juliereadsromance's reviews
517 reviews

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ by regular book standards 

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ by Kleypas standards

This book gets at one of my complaints about *some* Kleypas books. The emotional struggle of a character can turn on a dime. Like in this book, Keir (our MMC) pushes and pushes and pushes away our FMC. Until he doesn’t. And the change happens just a bit too fast.  

Obviously it’s an enjoyable read - it’s by Lisa Kleypas. But this just isn’t one of my favorite books of hers. 

(Also, for Gds sake, why must she always mention how poor Lord Westcliff is average height?! Cut the guy a break after so many years!)

Told with insight and tenderness, Putney pens a moving story of a lovable, yet deeply injured, rake whose struggles with alcohol addiction shape the development of his friendship and eventual romance with Lady Alys. 

A strapping, beautiful woman working in a male profession, Alys Weston is the steward of an estate that Reggie comes to inherit. Their friendship helps Reggie through his darkest moments of withdrawal and a mature love develops between them. With humor and kindness, he gives her the freedom to develop her confidence, something she sorely needed. 

This is a moving book that’s better than most. It’s special. I don’t think another romance novel could replicate the feeling of this book. The singular nature of Reggie and Lady Alys.l can’t be replicated. The Rake is memorable and unique and all lovers of historical romance should read it. 

(Would I have preferred if it were shorter? Sure. Could I have done without some of the secondary plots? Sure. Could the intimate scenes have been more detailed? Yes. 

But that doesn’t take away from this being a 5-star book worth of its status as a classic in the genre. )

This is a low angst, enjoyable, steamy Kleypas classic. While definitely not my favorite of the Wallflowers series, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think the kidnapping plot is bonkers but I think we all accept that plot point because the series is just so damn good. Westcliff is stiff but secretly a sensual beast who falls madly in love with this woman who drives him crazy. Lillian is entirely likable and funny- an American heiress with the best traits any New Yorker has to offer- candor, wit, and resourcefulness.

What the heck just happened? I simply cannot understand the aspect of mistaken identity that happens in this book. I won’t say more about that because it’s a spoiler. But there is just a part of this plot that does not make sense AT ALL. 

Otherwise, I dug a lot of aspects of the book. Love a grumpy, scarred war hero. But honestly, not a great book for me. I can see how other fan of Regency romance may like it, so still worth a try!

The second half of this story made the book. The first half is a low angst, cute “enemies to lovers”-ish story.  It felt cute but unmemorable to me. But, the depth and angst of this story live in the second half of the book. 

By the end, I really felt this story was fabulous, but again, it took me a bit to get there. It’s almost hard to give this book a single rating because I’d give the first half and second half different ratings. 

In any case, in the end, I found the main female character to be unique, clever, and charming. She wasn’t a replica of any other Regency heroine whom I’ve read. The author lays a number of bread crumbs leading to what I believe will be upcoming books in the series. 

I very much liked the book and was glued to the ending. 

Cute, low angst historical romance. I’m not a huge fan of novellas in general because they move so quickly that it is hard for there to be enough character development to make the happy ending believable. That being said, this is very cute and is definitely worth reading when you want to something light and quick.

Fabulous book. Review to come. 

Eloisa James doesnt let you down- here she writes another charming Regency era English romance.

Tori, our heroine, is overlooked and underestimated by much of the aristocracy because she cannot read or write. She seems to have dyslexia, though this was not yet described in 1800s England. She is instead assumed by many to be “addle brained”. 

The viscount is a grumpy, intelligent hunk. He’s closed off and snobbish at the start of the book, but he evolves as he falls more and more madly in love with this unconventional wife, who he wed in more or less obviously a marriage of convenience. 

This novel is driven by a nice balance of character and plot development. James’ steamy scenes are seggsy and on point, and the emotional evolution of the characters is equally well done.

I definitely recommend this book for any reader who likes historical aristocratic romance. And yes, fans of Bridgerton will like this one ;)

Have you noticed more and more romance novels including heroines who are recovering from trauma? 🤔 

The Au Pair Affair
by Tessa Bailey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4 out of 5 stars

Basically, hockey is a seggsier sport than golf, so I liked this book more than Tessa’s last book. 

This is a cinnamon roll single dad hockey player and a lovely female protagonist who is 10+ years his junior. She is his nanny and is charming and lovely and totally into him. BUT, she is recovering from some very traumatic events, which makes it hard for her to get close to this sexy hockey daddo. 

The book is low stakes in terms if action / plot. The book is almost entirely about the protagonist’s gradual recovery from trauma, and eventually her feeling safe enough to open her heart (and other body parts) to hot hockey daddy 🏒