Series: What Happens in the Ballroom, #2
Traits & Tropes: scarred hero; virgin hero
Publication Date: 01.27.20
Genre/Setting: Historical; Regency; London, England
Rating: 3 stars
Boston native Julianna Latham is out of place and clearly an unwanted guest in her aunt and uncle's London home. She knows her family is up to no good and sets out to prevent Oliver Chalford, the Earl of Winchcombe from being trapped into marriage by her scheming cousin. But when Jewel is caught in a compromising position with the earl herself, her uncle takes the opportunity to banish her to his far flung Scottish estate.
Ridiculed and feared because of the scar that bisects his face, Oliver has lived a reclusive life away from society. Now that his wastrel father is gone, Oliver must brave London to claim his seat in the House of Lords. He never expects to find a lady who doesn't shy away from his scar. When Oliver learns that Jewel has been sent away, he pursues her. A fake engagement between them soon becomes very real as they realize their fates are both entwined in her uncle's scheming and they fight to release her inheritance from her uncle's clutches and save Oliver and his reputation from accusations of insanity.
I really enjoyed this book up until about the halfway point when things went from delightful intrigue to a little too far-fetched. You risk spoilers ahead as I get my thoughts out. I enjoyed the intrigue and mystery aspects but when the steam was lost around halfway, the story just sort of gadded about and lost sensibility in some areas and it never really recovered. There were so many childish misunderstandings between Oliver and Jewel before they were honest about their feelings that the plot device got a bit overused. The whole idea of a peer being at risk of being sent to Bedlam is also too far-fetched, I think, just because no one would've had this kind of power over a peer. Oliver was very sweet and I think he fell for Jewel rather quickly just because she was the first woman to not be frightened away by his scar and I would've liked to see more real conversation between them. Jewel's constant insistence on returning to Boston, in the midst of war, to protect her father (somehow), with whom she admittedly wasn't close, just didn't make sense to me and came off as annoying naivete. I feel like Oliver especially deserved more from Jewel and I wanted to see more tangible good happen for him, although I'm glad he finally had someone choose him.
Inaccuracies and critiques aside, this book was well-written and I really thought we were headed for five stars until that halfway point breakdown. I'll still check out more works from this new-to-me author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ridiculed and feared because of the scar that bisects his face, Oliver has lived a reclusive life away from society. Now that his wastrel father is gone, Oliver must brave London to claim his seat in the House of Lords. He never expects to find a lady who doesn't shy away from his scar. When Oliver learns that Jewel has been sent away, he pursues her. A fake engagement between them soon becomes very real as they realize their fates are both entwined in her uncle's scheming and they fight to release her inheritance from her uncle's clutches and save Oliver and his reputation from accusations of insanity.
I really enjoyed this book up until about the halfway point when things went from delightful intrigue to a little too far-fetched. You risk spoilers ahead as I get my thoughts out. I enjoyed the intrigue and mystery aspects but when the steam was lost around halfway, the story just sort of gadded about and lost sensibility in some areas and it never really recovered. There were so many childish misunderstandings between Oliver and Jewel before they were honest about their feelings that the plot device got a bit overused. The whole idea of a peer being at risk of being sent to Bedlam is also too far-fetched, I think, just because no one would've had this kind of power over a peer. Oliver was very sweet and I think he fell for Jewel rather quickly just because she was the first woman to not be frightened away by his scar and I would've liked to see more real conversation between them. Jewel's constant insistence on returning to Boston, in the midst of war, to protect her father (somehow), with whom she admittedly wasn't close, just didn't make sense to me and came off as annoying naivete. I feel like Oliver especially deserved more from Jewel and I wanted to see more tangible good happen for him, although I'm glad he finally had someone choose him.
Inaccuracies and critiques aside, this book was well-written and I really thought we were headed for five stars until that halfway point breakdown. I'll still check out more works from this new-to-me author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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