Elizabeth Awbrey

Not the kind of thing to read for escapism.

But this is a sweeping romance, the kind publishers don’t have the patience for (or maybe it’s readers?) anymore. There's almost too much of a story underneath. Yet there was time to build the foundation for an actual enemies-to lovers, but still very much reconciling two sides of the same war.

For some reason, Elizabeth Stuart is not released in e-book form. Still, if you can find this used for a reasonable price, I’d grab it. I love reading these to see how far we’ve come in romance and how different the modern sensibilities are reflected even 30 years ago, but also, they don’t make ‘em like this anymore. A slow build of trust, a sudden crack in it and back again. But lovely overall. Cruel, cruel hardships by both men and time.

3.5 / rounded up.

I would, however, skip the first 2 novels by Stuart.

tw/cw: lots of discussions of violence, torture, rape of a secondary character, wedding night is dubcon.… (meer)

An author can use extended pages count for character development and/or plot. In this case, I think it was all plot. And while the plot was crazy as a 31 year old book often is, it did work.

In fact, compared to the first attempt I made with this author, this felt more mature, relaxed, and better paced.

It was going so well until I wanted to quit.

I know the much maligned cure-by-sex thing bothers many, and honestly, me less so

But here it's atrocious enough that a solid 4* read fell to 3. Cause y-i-k-e-s.

Both characters were far more palatable than Reckless Angel, with a very tender hero.

Content warnings (cause don't buy this book if)
(view spoiler)
15 likes… (meer)