| Title | : | Modern English |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1612942148 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781612942148 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 286 |
| Publication | : | First published February 16, 2021 |
Lady Victoria Penchant has had enough scandal for one lifetime, and she’s sworn off drama for good. But when she makes an unexpected return to her family’s castle during high tourist season, drama is exactly what she finds—in the form of a Hollywood film crew and their sharp-tongued, stunning star, Sophia LeBlanc. Sparks of every kind fly from their first encounter, and the drama doubles as Vic’s every decision draws her closer to Sophia and further from the expectations of the prestigious position she has been raised to protect.
Sophia has worked and scraped and fought her way up from nothing to the brink of stardom. She’s spent her career taking direction from rich, pretty, privileged men, and she has no intention of letting some rich, pretty, privileged aristocrat stand in the way now that her wildest dreams are within reach. She vows to stay in control of every situation during filming, but the Lady of the Manor proves to be an unexpectedly stubborn and alluring challenge to the goals she’s fought so hard to achieve.
As the summer heats up, Vic and Sophia learn they have far more in common than their intense sexual attraction, but will that be enough to overcome the pressures of proud histories and find their way toward a new vision of forever?
Modern English Reviews
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When I read
Full English a couple of years ago, I
wrote that it may be my new favourite book by Rachel Spangler. I’m a sucker for romance novels in which one of the MCs falls in love not only with the other MC but also with where they live. Beautiful scenery and scones, I mean, who could resist? I think, however, that Full English just lost its place to its sequel.
Lady Victoria is the daughter of the duke of Northland, whose castle is being used as the set for the movie adaptation of Emma Volant’s book (we met Emma in Full English). Sophia LeBlanc is the star of the film, who would much rather be directing it instead of having to endure the unimaginative shots from the official director, whose only talent is in the power of his name (or, rather, his father’s). Vic and Sophia’s first meeting starts off quite literally as a duel, a duel of wills that goes on and on as they get to know each other.
On Vic’s side, it’s a classic case of instalust but beyond Sophia’s perfect body, what makes Vic crave her is her fire, her passion, her drive. What first begins as a game for Sophia soon becomes genuine when she realises how disarming Vic is. She’s not only sexy, she’s adorable. Together they’re like fire and ice but neither is only fire or only ice. Together they’re like an explosion of senses and feelings.
I know I’ve said it before but I’m very character-driven. If I don’t fall in love with the characters, or at least get a crush on one of them, I won’t enjoy the story as much. No worries here, I loved both, for so many reasons and in so many ways. I’m actually impressed by how layered Spangler managed to make them when they seem to be so straightforward, so standard at first glance. The daughter of an English duke and an American actress who grew up poor in Louisiana, how many romance novels following this formula or a similar one have we read in recent years? And yet, Spangler writes a wholly fresh story, with characters I don’t feel I’ve already read about dozens of times.
What each first sees and thinks of the other is wrong despite making sense. I, as a reader, kept being surprised by what I learnt about both of them. Neither is as easy to read as they seem. This could also partly be because neither is exactly who she thinks she is either. They – and Sophia in particular – think they’re very different, but they actually aren’t. The word that keeps coming to mind for each is “strong”, as in strong-willed and headstrong.
Where they really differ is in how they got to be who they are. Their journeys so far are complete opposites: Sophia had to fight – choose between demons, as she puts it, often reminding everyone how dark her soul is – all the way to where she is and keeps fighting to move forward to where she wants to be. On the surface, Victoria seems to have had everything handed to her as a birthright but with a sense of duty and responsibility which has, so far, stopped her from living her own life. Both situations come with their own set of problems, so widely contrasting that comparisons mean nothing.
It shows in their demeanor: Victoria is very polite and deferential whereas Sophia is – whenever she can get away with it – very in-your-face. One of the first things we find out about her is that she never apologises. The first time she said it, I felt sorry for her. There’s a lot of power in knowing when you’re wrong and taking responsibility. And yet she has a point: women apologise way too much and, more often than not, for all the wrong reasons. That’s one of the lessons Vic will learn with her.
Rachel Spangler does a wonderful job of describing the weight of responsibility Victoria lives with, Sophia’s bitterness at having had to fight every step of the way, and how life experiences so staggeringly different, each at opposite hands of the scale, seem irreconcilable until a shift of point of view shows them to complement each other. Vic’s sense of honour brought tears to my eyes more than once, as did her raw pain and Sophia’s ultimate selflessness.
I also really want to mention the cover, by the incomparable Ann McMan, and the acknowledgements. I always love well-thought acknowledgements, and really miss them in audiobooks, but
these are even more special.
Oh, and why haven’t I read
In Development yet?
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review. -
In my review of Full English by Spangler, I wrote that I hoped if there is a sequel it will feature Lady Victoria. I got my wish! After reading this book, Lady Victoria is definitely my favorite character of this series (a series that is not labeled a series).
We first met a few of the characters from
Full English which takes place in the English village of Amberwick. Two of the them are the American author, Emma Volant and Lady Victoria Penchant. Emma's novel is being filmed as a movie at Victoria's family's Penchant Castle. When Victoria returns to the Castle after being away she finds a film crew has invaded the castle, her home. She almost runs a sword through the American lead actress, Sophia LeBlanc. Sparks fly between the two. It turns out that there was a mix up in dates and the movie crew showed up 3 months early. Vic and her father decide to let them film with a few stipulations to insure the film crew doesn't interfere with the castle's tourist and wedding season. The family depends on the tourists and weddings to maintain the Castle and the vast estate for income and upkeep of the estate. Tourist industry is also important for the village.
Sophia is an up and coming actress who feels this movie will be her big break. She came from humble beginnings and resents Vic's wealth and perceived privileged and easy upbringing. After a while she comes to appreciate the amount of work Vic does and the responsibilities she has on her shoulders. Did I mention their chemistry is off the charts? I loved when Sophia almost got it, but still fighting the attraction.
"In that moment, close kind, confident and considerate, Vic was the living breathing image of a manganous millionaire, the stuff of fantasy and legend, like unicorns. It took everything Sophia had to remind herself no such creature actually existed."
One of my favorite chapters, Vic takes Sophia to the tavern, The Raven, to meet and catch up with her friends from Full English. I felt I was catching up with them too. I really enjoyed this book. I wonder if we will meet again? -
This is set in the same universe as Full English but could be read as a standalone though the main characters in that book make an appearance here too and there are some references to the previous book story.
Actress Sophia LeBlanc is the star of a Hollywood production set in a castle in the North of England who initially collides with
Victoria Penchant, the lady of the Manor about filming logistics. But as time goes by and both women get to know each other, they discover that despite their very different backgrounds and personalities, they have more in common than they thought, including an intense attraction to each other.
This was an enjoyable read and I liked it more than the first book, Full English. Both characters are very well written and the chemistry between them is sizzling. These two cannot be more different if they tried, starting with poor/rich backgrounds, royalty/plebeian status, English/American nationalities, contrasting personalities, etc. But somehow they find a common ground and an intense attraction which makes their story work perfectly.
The setting in a castle in the North of England is very well researched and detailed, the landscape and building descriptions are very photographic which provides the perfect background to the story. The scenes involving royalty and Palace intrigues reminded me of the TV series The Crown, for the level of manipulation and pettiness involved. One scene in particular is embarrassing, infuriating and sad at the same time, kudos to the author to make me feel so many different emotions in just a few paragraphs. My only criticism is that, for me, one secondary cast member seemed to act out of character at the end but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book as a whole. 4.5 stars.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. -
Excellent. I loved the sparks, the tension. I loved that the attraction was more than just physical. Spangler had me convinced that an HEA was impossible (but of course she turned it around). I was feeling weepy toward the end. Maybe the parents came around a little fast but by then I was wanting that HEA and I was willing to go along with it.
Now I can't wait to see if there's going to be an audio book version (Please pick Abby Craden, please, please). -
Passion flares at Penchant Castle.
God help whoever’d tried to make off with this. She gave a quick flick of her wrist and relished the whoosh the metal made as it slashed the air.
“Unhand the sword,” a firm voice ordered from behind her.
Quite the opposite of the command, she whirled, arm at the ready until her eyes landed on the woman who’d issued the order.
Lady Victoria ‘Vic’ Penchant and Sophia LeBlanc meet at sword point and the chemistry crackles off the page from that moment on. Both women have enough reasons not to let sexual attraction get the better of them, but oh my… don’t they fail deliciously.
I love what Rachel Spangler gave us in this second installment of this (yet unnamed) series. We are back in Northland, this time at Penchant Castle where most of the action is going on. There will be cameos from Emma Volant, her wife Brogan and the lively Friday Club for comic relief. I really advise you to read Full English first so you really get a flavor of the town and its people.
Spangler throws a few more hot peppers on the fire. Vic and Sophia really know how to bring the heat and we don’t have to wait too long to see it either. I had a double character crush so good job!
Next to the romance there is always some drama to bring the conflict and I have to admit I was close to tears. There was no usual annoyance this time for the reason why it has to go pear-shaped between a couple. Spangler brought her emotional A-game and it was heartbreaking. THIS is how you write genuine conflict in romance.
So yes, I had a great time with Modern English It ticked so many boxes for me. A wonderful romance in a beautiful setting, the rich British history and culture, a castle, the movie industry, a hot aristocrat, an impossible love affair, explosive sexy times and more! Go read it.
f/f
Themes: Northland, Penchant Castle, ambition, duty, the class system, the duchess proves a hard nut to crack, issues with the director, a new direction for the Dukedom, I need more in this series!
5 Stars
*ARC provided by the author to lezreviewbooks.com in exchange for an honest review -
Every once in a while you come across a novel that grabs you on the first page, and won’t let you put the book down until the very end. Modern English by Rachel Spangler did that to me.
This book tells the story of Lady Victoria Charlotte Algernon Penchant (Vic) and Sophia LeBlanc, the lead actress in a movie being shot at Vic’s ancestral home (which happens to be a castle in England). Those of you who have read Ms. Spangler’s earlier novel Full English, may recognize Vic as a character from that tale. Don’t worry though. This is definitely a standalone story. You don’t need to read the other book first to enjoy this one.
Modern English is a fantastic story! The setting is gorgeous and well described. The characters are multi-layered and easy to connect with. I fell in love with Vic by the end of the second page, and with Sophia not long after that. The story itself is enchanting and worthy of that beautiful setting. And did you see that stunning cover by Ann McMan’s TreeHouse Studio? It’s breathtaking!
I must also mention the love scenes in this story, and that is exactly what they are. These two women show their true feelings for each other even before they realize they are in love. It takes a lot of skill by the author to portray that emotion the way she did in those scenes.
As you can tell, I absolutely adore Modern English, and if you enjoy reading romantic stories, I believe you will too. This book has my highest recommendation.
I received an ARC from Bywater Books for an honest review. -
THIS BOOK! WOW! Do you ever read a book and when it comes to writing the review you just don’t know if you could possibly do the book justice? That's how good this book is.
It's not often I enjoy a sequel more than the original book but I did with Modern English. Don’t get me wrong Full English (book 1) is an excellent book but Modern English was everything I was looking for, Fun, Flirty and hot as hell. In my review for Full English back in 2019 I asked for Lady Vic to have her story and boy did Rachel Spangler give her a story.
The character journey was excellent andI swept up in the grandeur of Penchant castle. Rachel Spangler did her descriptions of the landscape well and a few times I could almost feel like I was home in Scotland.
The meet cute of Lady Vic and Sophia was fantastic and really set the tone of the book and their intense chemistry from the very beginning. And let me just say that the scene with Lady Vic riding the horse… Yum!! Look out for that moment. Your gonna wanna take it all in.
It’s been a while since I have been so emotionally invested in a book. Lady Vic’s sense of honour to her legacy even when that legacy itself was not in support of her lifestyle was beautiful. Especially in her moments of vulnerability with Sophia.
The ending of the book was pretty magical and I went through a box of tissues but then came the epilogue and the ending had nothing on the epilogue. Queue more Kleenex. The epilogue was just #perfection!
The chemistry between Lady Vic and Sophia is sizzling from the get go. When they hit the sheets I was worried the whole castle was going to go up in flames because it was extremely sexy.
There is a intimate almost vulnerable underlying chemistry there that is set on the basis of trust. Both Sophia and Lady Vic share things with each other they never have with anyone else. It was making me all swoony!
This book was made for cinematic viewing. The BBC need to contact Rachel Spangler immediately and option Full English and Modern English. I can’t wait for book three in the series because Rachel Spangler has just upped the ante in this series. -
I rather enjoyed this book and it was deeper than I expected. It follows a woman who is the daughter of a English Duke, one who gets called "Lady"; and a woman who is rising in the movie industry as an actress.
Sophia LeBlanc is that actress. A woman who self-describes herself as having come from poor white trash (not exact quote, I believe something about Louisiana might have been mentioned as well, and I do not recall if "trailer" was used or not). One who had to do those things others would be scandalized by, to keep pushing her career further and further. She's in England to play the lead role in a movie. One set in a castle. A castle that happens to also be the family home of a Duke. Lady Victoria Penchant's home.
Lady Victoria Penchant, Vic, has a job related to land management . . . or something like that.
Sophia and Vic meet "bad". Victoria has arrived at Penchant castle to find a moving van blocking her. As she sits in her car, confused, she watches people come out of the place carrying family heirlooms. One thing leads to another and Vic is waving a sword, her grandmother's sword, at Sophia.
Sophia, and the "moving people", are there to work on a film. There's a slight issue about dating conventions (Europeans date things one way, USAians date things another way; while I date things by year, month, day, but whatever). Point being that the film company is at the castle months before they were supposed to be. In Summer. During the "Summer Season" when the village, and castle, make money off summer visitors.
Right, don't want to play "let's tell the plot": an agreement is reached, movie company is allowed to continue, with restrictions. Sophia & Victoria develop a "causal" romance. Fun was had by all (not really, but it's past 1 am and I don't feel capable of being more exact).
A rather liked the story that unfolded. As I mentioned, deeper than expected. A deeper, more interesting book. Involving two women, whose ages weren't mentioned (I think), but who I imagined to be in their 30s.
Right, series. This book is a follow-up, of sorts, to Full English. Which starred Emma Volant & Brogan McKay. Both of whom appear in Modern English, as friends of Victoria. Hmm, apparently I rated both this book and Full English the same rating. I need to reread Full English. I don't really remember it.
Rating: 4.5
February 24 2021 -
Such a cute read ! Just what I needed!
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A book with a healthy mention of gin gets top marks in my book. Oh hello gin and soda, how did YOU end up in my hand right now? Yum.
A fine read with two exceptional main characters that hit all the right spots for me. Both driven, smart, assertive women from totally different backgrounds and cultures, that meet in a unique series of events. They challenged each other and were hot for each other. They didn't understand one another, but managed to keep open minds. New Crush Alert on Victoria, helloooooo girl.....
The only point docked was for the info dumps that were a little too frequent about lineages and rules and ancestry. At times it went on too long and took away from the story. I get why some of this was needed, certainly, and I normally love history, but this felt more like I was in a lecture hall at times. -
Modern English was a perfect introduction to Rachel Spangler's writing for me. Yes, this was my first Spangler book and I am proud to say I now consider myself a "Spanglerite", or die-hard Spangler fan. (Hey, if Xena can have Xenites, Rachael can have Spanglerites)
I fell so hard for Vic & Sophia, and their friends. Each and every one of them breathed so true for me that I connected with them without hesitation. I watched them argue, crush and fall for each other, I sat in the pub and drank with them and I wanted to slap nobility, which was a first for me. The landscape that they called home was so well written that I could smell the grass, the water and the ale. And that castle? I fell in love with it too. If I closed my eyes and reached out with my mind, I'm pretty sure I could feel stone under my fingertips and be struck dumb by the beauty of such a grand old architectural wonder.
I read so many books that sometimes I'm immune to the sex scenes. But in Modern English I found the most cranial, sexiest, intelligent love-making I've ever had the pleasure of reading. But even more so than that, Vic and Sophia were equals. Not by the end, but all the way along. Sophia was just too daft to see it. They were equal partners who challenged each other to reach for their dreams while they supported each other and challenged each other to grow And that? THAT made me fall in love with the book, the characters and most importantly, Spangler's writing genius. And I don't toss those words around often.
It is saddening that I cannot give this book more than five stars. It is worthy, every word, of ten stars.
My name is Carolyn, and I am an unashamed Spanglerite. -
I’ve been having a harder time connecting with romance novels lately and I was thrilled to have Modern English buck that trend! It’s sweet, without ever being treacly. Steamy and with plentiful sex scenes, yet still within the bounds of contemporary romance. And who doesn’t want to read about royalty plus a Hollywood star at a freaking castle? Oh yeah, and a couple of characters from In Development make an appearance! If any of these things are interesting to you, I highly recommend you check it out.
Full review:
https://www.thelesbianreview.com/mode... -
Sequel to "Full English", but better. At least that's my opinion. We meet again a few old friends from the prior novel, the lovely little village of Amberwick, and a new character, the sharp-tongued and stunning Sophia LeBlanc. The romance between Victoria, the aristocrat, and Sophia, the actress, is just unforgettable.
-
When I read Full English I fell in love a bit with Vic, but somehow I kept pushing this book back on reading. Now, with the impending release of Plain English I could do nothing but pick this up and get my Vic fix.
Her Ladyship is just such a wonderful character. She cares about everyone, a lot. And at her own expense. When movie star Sophia walks into her life, quite literally, she shakes it all up. Sophia encourages Vic to be unapologetically herself and I love this dynamic. At first I had my doubts about what Sophia’s intentions were, just a mere character study or actual personal interest? I’m glad that matter was resolved swiftly by the author.
In my opinion the author wrote great characters, who really match, but also clash, it’s a good balance.
I think some parts of the story could have been a bit more fleshed out, the sexism, the horrible director of Emma’s movie (which is great follow up/ tie in to Full English), Vic’s mother, the issues with the succession of the title. I suspect the last one is a theme that well see come back in Plain English, at least that’s my hope.
This is part of a series and you could read it as standalone if you must, but don’t do it. The insight in Vic’s character and her friendship with Emma are important to know more of and you get that in Full English. This is a nice love story, with interesting “power” dynamics/ struggles on both the romantic side and the professional and other personal relations side. -
This was a wonderful book, it honestly surpassed my expectations.
-
Modern English
Author Rachel Spangler
MC Lady Victoria Penchant & Sophia LeBlanc
ByWaterBooks
I have to say Rachel Spangler has become one of my favorite authors.
This story is about Lady Victoria Penchant and Sophia. This story is beautifully written just like all of the authors other books.
The story is a continuance of the Full English series. It’s a beautiful tale of two people who have chemistry that is undeniable.
Sophia LeBlanc is an actress and she is looking for a big break in her career .
Lady Vic does not want to have any more issues in her life due to previous scandals.
The book was glorious! The sex scene was steamy and down right memorable. The description was amazing of the scenery!
I highly recommend this book! I wanted to Thank Salem West and ByWaterBooks for the Arc! 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -
Loved this better than the first one. Easy 5 stars
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Another great story by Rachel Spangler. The characters, the wonderful English countryside, a castle and the beautiful romance! Totally loved this book.
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4.5 star ratings
First i must say i love the author's note, that kinda slipped me into my anticipation for the book. The next applause, is the suspense and friction one got right into the first chapter...it's as they say in films; chemistry!
Everything afterwards positioned themselves like parts of an anticipated puzzle being put together to view the promised outcome. -
3 stars
There is something that hurts every romance book, even one with the best plot and best writing. If the reader doesn't like one of the main characters. And I'm afraid I didn't like Sophie. Like at all. Which put me out because I liked Vic a lot and couldn't understand what she sees in her. So if you like Sophie, you'll enjoy it, if not, not so much. -
I normally love spangler's books, but this just didn't work for me.
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4/5 stars
This was so good! I’ve read a few Rachel Spangler books now and they have all been passionate, fun and flirty. This was no exception! The chemistry between Vic and Sophia was on fire! From their very first meeting, the sparks were just flying from the page. There was sweetness, flirtation and a whole lot of sexual tension. This was exactly the romance I wanted to read.
Not only was the romance fantastic and fiery, but the characters were also so well developed. I really fell in love with both of our leading ladies. Victoria was honourable to a fault, caring and burdened by the duty of her family title. On the other hand, Sophia is unapologetic, ambitious and courageous. Both are strong in their own right, but seeing them break down and become vulnerable together really just strengthened the romance. While banter and steam is fantastic, it was this emotional connection between the characters that had me really loving this book.
I am also so interested in the side characters. When I picked this up I had no idea that it was a sequel, but now I just want to read Modern English so bad. I love Rachel Spangler’s writing and her characters so I am just very excited to read more from her. She is very quickly become a favourite of mine to binge read! -
Only three stars, writing felt laboured and I longed for the free flowing RS as in Love All or In Development. Read, but hey....
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A copy of the book was provided to
Sapphic Book Club for free in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
Victoria's and Sophia's upbringings couldn't be more different. Vic was raised with wealth and to one day inherit a title and all that comes with it. It is no surprise then that Sophia, who had to make herself something out of nothing initially resents her. However, as they start to grow closer to one another Sophia quickly realizes that not all is as it seems and there is much more to Vic than meets the eye. This is particularly obvious when Victoria admits: "I'm used to having people's eyes on me. Only yours have ever made me feel seen." I also felt like this line perfectly encapsulates the story and its core relationship.
This book is a spinoff of Full English where I believe Vic makes an appearance (I haven't read it but I definitely plan to in the future!). A lot of fans seemed to like her character and wanted more and I must say I can definitely see why. From the beginning she's very likeable. She's understanding and accommodating to the film crew she's opened up her home to and you can tell that she truly just wants to help people. In contrast, because I liked her so much from the beginning I was a little slow to warm up to Sophia. Especially given that Sophia makes it point to try and get under Vic's skin. That said, I think as Sophia's initial prejudice waned and her perception changed so did mine. I love a good complimentary couple and truly do think that they brought out the best in each other.
The story as a whole did a good job of showing how privilege can sometimes be more complex than it appears. It also played well with how relationships can affect a person's goals. I appreciated the alternating perspectives and it real helped me to see and ultimately feel where the characters were coming from and why they made the decisions they did. Overall, the tone of the story was fairly light and the writing flow was easy to follow. I didn't want it to end but I also had trouble not rushing through reading it lol. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who might be interested!
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This book was provided to the Sapphic Book Club for an honest review.
4.5 stars
This is my first book by Rachel Spangler and it will not be the last one! This was a very enjoyable contemporary romance. The book follows Vic, the daughter of the Duke of Northland in England and Sophia, an up-and-coming actress using Vics family castle for a film shot. Their first meeting is full of sparks and misunderstandings at sword point.
I like Vic a lot. This book is a follow-up to Full English where Vic was a side character worthy of her own novel. She is nice, sweet, and very considerate of others. She loves her community and takes her responsibility as the Lady of the castle very seriously, while forgoing her own needs. Sophia's character will not be for everyone. She is the type of person who is great at pushing people outside of their comfort zone and break restraints placed upon others, but it can come off as abrasive. Spangler does a great job of using Sophia's background and experiences within Hollywood to frame her character's actions. I like Sophia especially once she she finally started seeing Vic for who she really is.
This was a great read, and I really enjoyed the romance. I'll be checking out Full English and Spanglers other works soon! -
The best Rachel Spangler book I have read.
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A copy of the book was provided to
Sapphic Book Club in exchange for an honest review. Hold on to your hoop-skirts and gin, ladies as this review's a long one!
"I got everything I’ve ever really wanted, and a few things I’d never even dared to dream of.” That's how it felt to read this lovely wlw romance, summed up rather well by one of the leads herself.
I've been reading a lot of heavy content recently and was in need of a timely light palate cleanser of a read I could enjoy the escapism of. This provided such escapism nicely. I will confess, I'm not as much of a romance reader as I could be, it's not generally the genre I dip into but this one caught me by the riding breeches and wouldn't let me go until I finished. This is your rich heiress meets movie star romance that you want to see come through from the moment they meet at (literal) sword-point. (Honestly, you had me the moment you had the leading lesbian brandishing a sword, of course I was going to stick around when you offer me that in the first chapter!)
Now for the more serious recaps;
The book itself was an easy, comfortable read with just enough splashes of schmaltz and angst and drama peppered in to keep things moving along nicely. The moments and movement of the plot didn't feel stale or stilted at any point, I always found myself wanting to read on. The chapters were a good length, just enough to sink your teeth into each scene and richly visual. Logically, I knew, I just *knew* the Duke and Duchess would turn up and throw a spanner in the works and yet it still caught me, which is a good feat for the drama! I loved the Ice-Duchess and her snippy snipey remarks, her cold demeanour and how she is the way she is for most-understandable reasons. Her little stunt with the movie night was a deliciously dramatic move! My only qualm is that her turnaround seemed perhaps a little sudden for me, taking one look at Sophia to suddenly change her mind, but as we get the reveal about her wanting to protect her daughter and defend her from those wishing to take advantage of her, not to mention the Romance genre hinging on the *romance* it can be overlooked, particularly as the story is about Vic and Sophia, not the Duchess (though I must admit I would like to know more of the Duchess' back story and how she came to be so icy, beyond what the Duke tells us!). The angsty moments for Sophia and Vic were peppered in quite nicely, as well as their fiery moments of anger; I often found myself frustrated alongside them for the judgements and challenges they faced.
Your lead players in this, both likable for different reasons, were the British heiress Victoria Penchant, and the American actress Sophia Le Blanc.
Victoria, or Vic, snuck her way into my heart, in ways I didn't expect. Much like Sophia, initially I thought there would be no way I could relate to someone in Vic's position with her power and privileged position, but by the end I found myself supporting her decisions and how she saw things in her way of life. Similarly, whilst Sophia initially seemed a little arrogant and snooty in her own way, by the conclusion I also felt like I understood her plight better and the choices she's made to get where she is. I was glad to see what they achieved and where they ended up and that was helped by a lot of the communication between them which is so key to any relationship surviving and thriving!
As for any characters I did not like, James is definitely in my bad books, and I am glad he (kind of) got what was coming to him. I would have maybe liked to see Brian get a little taste of cold, hard truth as well but again obviously our focus is on Sophia and Vic, not mr listless director-with-no-taste.
I will say when Talia, Brogan, Emma etc were all introduced I was initially a little lost just briefly as to who was who but that was resolved very easily and quickly and eventually differentiated enough between them to be fine throughout the rest of the book. I would have liked a little more visual descriptions of the characters also, as all I really know of Vic a lot of the time is her blonde hair, and I feel personally that I don't have a very clear-cut picture of Sophia in my head (perhaps I missed a description somewhere) as their physical/visual aspects aren't often described beyond Vic's 'blonde hair' or Sophia's 'dark eyes'. The author may have chosen to do this so we don't end up feeling focused on their looks and can imagine them for ourselves, but equally I felt it made it a little less easy to picture them at times, for a book that is so rich and vivid in visual details throughout. I would say the same for the minor characters which may have contributed to my initial confusion as aside from their names, I couldn't find any defining characteristics to differentiate them. I can't imagine this would be a problem for most readers though, as we all have our images in our heads of what characters look like!
As mentioned at the beginning of this review, this book is every bit your wlw (almost literally) courting romance. The characters bounce off of one-another nicely, firing zingers, one-liners and in Vic's case many a self deprecating comment on a whim, which made the dialogue feel much more natural than I was expecting for such a cheesy concept. It has a good mix of romance, a dash of angst, flashes of fire and peppered throughout with plenty of kernels of drama to keep the whole mix an easily palpable read.
I read the author's note prior to beginning the book, and I am glad they decided to keep the vocab strictly 'UK english' rather than flipping between UK + US as I feel this would have affected my reading. The language throughout and style were therefore well-done and for the most part, consistent, however, here we come to my one qualm of the book that led to my 4* rating. As we are following two characters as leads, which is a great way to cover their relationship and differences, we are given both of their POVs which would have been fine except for the fact that they do jump/hop heads unexpectedly within the chapters with no indication as the change having occurred. This definitely affected my reading in the early portion of the novel as I often felt just as I was really sinking my teeth into the meat of the scene in Vic's head for example, we would unexpectedly hop/take over the scene into Sophia's head, jarring me from the moment of the text. Despite this hurdle, I powered through and as the book went on I did notice the hopping less and less and it seemed to become less jarring the more I got to know the characters although there were still some instances where I was still interrupted by the change, particularly if I was interested in what was going on with Vic to then cut to Sophia in another area of the castle and vice versa. This does work a little better toward the end when our leads are separated and we are divided between them in order to bring them back together, but if I were the author I would be wary of putting readers off early by such sudden POV shifting without a signal or sign of some kind that we have done so beyond relying on a simple paragraph break.
Nevertheless, in spite of this, the novel as a whole comes together nicely to form a coherent, if slightly cheesy, dainty and delightfully easy read. Which is precisely the kind of thing you'd want in a Romance of this kind and calibre. I'd recommend it to those looking for something with lush settings, characters unafraid to confront one another, secret rendezvous, gin-drinking, movie talk, and everything you've ever wanted in a sword-wielding, horseback riding, rich, polite, charming heiress!
