Sherry Thomas - Tempting the Bride

Helena Fitzhugh understands perfectly well that she would be ruined should her secret love affair be discovered. So when a rendezvous goes wrong and she is about to be caught in the act, it is with the greatest reluctance that she accepts help from David Hillsborough, Viscount Hastings, and elopes with him to save her reputation.
Helena has despised David since they were children—the notorious rake has tormented her all her life. David, on the other hand, has always loved Helena, but his pride will never let him admit the secrets of his heart.
A carriage accident the day after their elopement, however, robs Helena of her memory—the slate is wiped clean. At last David dares to reveal his love, and she finds him both fascinating and desirable. But what will happen when her memory returns and she realizes she has fallen for a man she has sworn never to trust?

Comment: This is the third installment in the Fitzhugh trilogy by author Sherry Thomas, the story of Helena, the remaining Fitzhugh sibling.

In this story we finally have the story of Helena, a very independent young lady who has done her best to follow her own rules. She is in love with a married man, and has been since before his wedding, and he reciprocates but of course they cannot be together fully. On the side, seeing all this is Viscount Hastings, her childhood nemesis, although she is unaware he has always been in love with her. Hastings tries his best to help her, as much as he can't resist to taunt her but he is helpless to love her despite her disgust for him and her decisions which he believes are too reckless. One day he learns someone is going to play a trick on her and catch her with her lover, and he does what he can to save her, ending up announcing their engagement. She is livid but what can she do... unfortunately, she has an accident and loses her memory, but when she comes to herself, she learns they are happily married. How will she react, though, if and when she remembers the truth of their relationship?

I've read the other two installments in this trilogy back in 2016. I spent quite a while looking for a deal in order to get this book and now I've finally started it. I still remembered enough of the others to keep track of where this one was at in terms of plot but I must confess that Helena hadn't been a favorite character so, probably, that played too in my delay in wanting to start it.

Helena had been often described as being reckless, independent for the time period and not very nice to thew family friend Hastings. I mean, it was a given they would end up together and the author had proven she is a great writer of unrequited love relationships, so I envisioned something along these lines. However, I must say that getting to read about Helena again didn't win her over to me. She was too brash and set on her ways that she got on my nerves. Perhaps if she had been nicer, I'd have appreciated her rebel personality more too.

On one hand, the fact she wanted to live her life as she willed is a positive aspect, one we would certainly respect now, thinking about how limited the lives of well respects ladies from high society were. I liked she did things because she wanted and felt she could make an impact (she was a publisher), especially since she had the funds to do so. As for her personality, it's all a matter of perspective, as we saw while sh was amnesiac, how much more friendlier and laid down she acted. But her personality when the book starts and some of her attitude when she recovers her memory make her someone too mean for me to appreciate.

I suppose it is only fair to say Hastings isn't perfect either but I think the author did a better job conveying his side of things and I don't think it was only because he had been in love with Helena for so long. We get to have a better opinion of him, in part, because he has an illegitimate daughter, who clearly has issues (I can't say, but perhaps what we we would now think as some sort of autism) and he takes care of her, recognized and welcomed her and expects any woman he will marry (of course he has always hoped for Helena) will also want to be a mother to her. Yes, I know this doesn't have to mean anything, but it did help me to have a much better opinion of him.

The author has quite a talent for couples who aren't well at first or that face adversity and sometimes one of them loved the other more first or something. Unrequited love or longing are her thing, for certain. It's just too bad, in my opinion, the characters aren't always that appealing and reading about them can be quite a task. In the case of this story, Helena isn't the best of people but once she becomes amnesiac, we hope things change and of course we get to see a softer, kinder side of her. Thankfully, the author didn't go into fantasy and Helena recovered and Hastings told her the truth before that.

This means the story has always been about realistic feelings and not what ifs, but it did feel as if Helena wouldn't have reached the conclusions she does, nor would she see Hastings ever differently if not for an incredible and surprising situation. I can't help feeling he ended up with a sort of bad deal, even though it was his dream all along...

This isn't a big book, everything happened rather quickly, especially if one thinks some ideas had been pre established in the previous books, but I'll be honest and say it was the one I liked less of the three.

Grade: 6/10

Sherry Thomas - Not Quite a Husband

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?

Comment: Just another of the many books in the TBR...

I have read some books by this author, and she is certainly an author with a style. Meaning, there's a certain way she writes which makes her voice different and sometimes the style seems to fit the story wonderfully, sometimes not much so but I suppose it always depends on the reader. I had read five books by her before this one (only four I posted on my blog) and only one wasn't historical. I have yet to try her historical mysteries.

Anyway, this is the story of Bryony and Leo, a couple who seemed to find the perfect connection but it all went wrong somehow and they decided on an annulment. Bryony is a doctor, her ability takes her to travel the world to help people and to learn more. There's also the benefit of having more distance between herself and her ex Leo, but he does seem to show up once in a while. Things change again in India, when he shows up with a message about her father, who is sick and even though they both wonder if it might be a ruse to bring them home, but just in case they do go back, although with all the revolts their path might not be as easy as they think... could this be the time for them to finally talk and solve their issues?

Going back to what I said, those who have read this author's historicals certainly recognize troubled relationships (and marriages) seem to be a preference of the author. Sometimes the plot and the characters seem to be well fitted, other times things get very irritating, at least that is how I see it; or the story works out for me or I can't stand the characters...that's how I have felt about the previous books by her I've tried. Therefore, going into this one I hoped the emotions and the drama could be dealt with well, otherwise I feared it might not be enjoyable for me, as it happened with one of her books featuring the same "couple in trouble" trope.

Bryony and Leo married after a quick courting and despite the age difference (he's four years younger if I remember correctly) they hit it off pretty well. However, lack of communication seemed to have been the big obstacle between them, along with assumptions, and they separated not too long into their marriage. I can see how this trope is popular, it's realistic, no one is ever perfect, marriage is compromise and so on, and often romances are a journey to marriage, not dealing with the marriage itself but considering how they solved things by talking, by seeing each other in different roles (having a common foe in the need to win a battle) brings them closer and they realize they still care about each other.

I just wonder, why not doing this sooner? Unlike the marriage in trouble plot of another book by the author which I liked best, where a key factor was how the characters felt about the whole thing, the two in this book, however, individually seemed quite unaware why the problems developed between them or why the other one might think differently on the subject. It's not impossible to imagine but to be honest, I struggled to be interested in their issues and the way and why they separated seemed very melodramatic. Their attitude as a couple before they (obviously) made up at the end seemed very unbalanced and it was difficult to see why they liked each other enough to marry. But, then again, the hero does something before they marry which is stupid in my opinion, and even more so because it makes no sense in the context of the story - especially if he liked the heroine that much for that long.

Closer to the end of the novel, I was rooting for them but the fact they were put in a stressful situation exacerbated their feelings and opinions of one another. It seems they only required time and adversity together to overcome their issues. I mean, sure, but why took them so long to talk and deal with things, especially if they are described as clever and the heroine so practical? I suppose when feelings are involved everyone can change but still...

All in all, this wasn't as great as I hoped for. Bryony and Leo seemed like real people in some aspects, like silly children in others and I didn't like some plot choices by the author. This wasn't as great to read, not because it can be depressing; the other book by the author with troubled marriage I liked did the characters' angst and misery and re-connection so well (even though other elements weren't as good in the novel) that comparing to this one, I can't help but feel this isn't at the same level, emotion wise. I suppose I can say it's one less in the pile...

Grade: 5/10

Sherry Thomas - The One in My Heart

When Evangeline Canterbury meets the gorgeous, intriguing doctor next door, despite their instant connection, all she wants from him is a bit of distraction, to help her get over a few rough days.
Her one-night stand, however, has other plans: He needs an accomplished and presentable girlfriend to bring before his parents—and for six months of her time, he is willing and prepared to spend an obscene amount of money.
Nothing but trouble can come of such an arrangement. But can Eva stop herself? Or will she fall headlong in love with a man who will leave her when their contract expires with a smile, a check, and hardly a backward glance?

Comment: This is the first contemporary book I try by Sherry Thomas, an author mostly known by her historical work. I was quite curious to see how her "voice" would resonate in a different genre.

In this book we have the story of Evangeline, a woman whose parents split but her father married another woman, who she has considered a mother as well. However, her stepmother has bipolar disease and that has affected not only Evangeline's choices but also her thoughts about relationships and being with someone.

Bennett is a guy she meets when helping a friend and they end up having a one night stand. However, there's quite a lot in common between them and Bennet asks Evangeline to be his sort of fake girlfriend so he can reunite with his estranged parents. The problem is when they start mixing up fake dating with real feelings...

Thinking about the trope of the fake relationship which turns into reality, it does feel like one of those Harlequin stories from brands like Mills and Boon, back from the 80s and 90s... and adapted to historical settings, I can totally see this being perfectly done by this author. 

However, I must say that in a contemporary setting and by this specific author, the story was a little... off tone. I don't think there was such a great balance between the plot and the character's attitudes.

The story developed based on a series of coincidences, those that only in books do align themselves in any way we can accept, like Bennet having been a no show in Evangeline's french debutante ball and now, years after, they meet again almost by chance and they hit if off somehow.

To move this already unlikely scenario towards an even more complicated one with the fake boyfriend/girlfriend trope too... I just think there were ways for this to move forward in interesting ways without the fake relationship but... in contemporary settings, this only works in certain circumstances and the way this plot was designed, I don't think it went the best way.

The relationship, in which so much is centered, wasn't that bad to read about but I must say I didn't really warm up to the protagonists. Both have a lot of emotional baggage and I did like how certain situations were addresses. I also liked how paced the steps were in their moving on towards happiness.

The characters, though... while getting to know one another, they exchanges secrets about one another, stories from their pasts... more Bennet and I must say I didn't always accept the thoughts behind some of his choices. It does annoy me a little bit those who misbehave and say they "were rebels" or felt the need to "do their on thing" or even "test their limits and feelings". Bennet does grow up and I liked him a lot more based on his behavior now but... I just didn't warm up to him.

Evangeline was also a though nut to crack. It can be understandable why she has so many fears of allowing people in to her heart but again... some attitudes of hers were not something I'd like to see people around me do and I don't mean her attempt to interfere in her stepmother's love life long after her father's death. Even when her behavior was explainable, her thoughts about what she was doing... let's just say I wasn't fond of her most of the time.

Therefore, this was a story about two people I wasn't as fond of, dealing with situations I would have them do differently and in a plot I would have changed too. I liked the writing overall, I liked how the author's style is recognizable and the HEA and some details here and there. But all things considered, this was not a story I' wish to read again and I guess I'll stick to the author's historicals, which always seem to have a better balance.

Grade: 6/10

Sherry Thomas - Ravishing the Heiress

Millicent understands the terms of her arranged marriage all too well. She gets to be a Countess by marrying an impoverished Earl. And in return, the Earl Fitzhugh receives the benefit of her vast wealth, saving his family from bankruptcy. Because of her youth, they have agreed to wait eight years before consummating the marriage--and then, only to beget an heir. After which, they will lead separate lives.
It is a most sensible arrangement. Except for one little thing. Somehow Millie has fallen head over heels in love with her husband. Her husband, who has become her very best friend, but nothing more...Her husband, who plans to reunite with his childhood sweetheart, the beautiful and newly widowed Isabella, as soon as he has honored the pact with his wife...
As the hour they truly become husband-and-wife draws near, both Millie and Fitzhugh must face the truth in their hearts. Has their pact bred only a great friendship--or has it, without either of them quite noticing, given rise to a great love?

Comment: This is the second installment in the Fitzhugh trilogy, an historical series by Sherry Thomas. I liked the first book a lot and was very curious about this, especially because of the type of relationship the characters had. I was so eager to see them realize they were in love that as soon the book arrived in the mail, I immediately started it, putting aside all the others in my list.

In this book we follow the story of married couple Milly and Fitz. He is the brother of the heroine from the 1st story.

Fitz and Milly have agreed on a convenience marriage, a partnership of sorts for 8 years, at the end of which they will finally try for a heir. In the meantime, Fitz is free to have his own life, think about his lost love while Milly says she does the same but in reality she is just trying to protect her heart, for he is in love with Fitz from the start but doesn't want his pity.

Now that the 8 years are ending, Milly thinks maybe their lives can follow their friendship and companionship towards possible love but the woman Fitz has always loved is finally free and will he leave Milly to pursue the dreams of his youth?

I was so eager to read this novel! I was expecting fireworks after the little hints of the first book and the interesting blurb from this one. I confess I imagined dramatic declarations of love and a her who couldn't put aside his wife anymore. Sadly, this progress from partners in crime to friends, to companions, then to lovers and a true couple at last was just too slow. Especially Fitz, I mean, he is a man who thinks about things, who thinks before he acts, who is described as someone who cares and he couldn't see what was in front of his eyes? Well, sure, I guess it's not that difficult to imagine but I really wished he could have acted a bit more in love before the final pages. It felt it wasn't enough to me.

The pace, as it happened with the previous book, is a continuous change between the past and present, when Fitz and Milly met and he development of their relationship and the present, where they are supposed to become new people. It was an interesting way for us to know how they agreed on their relationship and why they now deal with each other as politely as they do but I would have preferred more focus on the present time, where things are happening and where we want to glimpse every moment of change between them.

I think what I miss the most in this novel is raw passion, raw emotions, Milly is jealous, but she has her pride and now that everything she ever wanted might be gone forever, I expected a bit more from her closer to the end because, well, I also admire her dignity. As for Fitz, I understand his willingness to stick to past memories and promises but I think he realized the truth a bit too late and the final pages, when the HEA happens, just seem too quick, too easy for all the things that we saw.

Of course, I also think that the drama and intensity weren't well used here! So much promise here for the story to be powerful and amazing and I think it was a missing goal not to have used a bit more angst. It would have been a wonderful story and perfect. The way it is, it's still very good but I kep imagining all the great scenes we could have had...

All things considered, I still loved the experience of reading this book, in fact, I've read it in one day because I couldn't put it down. 

I think the author picks interesting themes and ideas to develop her stories but never in a cliché manner or following the tactics all the others use. I'm not as eager to read the 3rd as I was for this one but I'll eventually get to it.

After everything, though, I was glad Milly found happiness and how amazing it would be all married couples could have their best friend next to them at the same time...

Grade: 7/10

Sherry Thomas - Beguiling the Beauty

When the Duke of Lexington meets the mysterious Baroness von Seidlitz-Hardenberg on a transatlantic liner, he is fascinated. She’s exactly what he’s been searching for—a beautiful woman who interests and entices him. He falls hard and fast—and soon proposes marriage. And then she disappears without a trace…
For in reality, the “baroness” is Venetia Easterbrook—a proper young widow who had her own vengeful reasons for instigating an affair with the duke. But the plan has backfired. Venetia has fallen in love with the man she despised—and there’s no telling what might happen when she is finally unmasked…

Comment: This is the first full length installment in the Fitzhugh trilogy by author Sherry Thomas. I've been curious about the blurb for a long time and I've purchased the book months and months ago. As always, many books just stay in the TBR pile a lot longer than we wish and only now I finally picked it.

This is the story of Venetia Easterbrook, a woman who's been married twice but never quite happily. She's been labeled as a seductress because of her beauty and has the reputation of being cold and cynical. But the truth is Venetia has a heart just like everyone else.

Christian, the Duke of Lexington, fell in love at first sight with her when both were younger but Venetia's reputation made him stay away from her, something his constant travels helped with.

But now, years after, they are in the same room again in America and once more the Duke says something that Venetia considers offensive. To get revenge, she invents a scheme to seduce him, proving he is like any other man and then confront him. To do this, she disguises herself as a German baroness and, in a ship, they meet properly and fall in love. But what can Venetia do when things get out of hand and she realizes he's the man she never wants to leave?

I ended up enjoying this book a lot!

In the beginning not so much for two reasons: first, one of the secondary characters had an attitude I despise and that apparently she felt no remorse for. Second, I've read other books by the author and while one of them was something I loved (Delicious), the other one ( Private Arrangements) was more on the hate team. This meant I was afraid this would follow more into the latter side and disappoint me. Thankfully, all ended up well and I liked this a lot, I couldn't put it down and read it in one day.

The romance was well aced, I liked all the stages they went through and even when things seemed too angsty, it worked. I really liked how things moved along for them. Venetia could find someone who got her and who would cherish her for who she is and not her looks alone and Christian found a partner who could share his interests and passion for life and the unique. I could easily imagine their life together and that's the best things about a HEA!

The writing is as easy and fluid as ever and one can very easily get into it. the descriptions and the details we could infer by character's actions spoke volumes. We can always like or dislike, agree or disagree. The author does have talent and it shows. I guess it only matters if we can appreciate the characters or not...

The plot had its strengths and weaknesses. Many readers comment on how unlikely it was for Venetia to have deceived Christian for so long. I think one can accept it considering this is a romance and in real life people wouldn't let themselves go through all that work (and expenses) to just prove a point. Personally, I could not focus on that and instead I looked at how special their bond was getting and how beautiful it was so see them fall in love, especially considering all the things they have in common.

I liked the secondary characters, for the most part. Only one really got on my nerves but I suppose I can always rant when I comment on that book, because I know she will have a story too. One of the best things about real series is how we can learn a lot more about all characters, protagonists and secondary, from the interactions they all share. people aren't islands, so I always look for this and mrs Thomas did it quite well here. I loved the little glimpses from other character's perspectives. I say this is a real series because there's an obvious connection we can follow and understand. In my opinion, it's much better than just single books grouped together - which is what many series look like.

All in all, this was great, not perfect, but good and very enjoyable!

I can't wait to read the next one and will do it as soon as I can!

Grade: 8/10

Sherry Thomas - Private Arrangements

To all of London society, Lord and Lady Tremaine had the ideal arrangement: a marriage based on civility, courteousness, and freedom--by all accounts, a perfect marriage. The reason? For the last ten years, husband and wife have resided on separate continents.
But once upon a time, things were quite different for the Tremaines....When Gigi Rowland first laid eyes on Camden Saybrook, the attraction was immediate and overwhelming. But what began in a spark of passion ended in betrayal the morning after their wedding--and now Gigi wants to be free to marry again. When Camden returns from America with an outrageous demand in exchange for her freedom, Gigi's decision will have consequences she never imagined, as secrets are exposed, desire is rekindled--and one of London's most admired couples must either fall in love all over again...or let each other go forever.

Comment: Since I've read Delicious by the author I was very curious to see if I'd like her other books as much as that one, which I loved.
However, I didn't such high expectations over this book because I've read a comment here and there about something having bothered the person for this or that. I didn't pay any attention to the why of it because I intended to read the book someday and didn't want to ruin myself the surprises. Still, part of me dreaded starting the book, while the rest of me was bent on doing it anyway.

This is the story of the couple Camden and Gigi. They've been married for a long time, ten years actually, but all that time was spent living separately. Why? Because they wanted it and because it proved to society a couple could do it and have the perfect marriage, so they've been living in different continents. However, when Gigi wanted a divorce, Camden returned to England and imposed a rule of his own in order to sign the papers later. Gigi was shocked by Camden's ideas but she said yes because she wanted to get it over it, although..part of her was very hurt he didn't want to fight for her. During the book we get often alternate chapters between the current time of action and ten years before when they met and married. It's with all the clues from both time frames that we start to understand what really happened to them, what forced them to live apart and what reasons were so unmanageable for them to do it.
At the same time, we get a second love story - author's trademark, I suppose at this point, only having read two books by her and both with it - between Gigi's mother and a neighbor duke, a more mature but sweet developing romance.

When I first started the book, the first chapters made me as angry as I could imagine because of a book. I was intensely mad at the female protagonist....I still am because she is one of the most awful main female characters ever in a romance I've read. I don't like her, at all. I don't care for her reasons, I don't care she suffered too, I don't care she had her feelings hurt at some point, I don't care for her fears and position, I. DON'T. LIKE. HER. Why? Because all the couple's problems started because of her, because she was selfish and cold and spoiled and what she thought she had to have, she got. She was a scheming person to the bone and I disliked her immensely. But at some point in the past she knew she was behaving wrong, she knew what she was doing was wrong but she believed herself to be in love so I kind of understood why she decided to do the awful thing she did. But when her relationship with her husband seemed doomed and she lost hope of them ever being together, she took lovers. She committed adultery. Well, so did he, but only after she did. And they were apart because of her. So I hated her character, not his. Now all this shouldn't bother me, after all if one can't be happy with someone and like at the time divorces being so hard to gain for a woman, it should be understandable she would find someone else, but...this is romance, this is fiction, this is the 19th century, this is fantasy, she should have waited. I know reality isn't like this, I'm sure is wasn't like this back in 1890, but this is a book, it's romance, I don't want to hate my heroines, I want them to be superior, to be more than somebody else. I really hated the fact she took lovers although it suited her personality. But I did hate even more so because she claimed to still love her husband. And everything was mostly her fault and she loved him and she didn't wait, it really annoys me!
This sort of ruined most of the book for me. I was still curious to see how she would be redeemable and in the end she went after her husband, in a bold way I liked, but she was already too much of a disappointment for me to like her.
Camden wasn't perfect either, but he was hurt in a way I found too awful because when it happened he was so happy and because of that his personality changed too and it was a pity...his attempt to delay the divorce was a bit stupid but he tried and sometimes stupidity is a mask for fear, so...I kind of excused him, although nothing he did was forced on Gigi, she always had a choice. (And no, no one was raped in the book).
The secondary love story was funny and to be honest, the moments I looked for the most.

There's nothing wrong with the writing or the way the author has made the story move along. I just can't stand the heroine and her stupid choices (stupid here meaning stupidity for real) or what she made others go through because of that.
I'm still reading her other books because I believe she wouldn't come with such an awful heroine again...at least not like this. Taste can make people like different things and that's fine, and the same way someone else might like Gigi for her independence and strong personality, I see her failures too much to like her, but this is life. I recommend the book, but with extreme caution..those romantic souls will suffer a bit, I think.