbirth (random person), attempted SA of FMC (unwanted kiss), blood, medical care (without consent, bleeding), religion (mentions), child abuse (physical - punching- of an infant, in the past, mentioned), FMC invades MMC’s privacy knowingly, family problems, legal problems
3.75/5
Audio (Ell Potter and Sebastain Brown)
* Summary: Marriage of convenience between an heiress isolated and oppressed by her controlling parents and a scarred, notorious veteran with secrets (and a few kids).
* Stats: HR-Victorian, M/F, closed door, part of a series but stands alone.
* Notes: This was the first Mimi Matthews where I felt like the third act actually held up for me. I enjoyed the story and the recording (though there is one FMC POV section incorrectly read by the male narrator). There’s some obvious references to fairytales and other books that the author describes in her author’s note which were interesting and the whole thing was detailed and entertaining. I was a little frustrated with how the ending turned out with the FMC’s parents, but also felt like it was a reasonable and realistic conclusion to the story. The pacing did feel a little slow and occasionally repetitive - but I’d also guessed the “twist” very early, so maybe it just wasn’t stringing me along so well.
OTT and Spoilery Content Notes:
rosemaryandrue's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Socially anxious Julia is eager to escape from her constricted life in London, and marriage to the scarred Major Blunt seems like the perfect route to freedom. But when Blunt's secrets start coming out, she wonders if she's got more than she bargained for.
This was a really fun read, with a cute leading couple and more than a tinge of the Gothic about it. What makes it more fun is how the author weaves in Victorian literary tropes, both engaging with and deconstructing them in the context of the contemporary Regency romance. As someone who's read plenty of both genres, I found myself thoroughly entertained . That I guess Blunt's secret almost off the bat didn't do much to damper my enjoyment either.
This was a really fun read, with a cute leading couple and more than a tinge of the Gothic about it. What makes it more fun is how the author weaves in Victorian literary tropes, both engaging with and deconstructing them in the context of the contemporary Regency romance. As someone who's read plenty of both genres, I found myself thoroughly entertained . That I guess Blunt's secret almost off the bat didn't do much to damper my enjoyment either.
themadmadmadeline's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
4.25
I loved this one - originally I thought I might rate it lower than the first (which scratched all my brain itches) because this was slightly more formulaic and maybe a less interesting plot but I could relate to the anxieties of Julia and felt like she was more believable in some ways than Evie.
I saw the first “big twist” but the subsequent ones I didn’t see coming which was delightful.
Overall I love this series and I can’t wait to read the second two. I hope horses become more prominently featured in the next two novels.
I saw the first “big twist” but the subsequent ones I didn’t see coming which was delightful.
Overall I love this series and I can’t wait to read the second two. I hope horses become more prominently featured in the next two novels.
camilla_13's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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
4.0
laurenkraigco's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.75
jnalmon's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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
5.0
I loved this book - I had fun trying to figure out the "secrets", and enjoying the building of Julia and Jasper's relationship. His rescue of her was impeccable and swoony, and her growth into her own person was fun to watch, I was cheering for them the whole way through.
madibellewest's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
5.0
pipa_reads's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.5