Author: Sherry Thomas

Joint Review: Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas

Posted July 1, 2021 by Rowena in Reviews | 4 Comments

Joint Review: Not Quite a Husband by Sherry ThomasReviewer: Holly and Rowena
Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas
Series: The Marsdens #2
Publisher: Bantam Books
Publication Date: May 19, 2009
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Third Person
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 354
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Reading Challenges: Rowena's 2021 Goodreads Challenge
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Sherry Thomas is one of the hottest new voices in historical romance, garnering the highest praise from today’s bestselling writers (“Entrancing.” —Mary Balogh; “Ravishingly sinful, intelligent and addictive.” —Eloisa James). Now Sherry delivers this powerful story of a remarkable woman and the love she thought she’d never find—with the man she thought she’d lost forever.…

Their marriage lasted only slightly longer than the honeymoon—to no one’s surprise, not even Bryony Asquith’s. A man as talented, handsome, and sought after by society as Leo Marsden couldn't possibly want to spend his entire life with a woman who rebelled against propriety by becoming a doctor. Why, then, three years after their annulment and half a world away, does he track her down at her clinic in the remotest corner of India?

Leo has no reason to think Bryony could ever forgive him for the way he treated her, but he won’t rest until he’s delivered an urgent message from her sister—and fulfilled his duty by escorting her safely back to England. But as they risk their lives for each other on the journey home, will the biggest danger be the treacherous war around them—or their rekindling passion?

Holly: I am a total sucker for second chance romances. When our book club suggested this novel, I was really excited. I was frustrated with Bryony in the beginning, because I didn’t understand why she was so cold toward her former husband. But my heart really ached for her after we found out her reasons for pulling away.

Rowena: I haven’t been in the mood for historicals so I wasn’t all that enthused about starting this one but I am glad that I read and finished it. Like you, I spent a lot of the beginning of this story frustrated with Bryony. I was impatient and just wanted to know why she hated her husband so much. He had to have done something but even he was clueless about what he did so I thought I was going to be pissed at Bryony because it was going to be something stupid but that wasn’t the case at all.

I will say that I spent a good chunk of this book annoyed at one thing or another but I couldn’t stop reading it so I guess that’s a good thing?

Holly: It’s funny because I felt the same way. I wanted to keep reading and find out what was going to happen, and why they were at odds when they both clearly loved the other. But man was I annoyed through a good chunk.

I especially struggled with the dubious consent on both sides.

Rowena: Yes. The dubious consent on both sides pissed me off. Every single time that he did it, I wanted to smack him upside his head and then knee him in the balls because what is wrong with him?? I was so mad on her behalf because she was trying so hard to stay away from him and he just kept right on coming back while she had her guard down…so when she ups and does the exact same thing that I was pissed at him for doing, I wanted to pull her hair and poke her eyes out.

Holly: Exactly. I was so angry at him, and then she went and did the exact same thing. I wanted to smack them both.

Rowena: Once all of their drama is out in the open and they start working together to figure out where to go from here (especially during the attack), I was glad. I will say that Sherry Thomas’ writing style is hard to stay away from. No matter how many times I wanted to smack a bitch in the book, I never once wanted to stop. This was a quick read for me and alls well that ends well so for me, I’d give this one a 3.75 out of 5 rating. You?

Holly: Like you, I didn’t want to stop reading, though. This was a fast read and I easily finished it in one sitting.

I’d give it 3.5 out of 5. It was easy to read and I liked the story overall, but there were some problematic themes for me.

Holly: 3.5 out of 5
Rowena: 3.75 out of 5

The Marsdens

four-stars


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Review: The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

Posted December 28, 2020 by Holly in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: The Burning Sky by Sherry ThomasReviewer: Holly
The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas
Narrator: Philip Battley
Series: The Elemental Trilogy #1
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: September 15, 2013
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
Point-of-View: Alternating First and Third
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Content Warning: View Spoiler »
Genres: Fantasy, Historical Romance
Pages: 485
Length: 11 hours and 36 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
Reading Challenges: Holly's 2020 Goodreads Challenge, Holly's 2020 Historical Challenge, Holly's 2020 Reading Challenge
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three-stars
Series Rating: three-stars

This special ebook edition of Sherry Thomas's extraordinary romantic fantasy debut, The Burning Sky—the first in the Elemental Trilogy—features a repackaged cover for her legions of romance fans and an excerpt from the sequel, The Perilous Sea.

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's been told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of the Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the most powerful tyrant and mage the world has ever known. This would be a suicide task for anyone, let alone a reluctant sixteen-year-old girl with no training.

Guided by his mother's visions and committed to avenging his family, Prince Titus has sworn to protect Iolanthe even as he prepares her for their battle with the Bane. But he makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the tyrant closing in, Titus must choose between his mission—and her life.

At Tracy’s recommendation, I requested the audiobook from the library and switched back and forth between listening and reading. I really liked the narrator. I feel like I lost some of the connection to the story by switching platforms, however. For awhile I was fully invested in the story and characters, but that fizzled a bit by the end.

Iolanthe Seabourne has been living with her mentor and guardian since she was two years old. He was the perfect guardian…until he wasn’t. She doesn’t understand what changed him from an honorable, loving man into an unscrupulous addict. For years, she’s been covering for him and trying to keep them afloat. When he begs her not to complete a potion she’s promised to make in exchange for allowing him to keep his position, he ruins it. She ends up calling down lightning to fix it, and that sets off a chain of events she could never have predicted. Unbeknownst to her, she is one of the great Elemental Mages – a mage who can control all four elements. Her lightning brought The Inquisitor after her, along with several other agents of Atlantis. But it also brought Prince Titus, the ruler of the realm, and her personal savior. Only he has his own agenda, and Iolanthe will be forced to learn some hard lessons.

Titus has always known his purpose..to find and protect the last great Elemental Mage. He’s been preparing for this his whole life…except he never imagined she’d be a girl. He’s hiding her in the human realm as a boy, but only until he can convince her to take out The Inquisitor and take on Atlantis.

Thomas has built an engrossing world, full of magic and possibilities. I really enjoyed the action and the progression of the story. It was interesting to see Titus and Iolanthe circle around each other. I hated that he took advantage of her and treated her poorly, but I also understood why.

Parts of this were predictable, but I enjoyed it for the most part. I do think both main characters lacked a bit of depth. Things were very much on the surface, especially with Iolanthe. I’m hoping we see more change and growth from her in the next two books.

Rating: 3.25 out of 5

The Burning Sky Trilogy

three-stars


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Guest Review: The Hidden Blade by Sherry Thomas

Posted September 4, 2018 by Tracy in Reviews | 2 Comments

Guest Review: The Hidden Blade by Sherry ThomasReviewer: Tracy
The Hidden Blade (The Heart of Blade Duology #1) by Sherry Thomas
Series: The Heart of Blade Duology #1
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: July 20, 2014
Point-of-View: Third
Genres: Historical Fiction
Pages: 350
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

In the waning days of the last dynasty, in a quiet, beautiful corner of imperial Peking, a young girl's blissful ignorance is shattered when she learns that she is the illegitimate daughter of an English adventurer and a Chinese courtesan. What future is there for such a girl? But a mysterious figure steps forward and offers to instruct her in the highest forms of martial arts--a path to a life of strength and independence.

Half a world away in England, a young boy's idyllic summer on the Sussex downs implodes with the firing of a single bullet. Torn from his family, he becomes the hostage of a urbanely sadistic uncle. He dreams of escaping to find his beloved friend--but the friend is in China, ten thousand miles away.

The girl trains to be deadly. The boy flees across continents. They do not know it yet, but their lives are already inextricably bound together, and will collide one fateful night when they least expect it.

'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' meets 'Downton Abbey,' this remarkable tale of friendship, danger, and coming of age will stay with you long after you have finished the last page.

A prequel to MY BEAUTIFUL ENEMY.

This book is a prequel to My Beautiful Enemy and a story that needs to be read before that book is picked up.  The back story to the lives of Leighton and Ying-Ying are so very important to the core of the story.  It’s also an incredibly wonderful book!

I loved reading about Ying-Ying’s life and how it differed from that of Leighton.  The rules of the Chinese culture were something I found fascinating.  Her training as a martial artist was intriguing, especially as she started it at such a young age – I believe she was somewhere between 6-8 if I remember correctly.

Leighton’s story was heart breaking.  I loved reading about the bond he had with his father, and his father’s friend, Herb, as well as the close relationship he had with his little brother.  The author could have so easily left the mother and younger brother on the sidelines of the story but she made them a big part of it and I loved that.

This is a book filled with love, though it’s not a romance.  It’s a wonderful novel of family, and also what it’s like to grow up without one.  I’ve loved Thomas’s writing before, but this was something different – and worth reading.

Rating: 4 out of 5

The Heart of Blade Duology

four-stars


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Guest Review: The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas

Posted November 19, 2013 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Guest Review: The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry ThomasReviewer: Tracy
The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas
Series: The London Trilogy #1
Publisher: Berkley, Penguin
Publication Date: November 5, 2013
Format: Print ARC
Genres: Historical Romance
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

 

Felix Rivendale, the Marquess of Wrenworth, is The Ideal Gentleman, a man all men want to be and all women want to possess. Felix himself almost believes this golden image. But underneath is a damaged soul soothed only by public adulation.

Louisa Cantwell needs to marry well to support her sisters. She does not, however, want Lord Wrenworth—though he seems inexplicably interested in her. She mistrusts his outward perfection and the praise he garners everywhere he goes.But when he is the only man to propose at the end of the London season, she reluctantly accepts.

Louisa does not understand her husband’s mysterious purposes, but she cannot deny the pleasure her body takes in his touch. Nor can she deny the pull this magnetic man exerts upon her. But does she dare to fall in love with a man so full of dark secrets, anyone of which could devastate her, if she were to get any closer?

The marquess of Wrenworth had a comfortable but unlovable childhood. His mother didn’t care for his father while she was more than attentive to him when his father was present she otherwise ignored him – as did his father. When his parents died and he came of age he worked very hard to be The Ideal Gentleman but cut himself from even the possibility of love.

When Felix meets Louisa he’s immediately struck by lust. He can tell that she’s playing a part because he does it himself but he’s still fascinated by her. He sets out to make her his mistress but when she refuses he soon proposes marriage. They make a good match but when Felix realizes that he’s feeling more than he should ha backs off and even becomes cruel.

For Louisa she’s extremely happy when she marries Felix as she’s just as much in lust with him as he is with her. She knows she can’t trust him as far as she can throw him but she thinks as long as they’re compatible in bed the rest will fall in line. How wrong she was.

I have to say I love Thomas’s books and get very excited when I see that one is coming out. This one was as wonderfully satisfying as I knew it would be.

This is such a different kind of story. Two people who are basically imposters as they really aren’t who people think they are. They recognize the others falsehood’s almost immediately but that doesn’t stop them from falling in lust. They aren’t afraid to speak of their lust and when this brings Felix to propose she be his mistress we as the reader almost felt that she would accept. But she stood her ground and he soon proposed marriage. He wasn’t quite sure how that came about but it all seemed to work. Felix found himself coming out of his shell and enjoying life – and Louisa. Of course when he realized he was losing himself and his control with her he rushes back into his shell and is even mean to Louisa. My heart just ached for both of them for most of this book. I wanted them to work but they each had to figure out how to do that before they could be happy. The writing was such that I just didn’t know how it would all get remedied in the end but it did – and wonderfully well.

I would definitely recommend this book as it was just incredibly enjoyable.

Rating: 4 out of 5

four-stars


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