Alyce Caswell - Author - Book Reviews

Alyce Caswell - Author

Dissonant and Disgareeable

28/7/2021

A Night Like This (Smythe-Smith Quartet #2)
by Julia Quinn

Daniel Smythe-Smith only returned from exile in Italy because his enemy promised that he would be safe in London. But someone seems to be after him - and he won't let them endanger Anne Wynter, a governess with whom he feels an instant connection. Anne, however, isn't what she appears to be. And she has an enemy of her own, one that has chased her for years.

Daniel was so incredibly unlikeable that, early on, I was fantasising about the poor review I would give this book. But I did like Anne and her charges - there were quite a few entertaining bits. The climax was very exciting too and nabbed the last amused smile out of me. Back to Daniel, though. I don't think he was mature enough for Anne and he irritated me in too many scenes to count. Unfortunately, his character ruined any enjoyment I had while reading this book.

Sweetly Played in Tune

27/7/2021

Just Like Heaven (Smythe-Smith Quartet #1)
by Julia Quinn

The closest Honoria Smythe-Smith (yes, of <i>those</i> Smythe-Smiths) has come to romance is digging a hole in an attempt to fall convincingly in front of Gregory Bridgerton - but in the process she managed to injure Marcus Holroyd, a man she's known since childhood (and her brother's best friend!). Marcus is in need of care, that's plain, but now he realises he was also in need of something else...

This was a very cute story right from the start. Cute, but a little same-y. I thought the book was going to bumble along in that same vein, but happily things got more interesting when Honoria's mother appeared and took charge for a bit. Honoria and Marcus were both as clueless as each other and I adored watching them figure themselves out. And then of course there was that wonderful climax - at one of the musicales, where else?

Aftershocks and After Scot

25/7/2021

Seduced by the Scot (The Perks of Being an Heiress #3)
by Jillian Eaton

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lady Brynne Weston fell in love with Lord Lachlan Campbell beneath the stars when she was fourteen. More than a decade later, he returns to throw her life into chaos. He's not just the man she unwisely gave her heart to - he's also her husband! Brynne wants her secret dealt with. Legally. But Lachlan means to be with his wife again. Can Brynne forgive him, even after all that happened between them?

It can be tricky to juggle two timelines, but Eaton did it superbly here. This was certainly one of the things that made it very easy to enjoy Seduced by the Scot - the other was that it's unusual for the heroine and hero to already be married. I quite liked the change! I have always wondered what happened next after all those romantic dashes up to Gretna Green. Is love enough to see a hasty marriage through? So I was pleased to see a book dealing with that. However, I was unimpressed with the random (mercifully brief) POV switches to two different characters, who really had no bearing on the plot.

Unmasked

23/7/2021

Spinster Sister (Lawless Ladies #1)
by Elise Marion

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Helena Montgomery has been orphaned, left penniless, and now has to somehow give her younger sister a Season. Only a good marriage will save them now. Lord Sebastian Radcliffe seems like an excellent suitor for her sister - if only Helena didn't feel sparks in his presence! And how will he respond once he knows Helena has become a highwayman in order to support her family?

I loved the premise. I loved Helena. I LOVED this book. It made going to bed at a decent time completely impossible and I have no regrets! A plus-sized heroine...diverse characters who aren't just servants...steamy scenes...a deadly secret. This ticked every box for me. It's also on the shorter side for historical romance, which I appreciated (otherwise I'd have been awake past midnight lol) but you don't feel like you're missing anything. An excellent first book of what looks to be an excellent series.

Angers leads to...a bad review!

21/7/2021

The Rising Storm (The High Republic)
by Cavan Scott

The Great Disaster is over, but the Nihil pirates still pose a grave threat to the Republic. The Chancellor is determined to continue with her great works. The Republic Fair will unite everyone, bring them all together...in one location where they can present a giant target for the Nihil. Meanwhile, the Drengir are causing problems.

Ooh boy. There are still too many characters - I've found a couple I do care about at least. The plot was more coherent than in Light of the Jedi, but too much space was devoted to another "disaster" and only a fraction of it to the Jedi going after the supposed villains. That was disappointing. And I honestly think that Marchion Ro and the Nihil, compared to the Drengir, just aren't that interesting. It's...an odd choice, to not use the better villain in the main storyline. I understand the multiplatform approach, but you've got serious problems when the supporting YA novels and comics are of a much higher standard than the adult books...

(I also read this during the same week that I was finishing up Scott's Dooku audio drama, which also had flaws I couldn't overlook...mostly he devotes too much time to scenes that don't add anything to the plot. I guess his work just isn't for me.)

Love's Labour's Won

19/7/2021

Hit Me with Your Best Scot (Wild Wicked Highlanders #3)
by Suzanne Enoch

Coll MacTaggert needs to be wed within weeks or risk losing the funding for his home - and he has his sights set on Persephone Jones, an actress (after all, his mother said he must marry an "Englishwoman", not a Lady!). Persephone is used to admirers. But someone is trying to kill her and Coll makes her feel safe in a way that no else ever has. Hopefully, he won't discover her secret...

I really thought that the previous book of the two would be my favourite in the series, but I was wrong! I loved Hit Me with Your Best Scot (I will never get tired of these punny titles!). The Shakespearian theme worked really well here and Persephone was such a wonderful character - I will admit that I am biased towards experienced heroines in historical romances, because I find them much more interesting that the bevy of virginal ones. I think I need to try more Suzanne Enoch titles.

Know When to Hold 'Em

18/7/2021

Scot Under the Covers (Wild Wicked Highlanders #20
by Suzanna Enoch

Miranda Harris has always disliked gamblers but now she detests them - for her brother is now so deeply in debt that he has traded her to a forceful suitor in order to save himself. Aden MacTaggert isn't just a gambler; he's one of those Highlanders. Miranda doesn't have many options. She doesn't expect much help from him - and she certainly doesn't expect him to fall for her.

Ooh I loved this one. I haven't seen a villain written this well in a historical romance novel since...well, ever! I really enjoyed seeing how Aden and Miranda dealt with him. Scot Under the Covers doesn't suffer from the setup that dragged down the first half of its predecessor and will definitely hit the spot if you're a little tired of the usual shenanigans (nothing wrong with those books; sometimes you just want a different flavour!).

(insert Scot-related pun here)

17/7/2021

It's Getting Scot in Here (Wild Wicked Highlanders #1)
by Suzanne Enoch

The MacTaggert brothers are faced with a daunting task: all three of them must wed an English lass before their sister is married or they will lose their money. Amelia-Rose Baxter isn't thrilled that she must marry one of these boisterous Highlanders - but why couldn't it be Niall, the youngest and the one who enjoys sparring with her? Too bad he doesn't have the title her parents want...

I came late to this series, so I was interested in seeing how it all began. The MacTaggert boys are a lot of fun and the premise delightfully dresses up an old trope. But for the first half of the book... things just sort of happened. It was sweet, yet there was no tension (possibly because Niall's brother was MIA a lot). Things definitely picked up later - and if I was only judging the back half, then my review would be more favourable. I guess this book suffered from being the one to set things up.

Farm Boy

15/7/2021

Poe Dameron: Free Fall (Star Wars Disney Canon)
by Alex Segura

Poe Dameron is destined to fly among the stars, but he's stuck on his father's farm on Yavin IV with no nope of ever getting out of there. But a chance encounter with some shady characters who need a pilot may just give him the chance he needs - or put him onto the wrong path. His parents were Rebels. But now he could end up being a spice runner for life.

This was a fun YA adventure and I liked that the main conflict was Poe working with criminals, that he fell in with the wrong crowd. For me, it satisfied some of the curiosity I had from The Rise of Skywalker, but not all of it. I do think this might have worked best as a series (though the ending suggests it might be!). Quite a few of the Disney canon novels seem to have been rushed out to appease certain timelines, when they could have worked better as series/trilogies. This all said, I really enjoyed Free Fall.

PS: Is it just me or is it really weird that people decided to start farms on Yavin IV??

Murderbot, PI

13/7/2021

Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries #6)
by Martha Wells

Before the events of Network Effect, Murderbot is still with Preservation and gets the opportunity to solve a murder - much like humans do in many episodes of entertainment feeds. If only Murderbot can retrain the urge to antagonise the security team on Preservation Station...

I'm glad I knew this was set before the book or I would have been very, very confused (though there are enough references to indicate the placement of this novella). So there was nothing in the way of Fugitive Telemetry becoming my favourite Murderbot story ever! I like story arcs and character development, don't get me wrong, but I was really craving a solid standalone story. And this definitely delivered. My Murderbot binge is over, so now begins the impatient wait for the next entry in the series...