Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.The last Psyche & Eros retelling I read was Katee Robert’s. This version, written by Luna McNamara, is quite different in execution. While there is a romance, for me the most successful part of this story is just in the retelling itself, with the romance present but subsumed to the arc of the myth. There is little emotional intimacy, for example. But there is an intriguing tale of a fated warrior legend—Psyche—a ticked off goddess, Aphrodite, & a god who curses himself with love & who has a lot to learn about the subject of his spell. The plot moves along from one moment of tension to another, as Psyche & Eros both journey to great lengths to save each other. For me, the best part of the story is in Psyche’s realization about heroism & what actions the stories of heroes are based on. In the end, Psyche & Eros is a quietly affecting retelling of the myth, great for people who want a story of growth & devotion, with a happy ending for the pair. 4⭐️. Out now!CWs: death, imprisonment, violence. Reference to slaves, to rape, & suicide.
0 Comments
Thanks to the author for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own. Recently I was bookstagram influenced to try Tracy Sumner’s historical romances. If you’re a Kerrigan Byrne fan, if you like oomph & drama & intensity & steam, you might want to check out The Wicked Wallflower. Lady Philippa Darlington is a woman with a plan & when that plan doesn’t work, she’s a woman with a backup plan. She is sneaky & brave & refuses to be cowed. She also has pants feelings for her brother’s close friend & business partner & altogether unsuitable hottie Xander Macauley. Xander basically tries hard to resist. & then when he gives in—finally—they nearly sex themselves into beautiful oblivion. The Wicked Wallflower isn’t about subtlety IMO. As an example, characters (even secondary) are often described as beasts or brutes etc. Sometimes—like in those cases—it feels excessive to me. But I also appreciate it when it comes to aspects of the leads’ dance together—the descriptions of the temptation & passion & the lovely bewildering majesty of falling in love & being in love. 4⭐️. Out now!CWs: reference to child abuse; violence. Also the book makes note of certain items the hero imports from the American colonies—“He imported the very best from the Carolinas.” This gave me a squeamish feeling given America’s history of slavery.
Hi and welcome to my blog stop for Harper St. George's The Duchess Takes a Husband! A big thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.Summary.A scandalous arrangement between a London rogue and an American duchess leads to lavish stakes—perfect for fans of Bridgerton! Despite her illustrious title, Camille, Duchess of Hereford, remains what she has always been—a pariah. Though her title means she’s technically accepted by London Society, the rebellious widow with her burgeoning interest in the suffrage movement and her American ways isn’t exactly high on every hostess’s guest list. But Camille starts to wonder if being an outcast is not without its perks when the tantalizing answer to her secret fear appears in the shape of Jacob Thorne, the illegitimate son of an earl and co-owner of London’s infamous Montague Club. Jacob is used to making deals with his club members—he’s just not accustomed to them being beautiful women. Nor have the terms ever been so sweetly seductive as Camille’s shocking proposition. To finally buy his own club and gain the crucial backing of investors, Camille offers Jacob the respectability of a fake engagement with a duchess. In return, the tempting widow has one condition: she wants Jacob to show her if it’s possible for her to experience pleasure in bed. The lure of such a bargain proves too delicious to resist, drawing the enterprising rogue and the wallflower duchess into a scandalous game and an even more dangerous gamble of the heart. My review.The Duchess Takes a Husband was one of those pleasant reading surprises for me. In the interest of total transparency, the hero of book 1 in the series made me mad (and that's obviously something I have a hard time getting past ;)) , I didn’t read book 2, & I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one. But the vibes here are so good: the fake engagement, the hero’s desire to protect the heroine, the first crackling sex scene—which is written in a way that had me captivated & more than a little heated. At the beginning of the book widow and dowager duchess Camille has decided to approach Jacob Thorne, a friend of a friend, & ask him to show her sexual pleasure. She’s never known it before & wonders if this is even something she’s able to experience. Eventually they work out an arrangement that leads to some very real kissing, although neither of them will catch feelings no they won’t. This is a great historical with a heroine who risks embarrassment to pursue her own desire & the chemistry between Camille & Jacob is really something to experience. The inclusion of Camille’s burgeoning interest in the suffrage movement is also something to cheer—hurrah for brave women. I took a leap with this one & I’m really glad I did. 4⭐️. Out today!CWs: Camille was abused in previous marriage. Camille is scared of sex. Suffrage protest infiltrated; she was almost struck with a baton. |
About me.Give me that HEA, please.
Join my mailing list.Want to receive a weekly email with links to my latest blog posts? Sign up below!
Archives
April 2023
Categories
All
|