reading_historical_romance's reviews
433 reviews

This is one of the more unique fantasy novels I’ve read. It was a bit slow going at first, and I found myself waffling over whether or not to DNF at 50%. I’m still not sure whether I can say I truly enjoyed the book, or if I liked most of the characters, but I was definitely entertained and I felt like the last 50% of the book was better than the first. I would rate this a 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4 for creativity and the development of the main male character, the man who guards Death. There is no doubt that this debut novelist has a great imagination and the talent to build tension as she unspools a suspenseful mystery. I will be reading her next novel.

Hellevir was born with the supernatural ability to visit the edge of the afterlife: a space between living and the dimension where souls go to find their eternal rest. When Hellevir meets the sinister man in charge of this space, she learns that she can bargain to bring the dead back to life with pieces of herself, or for treasures that the gatekeeper asks her to find by solving riddles. When Hellevir agrees to the Queen’s plea to resurrect her assassinated granddaughter, Sullivain, she learns that the true threat to her peace and happiness is not the guardian of death, but a ruthless political game that threatens the lives of her family.

The best parts of this novel are Hellevir’s journeys to the afterlife and her interactions with the gatekeeper. And herein lies one of the biggest issues with the novel. Hellevir has off-the-charts chemistry with Death’s mysterious gatekeeper, but not the person who is supposed to be her love interest, Sullivain.

The narrative tells us that Hellevir and Sullivain have an inexorable pull toward one another, and implies that they cannot exist without the other after Sullivain’s resurrection. But as a reader, I didn’t feel any chemistry between them.

Sullivain is only ever a spoiled, petulant princess. While we’re told that Hellevir experiences Sullivain’s feelings of guilt over her political machinations, Sullivain is never likeable. Hellevir deserves someone who truly understands her, as well as the moral and ethical decisions she continually faces when it comes to her ability to choose life or death for other people.

I love Hellevir’s brother and his lover, who are fantastic characters, and have so much more chemistry than Hellevir and Sullivain have.

I am far more interested in the gatekeeper and about who or what he is, how he came to be, and what his motives are.

Above all, I think that readers will be surprised to find that this is not a light or fanciful read, and I would not even consider it to be a true romantasy, despite the title and cover art making it appear so. In fact, a major theme underpinning the novel is the dangers of organized religion becoming politically powerful. Hellevir is targeted for being unnatural and for threatening the eternal salvation of souls by the state endorsed religious order who is outraged to learn of her ability.

While there isn’t a new or profound message here, the author is clearly weighing in on the culture wars of the present day Western world. There is no pretense of subtlety that the author is calling out right wing extremism and the hypocrisy of its value systems, which will undoubtedly raise the eyebrows of some readers, and outrage about “wokeness” by others.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own. 

This debut novel leans more into the women’s fiction zone than your typical small town, second chance romance.  Thirty-year old Liz Lewis and her husband, Tobin Renner-Lewis, were very happily in love until the day of their actual wedding.  On the big day, family drama on both sides stole Liz’s joy and left a bitterness behind that has colored her relationship with Tobin ever since.  Liz finally makes the decision to move out to give herself the time and space to reevaluate her life and goals, which may or may not include Tobin.

I have decidedly mixed feelings about this one.  I adore Tobin.  He’s not perfect, but he’s so dang close to being a prince of dreams that none of his flaws mattered to me as a reader.  He is kind, loyal, dependable, earnest, gentle, and always puts his own wants last.  He adores Liz and everything that she is.  Tobin is so great, in fact, that I found myself frustrated if not mad at Liz a majority of the book.

Liz is on the spectrum, which provides context for some of her behaviors like social anxiety, professional skills, and awkward interpersonal relationships with friends and family.  Unfortunately, Liz as written on the page is also insecure, needy, and passive-aggressive.   I quickly lost patience with her and, even at the end of the book, had no understanding why Tobin loved her in the first place.  There is no explanation for Tobin’s devotion after she kept changing her mind about whether or not she wanted to try to make their marriage work, and manipulated his feelings over the course of the narrative.

This book is quite heavy in terms of Liz’s internal struggles to find her “true self” which she has always been uncomfortable acknowledging.  She is plagued with self-doubt as a result of her role in her family of origin and her neurodiversity.  But she is also incredibly melodramatic.  I had to keep reminding myself that she is supposed to be thirty, and not 13.

My takeaway from the story was that Liz desperately needs Tobin, and Tobin has only ever desperately wanted Liz.  He is concerned for her and is willing to sacrifice anything for her.  But they are never equals in their relationship.  She is always coming to him as a jar half empty needing his light and strength to fill her.  I wanted more for Tobin than to be a caretaker to someone who never gets elevated from being a fragile person who will continually struggle to determine what she wants.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel.  All opinions are my own.

I loved this book!  The banter and the slow burn worked so well together and made the HEA so truly sweet and satisfying.  I loved all of the characters, and that the Dowager Marchioness was scheming for her grandson’s happiness from the beginning.  I thought the friendship between Diana, Violet, and Emily was so fun and wonderful; just as much as I loved the dynamic between Jeremy, Penvale, and Audley.  I can’t wait to read the other books in this series.

I love reading new authors who reconfirm for me that the historical romance genre isn’t dead!

All’s Fair In Love and War is the delightful love story of an outspoken governess and a strait-laced naval captain stuck in a dead-end desk job in the Admiralty office.  All of Georgie’s training at Ms. Prentice’s School for Girls may be for naught if she can’t keep her frank opinions about children and teaching to herself in job interviews.  Harry might lose all hope for his dream promotion if he can’t find someone to discipline his nephew and nieces left temporarily under his care.  Neither can decide if the other will be their destiny or doom as they spend more and more time together playing at parenting.

The author makes great fun with classic tropes like governess/employer and forced proximity from meet-cute to HEA, with lighthearted banter, sexual tension, and emotional obstacles that aren’t too serious but serve up a satisfying conclusion for the star-crossed lovers.  I love the main characters, especially Harry, who is so tightly wound he can’t help but come undone when Georgie attempts to reign in the household havoc.  I love Norbert and Cuthbert and that they’re just as responsible for making love come to pass as Harry’s family and household staff.

This is a perfect beach read for the summer as it’s light and predictable in that comforting way that regular hist-rom readers look for.  It's also a great book for new readers to historical romance who are looking for something to satisfy that post-Bridgerton craving.  I look forward to reading more novels by this author.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel.  All opinions are my own.