This was a super unique and really well researched historical romance with a fun reverse Cinderella spin on it!
I have never read a historical romance with Jewish main characters before, and I think the author did a great job of giving the reader enough insight and history to how Jewish people lived and were treated in England at the time to help us understand the stakes of the characters.
I loved our hero and heroine, I thought they were really well fleshed out and unique. A fiery, determined heroine who hires the hero (a custodian) to dig up dirt on potential future husband’s so she always has something to hold over their heads if they decide to mess around with her father’s business she’s running. And the hero had a heart of gold and just the right amount of self-loathing.
The romance had great chemistry, the plot was unique, and the characters were solid.
The swoon in the romance was hit or miss at times, and I think the writing style was a bit overly descriptive for me.
But it was definitely fun, well thought out, and creative.
In classic Stacy Reid style, this is a very unique story, even with the similarities to Overboard.
Georgie is trying to raise her three sisters in their falling down manor after the death of her parents and also trying to get paid and live her dreams as a chef. She’s hired to cook on Lord Stannis’s ship, and after a heated look shared across the room, their chemistry leads the Earl to believe she is meant to join his party with multiple women that night.
A jealous mistress demands he fire Georgie when she sees how he looks at her, and therefore, Georgie must leave the ship with no pay. The Earl and his mistress argue, she pushes him overboard, he gets amnesia, and winds up in Georgie’s town where she quickly lays claim to him as her husband to preserve her reputation.
Bonkers. And also delightful.
By far the best part about the whole book was watching who the Earl became at Georgie’s home. The way he wanted to give her the entire world but felt restrained by his believed lack of finances was BEAUTIFUL. Watching this fancy Earl do hard manual labor and do it happily for his wife was enough to melt me.
Daniel was pretty unlikable in the beginning, a Rake in every sense of the word, and…it was pretty distasteful, but I was ready for the character development that could bring.
I think the main reason this is a 4 instead of a five is for how much of their relationship was based purely off their physical chemistry, and that final moment right before the end which had me doubting if Daniel had grown as a character at all.
This one definitely requires some suspension of disbelief but I was happy to do it as I find Stacy’s books to just be such a good time.
Not as good as the first in the series but a book I’d still recommend.I received an ARC for review
This was a perfect romance for me. I am a huge, HUGE, Sarah MacLean fan. In my eyes, every single one of her books is worth reading.
I love how REAL her stories feel, the tension, the wanting, the yearrrrnnniiiiing, is all drawn out just the perfect amount to get and keep you invested in this couple.
From the moment I first read Tommy and Imogen’s first on page scene, I have been waiting for this book, and it did not disappoint in any way!
Listen, if you are looking for a hero who only has eyes for the heroine, who adores and admires everything about her that she is slightly insecure about, who literally will break down a door, run in front of a carriage, AND carry her from a burning building all while feeling like she deserves better than him, Tommy is your man.
He worships Imogen, and she so clearly takes every moment to build him up, praise him when she knows he needs it, and best of all, never doubts his most ardent feelings for her.
The background plot was very well done as well, but if I’m being serious, I was so invested in Tommy and Imogen’s romance that it could have been a mystery looking for a missing piece of cake and I wouldn’t have minded a bit.
But in all seriousness, the background plot was exceptionally well done, and I’m always a huge fan of how Sarah incorporates modern world issues into her historicals. She has something to say, and I’m here for it.
Without a doubt, one of the BEST romances published in 2023. Absolutely perfect.
6/5 stars! This was absolute and utter perfection. Merritt and Keir have a soul mate level epic romance. The way Keir loved Merritt was honestly one of the most beautiful portrayals of romance I have ever read about. This book transported me back into the Ravenel world and it felt like coming home to old friends.
But seriously…the way Keir adored, cherished, and worshipped Merritt was unforgettable. I want to read it all over again to experience it one more time!
This book also speaks to that understated quality Kleypas has of showing such strong female characters who are not in your face, obvious bluestocking agenda. She writes these heroines who are both soft and strong and perfect companions for the men in their lives.
Seeing so many beloved members of the Wallflower and Ravenel series, the families and friendships, was also so wonderful.
I loved every single page. This is a masterwork of historical romance.
Five star review! Publication date August 24, 2021
Bite size review: Clever, sizzling, achingly romantic perfection. FINALLY Caleb and Sesily’s story. A slow burning, tightly woven plot culminating in a powerful and epic HEA. I loved it. Full review below!
Lady Sesily Talbot is used to living a life of scandal and honestly embraces the attention it gives her. She is a woman embracing her appeal in an era that tells her not to. Caleb Calhoun, an American who has pined for her for years, sees her sneaking into a dark garden with a strange man one night and follows her, finding out what appeared to be a midnight tryst was anything but.
Worried about what Sesily has gotten herself into and coaxed by her sister and his friend, the Duchess of Haven, Caleb behind following Sesily to keep her safe and hopefully out of trouble. But Sesily is not the only one keeping secrets, and the attraction and pull they have felt and fought for each other for two long years can only be denied for so long.
This book was another impressive work by MacLean, it is full of all of the things we love about her work. Strong heroines with autonomy and agency, a fiercely loyal girl gang, a world set in a time we’ve never experienced but that feels so vivid and real to us, and of course heroes who are out of their minds in love with the heroine.
This book had a bit of a slow start for me, which makes sense considering it is the start of a new series and Sarah is really laying the groundwork for an intricate plot for future books. But the pay off for that slow build was incredible and one of the most satisfying reading experiences I’ve had in a long time.
The heat between Caleb and Sesily was so palpable it felt like my eReader might start on fire. And the bedroom scenes were absolutely sizzling. But what I loved the very most was how satisfying that ending was, how every bit of groundwork and plot threads paid off and how I was left thinking, WOW, now this is how you do modern historical romance.
There was also great banter, some laugh out loud humor, MANY Easter Eggs of past characters MacLeaniverse fans will enjoy, and ultimately a hero to applaud and add to my list of best book boyfriends.
I loved this book and can’t wait for the next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon books for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Crystal's Bookish Life 