Jane Feather

Hahahahahaha, oh Goddddd. OH God.

Okay. Let me start this off by saying: I have some very specific and odd kinks. (I also have odd and specific squicks, but this doesn’t go there.) This book hit so, so, so many of them.

This is the second in Jane Feather’s Bride trilogy and focuses on The Clumsy, Chubby One, Phoebe. Oh, dear God, did it hit so many spots for me. First of all, Phoebe is Olivia’s best friend and Diana’s younger sister. Olivia’s father, Cato, Marquis of Granville, show more marries Diana in the prologue of the trilogy. Diana dies and Diana’s father, in order to keep the alliance strong, decides with Cato that Cato will just marry Phoebe!

To say that I was sold before I even began the book is to just greatly undersell how excited I was about this. I like age differences, I like twisted up family relationships, I love stodgy older asshole with propriety syndrome marrying messes of girls. So.

But oh, Phoebe is so much more than just a mess. She’s passionate and smart and so loving and intense and I love her so much. She pretty quickly dispenses with the Ugly Duckling part of her appearance as soon as she realizes her clothing is working against her and That Boobs Are Awesome. I love, love, love, love love beyond words how the book shows the strength of Phoebe’s character. People dismiss her as a clumsy, dowdy younger sister without much to sell her.

But throughout the course of the book she becomes bold and challenging and adventurous. She sticks by the people she loves with a ferociousness that just destroyed me so much. Like the previous novel in this trilogy, this novel is full of plot and b-plot and c-plot, but none of it seems like spaghetti thrown at the wall to see what sticks.

Cato is, to be short about it, pretty much an ass. But he’s an ass in a way where he’s just pretty accustomed to his life going in a certain way and women acting in a certain manner and he had a very Decided Idea of the person Phoebe was and she does more than turn that upside down. She honestly just bowls him over and he never does quite find his footing with her. It’s amazing. I don’t even know why it’s amazing. It just is.

She doesn’t for a second put up with him when he becomes authoritarian. She is never cowed by him for more than the blink of an eye. She approaches his dictating nature by throwing it back at him and telling him where he can shove it, but it’s in a way with such conviction that it’s just. FEELINGS. Y’ALL. I GOT THE FEELINGS.

AND AS IF MY LOVE FOR PHOEBE WERE NOT ENOUGH.

The book is filthy for a historical romance novel. There’s this one oral scene that is just. Dear God. When Phoebe finally gets up the courage to show Cato that she wants more than his previous wives wanted, that she wants passion and sex and everything he can give her. It’s just. It’s such a touching scene. SHE BLINDFOLDS HIM. I mean, I’M SORRY. AM I A MONSTER? NO. IF YOU PRICK ME, DO I NOT BLEED? I DO. The sex in it is awesome and dirty and wonderful and just.

This boooooook.

The only reason that it doesn’t get 5 stars is there was one huuuuge plot point that was never resolved that just bothered me so badly. Phoebe takes 17th century contraceptive measures to make sure she doesn’t conceive before Cato accepts her for who she is. Having an heir is a huge thing for Cato. He assumes through the novel, and for a couple of major scenes, that she is barren. Not that I think any modern man gets to have a say in it, nor any man of that era, but there was something about never getting a resolution to that that just bothered me. Not that Phoebe should’ve felt guilty or that he would have any right to be angry at her. It just felt like a huge deception that was never dealt with at all! They just lived happily ever after in the epilogue.

So, for that, I can’t give it five stars. I’m not even positive that this 4.5 is reflective of the quality of this book. BUT HOW MANY OF MY BUTTONS CAN YOU PUSH ALL AT ONCE WITHOUT ME GIVING IT THAT MANY? show less

Good book. When Petra meets Guy Granville again, she remembers how he broke her fourteen-year-old heart and decides to give him a taste of his own medicine. She's ten years older now and confident that she can resist his well-known charm. The grown-up Petra intrigues Guy, and he quickly forgets his usual love them and leave them attitude.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Petra and Guy. They met when she was fourteen, and he was twenty-four and spent a great deal of time show more together. (Okay, yes, the age difference at that point is perhaps a little questionable.) Even then, Petra was different from other girls, and Guy enjoyed her company. Petra's schoolgirl heart fell hard for him, and she was devastated when he left without a word. Their first meeting ten years later was a bit awkward. Petra was quite cool to him, while Guy was thoroughly entranced. Petra comes up with a plan to get even by drawing him in and then dumping him the way he did to her. She didn't count on her old feelings coming back even stronger.

The sparks between Guy and Petra were intense, and not just the sparks of attraction. Both of them are strong-willed and clash frequently. Guy tends to be high-handed, taking control of situations without considering other's feelings. Petra, who is protective of her friends and family, has no trouble calling him out when he does so. She also has to work hard to keep him from running over her wishes when they are together. This sets up some interesting confrontations. It isn't long before Petra gives up her plans for revenge and enjoys the time she spends with him. Guy also finds himself more entranced by her than he expected. With the time they spend together, the attraction between them soon burns out of control. I loved Guy's "aha" moment when he realized that he wants it all with Petra and impulsively proposes.

However, neither Petra nor Guy quite realizes what marriage will require from them. Clashes begin immediately over wedding plans. Both Petra and Guy had good reasons for their wishes, and it took some effort for them to find a compromise. Fortunately, they do, and the wedding and honeymoon proceed on schedule and with rave reviews from both of them. But Petra and Guy stand on opposite sides of one significant issue - women's suffrage. Guy had no idea how deeply involved in the movement Petra is at first, and it comes as quite a shock when he finds out. I ached for Petra as she realized that, unlike her friends Diana and Fenella's husbands, hers does not support her views and work. I wanted to shake Guy over his attitude toward her thoughts. This sets up a devastating confrontation when her involvement in a suffrage event clashes with his position in the House of Lords. While I empathized somewhat with Guy, he could have handled things much better. Petra, too, was not entirely blameless. I liked the ending, as Guy discovered he could change given the right motivation, and Petra also learned the art of compromise.

I liked seeing Diana and Fenella from the first two books and getting a glimpse of their happy marriages. I love the close friendship between the three women and how they support each other. I think the story would have benefitted from an epilogue, maybe a few years on, to see how all three couples have turned out. show less

Good book. Diana is dismayed and angry when she returns to England after her father and brother's deaths to find that her ex-fiance has moved into her family home. It's even worse when she learns that her brother left his share of their inheritance to Rupert and not her. To cap it all off, he refuses to leave occupancy to her and insists on sharing the house with her.

Rupert knew Diana wouldn't take kindly to the news, but he didn't expect such an extreme reaction. He's still angry over how show more she broke their engagement and dealing with his own grief over the loss of his best friend.

Boy, did the sparks ever fly between these two. When Jem and Rupert left England for South Africa to fight in the Boer War, Rupert and Diana were engaged. At the same time, she left England to stay with her father in South Africa and be near Rupert and Jem. But when she arrived, Diana confronted Rupert over a rumor she heard regarding a mistress and a child. She wasn't angry or accusing; she simply wanted to know the truth. However, Rupert never answered the question; he just turned and walked away. That left Diana feeling that she had no choice but to break the engagement. Fast forward two years and Rupert and Diana are thrown together.

I liked both Rupert and Diana, but I also had problems with them. Rupert is a gentleman and an officer in the Horse Guards. However, due to his upbringing, he has some serious trust issues. He does not lie, and when someone questions him, he takes it badly, believing that person doesn't trust him. His unwillingness to answer a simple question made him appear guilty, so I couldn't fault Diana for her reaction. Diana is a practical woman and one who doesn't like to be left in the dark. She has no problem questioning things that happen around her. But when there is something that she doesn't like, she can be petty and childish, deliberately provoking Rupert.

The development of the relationship between Rupert and Diana was a fiery one. Before the broken engagement, their love seemed deep and unshakeable, and their attraction undeniable. Not much is said about the time they were apart, but it quickly becomes clear that they hadn't forgotten each other. It was interesting to see that Rupert not only expected Diana's reaction, he looked forward to it, though he is surprised at how furious she is. He refuses all of her proposals that would cede the house to her, instead proposing that they share it. To avoid scandal, using their engagement before they left England, Rupert insists that they pretend they are married. Diana's anger and hurt over what she sees as her brother's betrayal are understandable, but she goes overboard in her reaction. Instead of working with Rupert to find a compromise, Diana takes petty to a new level. Not only does she divide the house into his and her rooms, but she also refuses to allow the servants to help him.

A large part of the book is full of Rupert and Diana pushing each other's buttons, seeming to revel in ticking each other off. I honestly wanted to shake them both and tell them to grow up. Complicating matters was the attraction that still burned between them. It appeared that every time they got into an argument, they ended up in bed. They finally got to the point where they accepted the attraction, but Diana kept the distance between them. When it looks like maybe they will finally get to the bottom of what came between them, yet another rumor rears its head. Diana desperately wants to know the details of her brother's death, Rupert isn't talking, and Diana gets disquieting comments from other people. When Diana asks Rupert for his side, he once again walks away rather than answer her. I liked that this time Diana doesn't take his departure lying down but determinedly pursues him. Tracking him down gives her a new perspective and appreciation of his past, making it easier to break through his walls. I loved seeing Rupert finally open up and tell Diana everything. I ached for him and the guilt he felt and loved Diana's honest and practical reaction to what he told her. With that demon off their backs, Rupert and Diana are finally able to look to their future. I loved the ending and the surprise that Rupert had for her. show less

This was a good book overall, though I did have a few things that I looked at a bit cross-eyed. Both characters are well-born, but not typical of their contemporaries. Their relationship is very volatile, as both have tempers.

Fenella is the daughter of a baron, but one who doesn't enjoy Society life, which she finds dreadfully dull. She is a modern woman who is interested in world events, politics, and women's suffrage. She has a suitor who takes the progress of their relationship for show more granted. She also has a secret. She wants to be an actress and has been taking acting lessons in pursuit of that goal. She is excited when the acting coach brings a new play to class, and she reads the leading role. Things go downhill quickly when the play's writer verbally attacks her interpretation of the character, and Fenella fires back with her own opinion, then walks out.

Edward is the illegitimate son of an earl. After the age of seven, he was raised with his legitimate siblings, who never let him forget that he was an outsider. He received an excellent education but became persona non grata with his family when he preferred to make his own way in the world. Edward is happy with his job as a research assistant for an English professor, which gives him time for his writing. The lead in his play is based on the girl who fascinated him when he was younger - Fenella. The woman she is now is equally fascinating but also incredibly frustrating.

The sparks flew between Fenella and Edward from the moment they met. Fenella is independent and outspoken and has no problem telling Edward precisely what she thinks. Edward is focused on his goal and protective of his work. I will say that I didn't like Edward much at the beginning. He is so volatile, flipping from angry to nice to angry again at the drop of a hat. I would begin to think that he'd finally settled down when something would set him off again. I understood why Fenella wasn't sure whether she liked the man, even though she was attracted to him. She was interested enough in the play to give him a second chance, but she was also wary. That wariness, however, wasn't enough to stop the attraction she also felt.

I was surprised by the speed with which Fenella and Edward became intimate. Those sparks burst into flame within a few days, and from there on out, they could barely keep their hands off each other. The ease with which Fenella was able to be alone with Edward was surprising. No one seemed to care that she went off alone, came home in the wee hours, if at all, or changed plans with no notice. There were a few instances where I saw some logic in her actions. I liked that she was determined to keep their personal relationship separate from their professional one, as she worried that he was only interested in keeping her in her role as Rose.

There were several times when I thought Edward strayed too close to abusive behavior. His frequent bursts of temper were disturbing, especially when he didn't seem to know what set him off. He had some times of being controlling, though Fenella did fairly well of pulling out of those when she wanted to. The more I got to know Edward, the more I realized that some of it was that he didn't know any better because of the way he was raised. There were other times when he was charming and thoughtful, which gave me hope for their future.

There was one point near the end when that future became questionable. When Fenella impulsively does something she thinks will help Edward, she doesn't think it all the way through. Edward blows up, saying some unspeakably cruel things, rather than considering the spirit of the offer. I ached for them both, as Fenella believes that everything is over between them, and Edward wants to find a way to mend fences. The dinner scene before the ball was painful for all, but especially for Fenella, stuck between Edward and George. The ball scene was fun. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing George get what was coming to him. Edward and Fenella had a productive discussion before going on to face down his nasty half-siblings. I loved the epilogue and seeing how the play was received. I loved Edward's big moment at the end. Fenella described their relationship perfectly when she said, "We're like pieces of a jigsaw; we fit together, except sometimes when we seem to be in different puzzles."

I liked Fenella's friends, Diana and Petra. I will need to go back and read Diana's story. I liked her and what I saw of her husband. There was a sneak-peek into Petra's book at the end of this one, and I am intrigued to read hers, too. show less