3.5 stars. Quite a nice story, with a Cinderella-type heroine and her handsome prince (duke, actually!) Set mainly in London in the late Victorian era3.5 stars. Quite a nice story, with a Cinderella-type heroine and her handsome prince (duke, actually!) Set mainly in London in the late Victorian era (1890s), so there are 'modern' aspects such as electricity, lifts, and the occasional motor car.
Evie inherited a rare bookshop, and has been quietly successful in running her own business. She attended a posh finishing school, but was bullied there by some of the upper-crust girls who thought her background was beneath them (like the evil stepsisters of Cinderella, I guess). Evie lacks self-confidence in some ways, and underestimates her own likability and beauty. She lives very modestly, and does fit well into the Cinderella character type.
Max is a duke, and couldn't be more removed from Evie's humble middle-class background and lifestyle. Without revealing spoilers, Max takes on Evie's transformation into a high society woman. They fall in love of course, but it is quite a slow-burn, and I would definitely have liked more overt romance earlier in the book. Their eventual getting together and accepting of their mutual feelings is nicely done when it finally does happen though. I liked the ending section of the book, and it did compensate a bit for the middle part that was starting to drag somewhat for me.
Two likable lead characters, both with integrity and both with some uncertainties due to their pasts. The class difference was very clear, but by this point in time, almost the start of the twentieth century, it is believable that they could marry without too much scandal, and Evie could learn to be a duchess. A decent read, but just a bit too slow burn for my tastes. I will consider reading the next book in the series when it's released later this year (2024)....more
4.5 stars. A really good read. I like Judith Ivory's writing style and her complex, interesting and very believable characters.
James was a beautiful,4.5 stars. A really good read. I like Judith Ivory's writing style and her complex, interesting and very believable characters.
James was a beautiful, shining young man. An overachiever who also happened to have honour, integrity and humanity. He fell deeply in love with Coco, the beautiful and sophisticated older woman that every man wanted. And somewhat reluctantly, she fell in love with him too. They had fantastic chemistry. Coco had made some dodgy choices in her life, but as a young woman her choices had been very limited, and she did what she had to, to make her way in the world.
BTW, this book is surprisingly steamy for the 90s when it was first published. The sex scenes are very well written with no purple prose, and overall, the book hasn't dated IMO. It could have been written yesterday.
I liked Ivory's take on England's colonial attitudes. As a geologist, James had experienced Africa first hand, ending up living with the locals when the rest of his party lost their lives. The English considered he had 'gone native', but in fact his experiences allowed him an insight into the local people that the average Englishman didn't have and didn't care to have. James felt genuine concern and compassion that others thought was 'soft' or useless. As 'superior' and 'civilised' Englishmen they believed they had a perfect right to destroy the Africans' homeland in their desire to strip it of its natural resources. I liked James' humanity and his efforts to do what he could to protect the homelands of the people who had befriended him and helped him survive.
The fairy tale thread running through the book added some interest without overwhelming the story. It was a nice touch. And the end of the story is lovely. Romantic and satisfying, with a nice allusion to the fairy tale as well.
This was a BOTM for March 2023 for the Historical Romance Book Club, 'Fairy Tale Inspired' theme....more
3.5 stars. I enjoyed this fairly light retelling of Cinderella. I didn't think this kind of book would be my thing, but I found it a quick and easy re3.5 stars. I enjoyed this fairly light retelling of Cinderella. I didn't think this kind of book would be my thing, but I found it a quick and easy read. I liked the MCs and hated the wicked stepmother, as you do. Benedict was wonderful, and Sophie had a quiet personal strength that I liked. I did find it a bit hard to swallow that she didn't leave her stepmother's household when she had the opportunity though. If it was really THAT bad, you just wouldn't have stayed, no matter what.
The magical ball was depicted well, without making the book into a PNR. I also liked that (view spoiler)[ Sophie did remain illegitimate and yet the author found a way to make it acceptable for them to marry. I was half-anticipating the author crumbling and making her parents actually have a secret marriage so she was really legitimate (as I've read in a couple of other books). I'm glad the author didn't take this easy 'cop-out'. (hide spoiler)]
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