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Leland Sisters #0.5
Courtship & Curses (Hardback) - Common
Two years ago, illness left Lady Sophie Rosier unable to walk except with a cane…and also killed both her mother and her magical powers. Now it’s 1815 and time for her first London season, and a girl who once loved to dance is forced to watch while others waltz on strong, untwisted legs and flirt with boys who don't even seem to see her.On the night of her first party Sophie’s father is nearly crushed by a falling statue, and only she knows that a magic spell was behind the “accident”. When other members of government suffer similar magical attacks, Sophie and her new best friend Parthenope decide to investigate. It’s not an easy task when she can’t rely on her slowly-returning magic to help—or keep her thoughts off Parthenope’s handsome cousin, the Earl of Woodbridge…except that the safety of England may very well be at stake.In the glittering ballrooms of Regency London and Brussels on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo you’ll meet a sketchy fortune hunter, a magic-sensing parakeet, a long-lost love, a plant-obsessed aunt, and the Duke of Wellington…and a courageous young girl trying to find her balance in a difficult world.
343 pages, Hardcover
First published August 7, 2012
10 people are currently reading
1947 people want to read
About the author
Marissa Doyle
25 books264 followersI try to write the kinds of stories I most enjoy reading...which means stories with heroines finding out who they are, their strengths and purposes, and where they belong in the world...and usually saving the day in the process (no damsels in distress here!) It means romance, but not with a capital "R". It means a lighter tone because I write what I like to read and I'm not really into cathartic reading...so you might want to think twice before picking up my books if you like dark and angsty reads as I might not be your cup of tea. I want to write mini-vacations for readers--give you stories that are fun and satisfying and put you into a good mood for when you close my books, smile, and step back out into the real world.
So there you go.
Oh, and for my bio--married mom of three young adults, life-long New Englander, passionate about history and research and anything from the past, and devoted to my adorable pet bunnies, whose photos I tend to paste all over Facebook. I don't review books much here on GR, but I have catalogued my library on LibraryThing and enjoy talking about books both there and here, so don't be afraid to say hello. And if you want an occasional newsletter with info on upcoming books, freebies, and more, visit http://eepurl.com/bVDwlf
So there you go.
Oh, and for my bio--married mom of three young adults, life-long New Englander, passionate about history and research and anything from the past, and devoted to my adorable pet bunnies, whose photos I tend to paste all over Facebook. I don't review books much here on GR, but I have catalogued my library on LibraryThing and enjoy talking about books both there and here, so don't be afraid to say hello. And if you want an occasional newsletter with info on upcoming books, freebies, and more, visit http://eepurl.com/bVDwlf
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
November 11, 2022
It wasn't so funny like Bewitching Season (first part of the series), at least for me.
There could have been no magic at all here, the story would have survived.
To me, it was the story about defining oneself. Who you want to be, who you are afraid to be. Who, you think, other people want you to be. The message was really well put into the story. I am sure that many young people with some kind of illness or just looking a little different from most people, will find here comfort and encouragement.
A love story was charming. Totally predictable and sweet.
And when it comes to a mystery, as QNPoohBear wrote: Even though I guessed the identity of the villain, I still couldn't put the novel down until I saw the plot through to the end.
I want to give Marissa Doyle an additional point (star) for her ability to interweaving the historical facts with magical events. Like in 'Bewitching Season' she did it in a way that consequences remained the same. So, a reader can almost believe that magic could have existed. The historical background here was so good (truthful) that I would not be afraid to recommend it to someone who doesn't know Regency era (the year 1915). [Some other stories give a wrong impression for inexperienced readers.]
There could have been no magic at all here, the story would have survived.
To me, it was the story about defining oneself. Who you want to be, who you are afraid to be. Who, you think, other people want you to be. The message was really well put into the story. I am sure that many young people with some kind of illness or just looking a little different from most people, will find here comfort and encouragement.
You’re the only one who can make you what you ought to be.
A love story was charming. Totally predictable and sweet.
And when it comes to a mystery, as QNPoohBear wrote: Even though I guessed the identity of the villain, I still couldn't put the novel down until I saw the plot through to the end.
I want to give Marissa Doyle an additional point (star) for her ability to interweaving the historical facts with magical events. Like in 'Bewitching Season' she did it in a way that consequences remained the same. So, a reader can almost believe that magic could have existed. The historical background here was so good (truthful) that I would not be afraid to recommend it to someone who doesn't know Regency era (the year 1915). [Some other stories give a wrong impression for inexperienced readers.]
February 10, 2016
Courtship and Curses started in a promising manner and was an engaging read for about a third of the story before it hit a downward slope from the halfway mark and never quite recovered. It was like all the early potential just fizzled out before it could reach a climax - a pity, though it was still an okay read ultimately.
I rather liked Sophie for the early part of the story; her obvious and understandable insecurities aside, she's a uniquely calm, sensible and graceful sort of character with a down-to-earth quality. Left crippled from an illness, she now carries a noticeable limp and requires a cane for walking - not the sort of thing a girl who's finally celebrating her season wants. I kept rooting for her to overcome those insecurities and really display the strength of character she kept hidden, but this character growth took so long and came so late in the game that I'd lost most of my sympathy for her by then. The problem was that Sophie stubbornly insisted on self-pity and had a tendency to lash out at actions from her friends that were made out of kindness (because she assumes it's out of pity). It's unattractive at best and frustrating at worst, and this behaviour grew more marked in the latter half of the book. The growth trajectory doesn't even make sense.
Despite starting off on the wrong foot (pun not intended), Sophie and Peregrine's slow romance was really rather sweet and was the main attraction for me... but again, this only lasted until around the halfway mark. For some reason that I failed to decipher, what began as a slow-burn courtship turned into a strange mix of rather advanced (for them) romantic interactions out of nowhere () and completely unnecessary fights that turn into prolonged feuds. And then it skips straight to a grand true love, by which point I was entirely unconvinced by Sophie and Peregrine's relationship.
What convinced me even less was the period language used and etiquette displayed by characters in this book. Characters, particularly Sophie and the Barkers, felt like they were far more modern souls who only remembered every so often that they were supposed to be living during the Napoleonic era. The remarkably casual tossing around of magic felt out of place in this context as well - for much of the first half, which was more focused on Sophie's season and budding romance with Peregrine, it was forgotten and the story read like a historical romance, only for the tone to switch and for magic to move front and center in the latter half while the historical half (and all the fun courtroom maneuvers) were left behind.
The one bright spot that never faded was Sophie's best friend, Parthenope - I rather wish she was the main character by the end of the book. Parthenope was full of spunk, humour and general joie de vivre, making her a welcome change to the increasingly mopey Sophie.
I rather liked Sophie for the early part of the story; her obvious and understandable insecurities aside, she's a uniquely calm, sensible and graceful sort of character with a down-to-earth quality. Left crippled from an illness, she now carries a noticeable limp and requires a cane for walking - not the sort of thing a girl who's finally celebrating her season wants. I kept rooting for her to overcome those insecurities and really display the strength of character she kept hidden, but this character growth took so long and came so late in the game that I'd lost most of my sympathy for her by then. The problem was that Sophie stubbornly insisted on self-pity and had a tendency to lash out at actions from her friends that were made out of kindness (because she assumes it's out of pity). It's unattractive at best and frustrating at worst, and this behaviour grew more marked in the latter half of the book. The growth trajectory doesn't even make sense.
Despite starting off on the wrong foot (pun not intended), Sophie and Peregrine's slow romance was really rather sweet and was the main attraction for me... but again, this only lasted until around the halfway mark. For some reason that I failed to decipher, what began as a slow-burn courtship turned into a strange mix of rather advanced (for them) romantic interactions out of nowhere () and completely unnecessary fights that turn into prolonged feuds. And then it skips straight to a grand true love, by which point I was entirely unconvinced by Sophie and Peregrine's relationship.
What convinced me even less was the period language used and etiquette displayed by characters in this book. Characters, particularly Sophie and the Barkers, felt like they were far more modern souls who only remembered every so often that they were supposed to be living during the Napoleonic era. The remarkably casual tossing around of magic felt out of place in this context as well - for much of the first half, which was more focused on Sophie's season and budding romance with Peregrine, it was forgotten and the story read like a historical romance, only for the tone to switch and for magic to move front and center in the latter half while the historical half (and all the fun courtroom maneuvers) were left behind.
The one bright spot that never faded was Sophie's best friend, Parthenope - I rather wish she was the main character by the end of the book. Parthenope was full of spunk, humour and general joie de vivre, making her a welcome change to the increasingly mopey Sophie.
October 14, 2012
I honestly wasn't expecting much from this book. I have read Doyle's previous two Leland sister books, and they were OK, but a little disappointing to me. No disappointment with this book though! I loved Sophie, Parthenope, Amelie, and Peregrine. I loved the friendships between Amelie and Sophie and Parthenope and Sophie. I thought the romance between Sophie and Peregrine was perfectly done...sweet and believable and not rushed. It's a lovely, fun book that brought to mind Sorcery and Cecelia, or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot. And although this is technically a prequel to Doyle's other two Leland sister books (Bewitching Season and Betraying Season), it stands perfectly well on its own. In fact, it took me awhile to even figure out what the connection was. Definitely recommended to readers who want a little Jane Austen or Georgette Heyer plus magic.
June 30, 2018
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I was craving a little Regency Romance but needed some paranormal elements. I loved the main character. And when we dive into the magic it was so much fun...I just wish there was more.
April 5, 2014
Lady Sophie Rosier is not looking forward to her comeout this year 1815. She had always dreamed of being guided through her Season with her beloved Mama, but a recent illness took Sophie's Mama and little sister and left Sophie lame. Now Sophie is all alone. Papa has been too absorbed in his work at the War Office now that Napoleon is back on the throne and her Aunt Molly is only interested in plants. Aunt Isabel isn't much of a comfort either, being sour and strict. Sophie soon discovers that navigating the social waters of London are far more difficult when one is lame. Half the ton think Sophie is a hunchbacked half-wit and the other half pity her. The only one Sophie can really be herself with is Madame Amelie Carswell, the widow of Papa's old friend, recently arrived from India. Then Lord Woodbridge and his exuberant cousin Parthenope crash into Sophie's life (almost literally). Sophie adores the brash, crazy Parthenope right away but what about her handsome cousin? He seems to want to be Sophie's friend (or more...) but could it be only that he pities her or wants to protect her? How can Sophie know if he's sincere? As if romantic problems weren't enough, Sophie soon realizes that a number of dangerous accidents were no accidents at all - they were targeted assassination attempts on members of the War Office. Sophie is certain because ... each accident bears traces of magic. Only Sophie can detect the magic and that's all she can do because her illness not only took her beloved relatives, it took her magic as well. With help from Parthenope (and just maybe Peregrine, Lord Woodbridge) Sophie sets out to get her magic back and find the traitor before it's too late.
This book is a light, frothy fun Regency set romantic comedy with danger and magic thrown in. I liked Sophie and could empathize with her and some of her feelings. She's a tough girl and a bit difficult to get to know and really like because she's wary. She may not appeal to every reader. I enjoyed her growth and watching her become a woman. The lively Parthenope is great fun. She's outrageous and outspoken and has a pet parakeet that made me laugh out loud in a lot of places. She's wild and impetuous at times but a true and loyal friend. Readers of Bewitching Season will enjoy getting to know the twins' Mama when she was their age. James Leland also makes a cameo! My favorite character is Aunt Molly, the absentminded horticulturalist. She also provides a lot of comic relief and is a refreshing foil for Aunt Isabel, the typical Regency aunt. The plot is excellent. It wasn't too difficult to figure out who the villain was but the reader will have to pay attention to the clues because all of the story is from Sophie's point-of-view and none of it from the villain. That made it a bit more difficult to figure out. The choice of villain was rather cliched and I was sad to discover who it was. Even though I guessed the identity of the villain, I still couldn't put the novel down until I saw the plot through to the end. There's also a sweet romance plot woven throughout the story. Woodbridge is a wonderful hero. He's not too two-dimensional. He makes a lot of mistakes, he's proud and always arguing with his cousin. The descriptions of the setting and clothing worn are incredible! Marissa Doyle has done a lot of research and it shows. Even if I wasn't familiar with Regency London I would easily be able to picture everything, right down to Sophie's beautiful gowns. Those who loved Bewitching Season will love this one as well (or vice versa). Another fabulous novel from Marissa Doyle!
This book is a light, frothy fun Regency set romantic comedy with danger and magic thrown in. I liked Sophie and could empathize with her and some of her feelings. She's a tough girl and a bit difficult to get to know and really like because she's wary. She may not appeal to every reader. I enjoyed her growth and watching her become a woman. The lively Parthenope is great fun. She's outrageous and outspoken and has a pet parakeet that made me laugh out loud in a lot of places. She's wild and impetuous at times but a true and loyal friend. Readers of Bewitching Season will enjoy getting to know the twins' Mama when she was their age. James Leland also makes a cameo! My favorite character is Aunt Molly, the absentminded horticulturalist. She also provides a lot of comic relief and is a refreshing foil for Aunt Isabel, the typical Regency aunt. The plot is excellent. It wasn't too difficult to figure out who the villain was but the reader will have to pay attention to the clues because all of the story is from Sophie's point-of-view and none of it from the villain. That made it a bit more difficult to figure out. The choice of villain was rather cliched and I was sad to discover who it was. Even though I guessed the identity of the villain, I still couldn't put the novel down until I saw the plot through to the end. There's also a sweet romance plot woven throughout the story. Woodbridge is a wonderful hero. He's not too two-dimensional. He makes a lot of mistakes, he's proud and always arguing with his cousin. The descriptions of the setting and clothing worn are incredible! Marissa Doyle has done a lot of research and it shows. Even if I wasn't familiar with Regency London I would easily be able to picture everything, right down to Sophie's beautiful gowns. Those who loved Bewitching Season will love this one as well (or vice versa). Another fabulous novel from Marissa Doyle!
October 16, 2012
Last year, I read Marissa Doyle's Bewitching Season and was a bit dubious. My dubiousness started when I saw the cover, with the badly fitted dress from the wrong period (this is 1837, not 1850!) and the funny curls. In short, the cover summed up my problems with the book: it just didn't convince me that the setting was really Victorian England.
But then I saw the cover for Doyle's latest book, Courtship and Curses, and look at it! It's not an awkwardly posed photograph; in fact it seems to be a tinted print, from the right period, and it made me stop and go, "Huh." And then I put it on hold. And I was right about it--it's a very nice book with lots of period detail and a heroine who is learning to deal with the fact that she's disabled. Plus there's a sweet romance and a good depiction of a friendship between two girls.
So was I right to judge the two books by their covers? Would I have liked Bewitching Season better if I hadn't been instantly put off when I picked it up? I don't know. I'd guess that it might have helped but that Doyle has also grown as a writer.
But then I saw the cover for Doyle's latest book, Courtship and Curses, and look at it! It's not an awkwardly posed photograph; in fact it seems to be a tinted print, from the right period, and it made me stop and go, "Huh." And then I put it on hold. And I was right about it--it's a very nice book with lots of period detail and a heroine who is learning to deal with the fact that she's disabled. Plus there's a sweet romance and a good depiction of a friendship between two girls.
So was I right to judge the two books by their covers? Would I have liked Bewitching Season better if I hadn't been instantly put off when I picked it up? I don't know. I'd guess that it might have helped but that Doyle has also grown as a writer.
October 10, 2016
loved it
March 22, 2016
*Special Content only on my blog, Strange and Random Happenstance during Regency Magic (March & April 2016)
Sophie spent years dreaming of what it would be like to have her first season in London. Needless to say her daydreams were nothing like the reality her life has become. When the illness came no one could have guessed the toll it would take on the Rosier family. Sophie lost her mother, her sister, and the assurance of two strong limbs holding her up. She is now crippled and must rely on a cane to support her. Therefore spending months in ballrooms unable to dance escorted by her aunts isn't exactly what she hoped for. That doesn't even take the rumors into account. The fact that the ton has somehow gotten it into it's collective consciousness that she is some kind of malformed freak that can't string two words together, let alone form a sentence, is galling. At least if they see her their misconceptions should be fixed, shouldn't they? But for all that Sophie has endured nothing has cut her to the quick more than the loss of her magic. The illness that ravaged her body also took away what was most precious and secret to her. What's worse is that she has no one to turn to. Her mother taught her in secret, and with her mother gone who can she trust?
Soon Sophie's lack of magic is a major worry. Her father, Lord Lansell, is almost the victim of a tragic accident. The almost had nothing to do with Sophie but with the dashing Lord Woodbridge. In fact Sophie only made matters worse. But soon another "accident" leads Sophie to a startling discovery, many members of the War Office have been "attacked" in these seemingly random ways. Could a French Spy be using magic in order to undermine the British war effort against Napoleon? If this is the case Sophie needs her magic back more then ever! But protecting her father isn't the only thing occupying her time. Lord Woodbridge won't leave her alone. Sure she could see herself prior to her deformity falling for such a man, but that was before. What could he see in her now? As for his cousin Parthenope and her parakeet Hester, they have quickly become Sophie's trusted allies. So why can she trust Parthenope but can't trust her feelings for Lord Woodbridge? It is all too confusing and she really needs her mother. But perhaps Sophie will realize that even with a cane she can stand on her own two feet and make a contribution to the world.
This is THE Regency Magic book you've been waiting for in Marissa Doyle's series. While the first two books were lovely, being set during the time of Victoria they weren't so much Regency and therefore had a different, if still magical, writing style. Courtship and Curses though is all Regency all the time! Tangentially relating to the previous Leland sisters book by following Pen and Persy's mother, Parthenope, and her first season, there's a moral formal, more Jane Austen air to the writing that some people might find too stylized but which I reveled in. There's just something magical about books set during the Regency, whether they contain magic or not. Personally I would never want to do "the season" and as for paying house calls everyday? Spare me now. It's a world that I wouldn't ever necessarily want to live in, yet somehow these books about bygone days of balls and manners just draw me in. Now I don't want you thinking I'm not a connoisseur of this style, because I am. It takes a special kind of author and story to whisk me away and Marissa Doyle did an admirable job of providing me with the cheapest kind of time travel around.
Being fully back in the Regency means that we get war and Wellington. I kid you not that Wellington is one of my favorite characters to be portrayed fictionally. He was such a symbol of the time and such a lightning rod for the war with France that I seriously just want him at every ball being boisterous and opinionated. Of course I always picture Wellington as Stephen Fry from Blackadder and that doesn't hurt. But Marissa Doyle doesn't just use Wellington as a signifier for the war with France or even for comedic purposes, she uses him to show the actual danger that the war represents and also as a sort of catalyst for Sophie to embrace herself and her magic. This entire volume actually serves to remind us of the dangers of life during wartime. In the previous volumes everything that occurred was building to one great and dangerous event that would change everything. Here there is constant peril for members of the War Office. Attack after attack after attack. It's not that it just ups the suspense, it's that you feel the danger more. This isn't your typical Jane Austen with balls and courting, with officers only entering to show off their lovely uniforms. I would say that Marissa Doyle captures more of what Thackeray did with Vanity Fair. The harsh reality versus the rose-tinted glasses.
One of the harsh realities of war is prejudice. Of course this is something our heroine Sophie has had to face with her deformity. But during a war prejudice is pretty much universally shifted to the country that you are fighting, in this instance France. There are two prominent French characters in Courtship and Curses, Madame Carswell, the widow of Lord Lansell's oldest and dearest friend, and a confidant to Sophie, and the Comte de Carmouche-Ponthieux, a lost love of Sophie's Aunt Molly. Madame Carswell more than the Comte is the subject of much gossip, not just because she's French, but because she's a threat to those older women who want to get their claws into Lord Lansell. Sophie is wonderful in that she stands by her friends. She has known the evil glares of others and tries to protect those who protect her. Yet what I find most interesting is that in one of these two instances her trust actually isn't justified. Prejudices form for a reason, no matter how stupid, and while we should always fight it, sometimes, just sometimes the reason for them rears it's ugly head. And I like that Marissa Doyle doesn't make it so clear cut, because that isn't the way of the world. Not everyone we prejudge is deserving of exoneration, just as we should try to be less prejudiced. Life is full of these contradictions and to have both innocence and guilt shown goes to the heart of life's messiness. Plus, manipulating our prejudices does keep a story going.
Yet the heart of this book is Sophie. What really struck me about this book is that Sophie is a very different type of heroine. With her deformity she has a very different vantage point from anyone else. It's not just that she's more passive in society being relegated to the sidelines of the ballrooms and therefore sees more, it's that the way people viewed deformities during this time was so different that it would be so easy to think badly of yourself. Because deformities were thought to outwardly show an inner malignancy. That obviously Sophie's foot was because she had something very wrong with her, not that she was the victim of a serious illness she couldn't control, despite being a witch. Now most authors would use this set up to give us a "teaching moment" on what it means to be broken and to willingly accept our limitations, or how to overcome this, but thankfully that isn't what Marissa Doyle does at all. Instead we are shown Sophie's very real struggle and her inner turmoil that asks how can we be strong when we think ourselves crippled in mind or in body? Because it isn't the affliction it's the attitude that is important. So while we are "taught" that a positive attitude can overcome anything, we aren't "taught" it with a stick.
This goes even deeper when you look at the "good" and the "bad" people that surround Sophie. Being brought out in society by her Aunts, Sophie's Aunt Isobel is always telling her how lucky she'll be to get a second son with no prospects because of what she is. It's never about WHO she is, but WHAT. I can't help thinking about the analogy of being overweight. I was told my entire life that I was overweight. Looking back at pictures when I was younger I wasn't overweight in the least, yet I believed it. I believed it so much that I developed the mindset that this was something that would never change and therefore what I ate and how I took care of myself didn't matter and I did become overweight as a result. But I don't think that way anymore, or at least I try not to, and it's because of my friends. It's about surrounding yourself with good people, people who see who you are. People who boost you up and not drag you down. That is what Madame Carswell, Parthenope, and Lord Woodbridge do for Sophie. They make her realize that she is special. That she isn't defined by some outward feature that people can point at and laugh. That is why her magic returns. That and a stern talking to by Wellington. Sophie's magic is basically her self-esteem. She learns to love herself and therefore she is powerful. Now that is something we all need to remember!
Sophie spent years dreaming of what it would be like to have her first season in London. Needless to say her daydreams were nothing like the reality her life has become. When the illness came no one could have guessed the toll it would take on the Rosier family. Sophie lost her mother, her sister, and the assurance of two strong limbs holding her up. She is now crippled and must rely on a cane to support her. Therefore spending months in ballrooms unable to dance escorted by her aunts isn't exactly what she hoped for. That doesn't even take the rumors into account. The fact that the ton has somehow gotten it into it's collective consciousness that she is some kind of malformed freak that can't string two words together, let alone form a sentence, is galling. At least if they see her their misconceptions should be fixed, shouldn't they? But for all that Sophie has endured nothing has cut her to the quick more than the loss of her magic. The illness that ravaged her body also took away what was most precious and secret to her. What's worse is that she has no one to turn to. Her mother taught her in secret, and with her mother gone who can she trust?
Soon Sophie's lack of magic is a major worry. Her father, Lord Lansell, is almost the victim of a tragic accident. The almost had nothing to do with Sophie but with the dashing Lord Woodbridge. In fact Sophie only made matters worse. But soon another "accident" leads Sophie to a startling discovery, many members of the War Office have been "attacked" in these seemingly random ways. Could a French Spy be using magic in order to undermine the British war effort against Napoleon? If this is the case Sophie needs her magic back more then ever! But protecting her father isn't the only thing occupying her time. Lord Woodbridge won't leave her alone. Sure she could see herself prior to her deformity falling for such a man, but that was before. What could he see in her now? As for his cousin Parthenope and her parakeet Hester, they have quickly become Sophie's trusted allies. So why can she trust Parthenope but can't trust her feelings for Lord Woodbridge? It is all too confusing and she really needs her mother. But perhaps Sophie will realize that even with a cane she can stand on her own two feet and make a contribution to the world.
This is THE Regency Magic book you've been waiting for in Marissa Doyle's series. While the first two books were lovely, being set during the time of Victoria they weren't so much Regency and therefore had a different, if still magical, writing style. Courtship and Curses though is all Regency all the time! Tangentially relating to the previous Leland sisters book by following Pen and Persy's mother, Parthenope, and her first season, there's a moral formal, more Jane Austen air to the writing that some people might find too stylized but which I reveled in. There's just something magical about books set during the Regency, whether they contain magic or not. Personally I would never want to do "the season" and as for paying house calls everyday? Spare me now. It's a world that I wouldn't ever necessarily want to live in, yet somehow these books about bygone days of balls and manners just draw me in. Now I don't want you thinking I'm not a connoisseur of this style, because I am. It takes a special kind of author and story to whisk me away and Marissa Doyle did an admirable job of providing me with the cheapest kind of time travel around.
Being fully back in the Regency means that we get war and Wellington. I kid you not that Wellington is one of my favorite characters to be portrayed fictionally. He was such a symbol of the time and such a lightning rod for the war with France that I seriously just want him at every ball being boisterous and opinionated. Of course I always picture Wellington as Stephen Fry from Blackadder and that doesn't hurt. But Marissa Doyle doesn't just use Wellington as a signifier for the war with France or even for comedic purposes, she uses him to show the actual danger that the war represents and also as a sort of catalyst for Sophie to embrace herself and her magic. This entire volume actually serves to remind us of the dangers of life during wartime. In the previous volumes everything that occurred was building to one great and dangerous event that would change everything. Here there is constant peril for members of the War Office. Attack after attack after attack. It's not that it just ups the suspense, it's that you feel the danger more. This isn't your typical Jane Austen with balls and courting, with officers only entering to show off their lovely uniforms. I would say that Marissa Doyle captures more of what Thackeray did with Vanity Fair. The harsh reality versus the rose-tinted glasses.
One of the harsh realities of war is prejudice. Of course this is something our heroine Sophie has had to face with her deformity. But during a war prejudice is pretty much universally shifted to the country that you are fighting, in this instance France. There are two prominent French characters in Courtship and Curses, Madame Carswell, the widow of Lord Lansell's oldest and dearest friend, and a confidant to Sophie, and the Comte de Carmouche-Ponthieux, a lost love of Sophie's Aunt Molly. Madame Carswell more than the Comte is the subject of much gossip, not just because she's French, but because she's a threat to those older women who want to get their claws into Lord Lansell. Sophie is wonderful in that she stands by her friends. She has known the evil glares of others and tries to protect those who protect her. Yet what I find most interesting is that in one of these two instances her trust actually isn't justified. Prejudices form for a reason, no matter how stupid, and while we should always fight it, sometimes, just sometimes the reason for them rears it's ugly head. And I like that Marissa Doyle doesn't make it so clear cut, because that isn't the way of the world. Not everyone we prejudge is deserving of exoneration, just as we should try to be less prejudiced. Life is full of these contradictions and to have both innocence and guilt shown goes to the heart of life's messiness. Plus, manipulating our prejudices does keep a story going.
Yet the heart of this book is Sophie. What really struck me about this book is that Sophie is a very different type of heroine. With her deformity she has a very different vantage point from anyone else. It's not just that she's more passive in society being relegated to the sidelines of the ballrooms and therefore sees more, it's that the way people viewed deformities during this time was so different that it would be so easy to think badly of yourself. Because deformities were thought to outwardly show an inner malignancy. That obviously Sophie's foot was because she had something very wrong with her, not that she was the victim of a serious illness she couldn't control, despite being a witch. Now most authors would use this set up to give us a "teaching moment" on what it means to be broken and to willingly accept our limitations, or how to overcome this, but thankfully that isn't what Marissa Doyle does at all. Instead we are shown Sophie's very real struggle and her inner turmoil that asks how can we be strong when we think ourselves crippled in mind or in body? Because it isn't the affliction it's the attitude that is important. So while we are "taught" that a positive attitude can overcome anything, we aren't "taught" it with a stick.
This goes even deeper when you look at the "good" and the "bad" people that surround Sophie. Being brought out in society by her Aunts, Sophie's Aunt Isobel is always telling her how lucky she'll be to get a second son with no prospects because of what she is. It's never about WHO she is, but WHAT. I can't help thinking about the analogy of being overweight. I was told my entire life that I was overweight. Looking back at pictures when I was younger I wasn't overweight in the least, yet I believed it. I believed it so much that I developed the mindset that this was something that would never change and therefore what I ate and how I took care of myself didn't matter and I did become overweight as a result. But I don't think that way anymore, or at least I try not to, and it's because of my friends. It's about surrounding yourself with good people, people who see who you are. People who boost you up and not drag you down. That is what Madame Carswell, Parthenope, and Lord Woodbridge do for Sophie. They make her realize that she is special. That she isn't defined by some outward feature that people can point at and laugh. That is why her magic returns. That and a stern talking to by Wellington. Sophie's magic is basically her self-esteem. She learns to love herself and therefore she is powerful. Now that is something we all need to remember!
September 17, 2018
This is the prequel to the series and is another Regency period romance with a twist of magic. Sophie is preparing for her season, but is struggling without her mother and the damage to her let from an illness that has left her with a limp. The illness has also impacted her magical abilities. Her aunts, who are sponsoring her Season, are not much help, with Molly being obsessed with horticulture and Isabel being difficult to deal with and old-fashioned. Thankfully, the widow of her father’s friend, a French woman named Amelie, comes to her rescue with fashion help and she becomes friends with another young lady named Parthenope. At her first ball, she is surprised by the attention of Lord Woodbridge, but she suspects that he merely pities her condition. After an accident at the ball, and a series of other curious events where she feels the presence of magic, she begins to suspect that someone is targeting members of the War Office, including her father. Sophie must pull all of her resources to help find out who is the mastermind behind the plot before it is too late.
July 3, 2017
Not bad for fantasy Regency, especially with a string of amusing characters and a mystery involved. Hangs together much better than #2 in the series. I like Sophie and her supportive friends. Still, it feels not quite solidly put together (it's hard to run a real romance through Wellington and his An Infamous Army as even Georgette Heyer found. The magic part in particular didn't hook in properly to the rest. Still, a good bunch of characters and worth spending time with.
August 29, 2018
3.5 stars, I think.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I didn't feel that the magic element add much to the story, until the very end. Also, I think the author could have done more to involve the reader's feelings. I wasn't as emotionally invested in the romance as I would have liked.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I didn't feel that the magic element add much to the story, until the very end. Also, I think the author could have done more to involve the reader's feelings. I wasn't as emotionally invested in the romance as I would have liked.
January 1, 2021
Reading this (which was perfectly pleasant), I realised that what I really want from Regencies-with-magic is magical *society*, not just the ability to do spells.
Maybe a Marissa Doyle/Stephanie Burgis collab?
Maybe a Marissa Doyle/Stephanie Burgis collab?
April 6, 2022
Very good book to say the least. It made me laugh and smile. It took me almost half way through the book to figure out who the villian was, which isn't half bad for the author. It was a quick easy read which I loved.
May 15, 2025
Regency historical fun and Magic!
This book is almost Georgette Heyer level Regency writing! IYKYK! Excellent characters, well plotted. Marissa’s knowledge of the Regency era gives great flavor to this story. Fans of Heyer will enjoy it! Now I need to go buy her other books.
This book is almost Georgette Heyer level Regency writing! IYKYK! Excellent characters, well plotted. Marissa’s knowledge of the Regency era gives great flavor to this story. Fans of Heyer will enjoy it! Now I need to go buy her other books.
August 2, 2017
Perfect for my Regency era fix. I wish there were more scenes between Peregrine and Sophie but it was still a good read.
August 25, 2018
Lower end of 3 stars. It was bad, just wasn't great. Had its really good moments, but found myself skimming a lot.
May 25, 2019
Really enjoyed it. IT was a cute story of magic and love and finding out who you are even with your disabilities.
May 25, 2020
Loved it, an easy read. Like a Jane Austen novel with magic.
May 28, 2020
Миленько и легко, но настолько в рамках (даже я бы сказала что в маленькой коробочке) жанра, что очень скучно.
June 28, 2020
Great fun
January 1, 2021
Quite engaging!
January 2, 2021
It was okay. The magic part was a little...in the last bit of the story but overall, I just loved the historical dresses. If one may call it that😂
July 15, 2012
It's 1815, and Sophie should be excited about her coming out to London society, but illness has made her walk with a limp, and she knows the only match she'll make for herself is one that's after her money. Finding a husband loses its importance when Sophie realizes someone is using magic to attack the members of the War Cabinet, including her father! It's up to Sophie to figure out who's behind it, all the while trying to keep her own magic a secret.
A delightful romp! I thoroughly enjoyed this. It was light and quick and pleasure to read. Sophie and her friend Parthenope (name of a siren in Greek mythology, I knew it had to come from somewhere) were absolutely delightful, especially Parthenope who acted completely out of character for a English lady in 1815, what with her mouthing off and punching a rakish young man in the nose (he deserved it). Parthenope was completely over the top, yet a very sweet, caring character and I loved reading her.
Marissa Doyle reveals that the disease that crippled Sophie would have been polio. I found Sophie's dealing with her disability realistic. She's resigned to the fact that (as her aunts keep reminding her) no one is going to want to marry a girl with a bad leg. She believes she'll have to settle for someone who's mostly after her money. She also grows very angry that people see that she has a bad leg and therefore assume other things are wrong with her too. People believe her to be a hunchback, or be "simple." Disability during this time period was even worse than it is now. Sophie doesn't want to be pitied most of all, which what gets her and Mr. Woodbridge off on the wrong first.
As much as Sophie tells people she strong and capable, she begins to realize she has let what's happen to her make her afraid. Ever since her illness, she hasn't been able to call on her magic easily, and sometimes not at all. Sophie at first thinks her magic must have somehow been damaged during her sickness, but starts to see that it might be herself that's stopping it. I thought this was a nice parallel to how me can build walls around ourselves when something bad happens. In order to make ourselves strong, we don't let other people in to help, even when we might need it.
It was also pretty great that there was no way to magic her disability away. Even Sophie's mother, who was also a witch, wasn't able to stop disease. Fantasy has a tendency to compensate for disability through magical means. Something might disable a character, but they're almost always able to overcome it through magic, so they aren't permanently disabled. Sophie is permanently disabled, and she deals with it.
So with all that making it sound probably a lot more serious than it is, it was full of adventure and magic and time-appropriate clothing (including Sophie's fabulous collection of canes, one for each outfit) and fear of Napoleon who has just escape from Elba and has taken back the throne! Blast that Napoleon. Oh, happy Bastille Day everyone!
This is the third book in the Leland Sisters series, and I have not read the first two. This seems to be OK, as the fist two are about a girl named Persephone Leland who didn't come into this book at all. So it seems to work fine as a stand along.
Courtship & Curses comes out August 7, 2012.
A delightful romp! I thoroughly enjoyed this. It was light and quick and pleasure to read. Sophie and her friend Parthenope (name of a siren in Greek mythology, I knew it had to come from somewhere) were absolutely delightful, especially Parthenope who acted completely out of character for a English lady in 1815, what with her mouthing off and punching a rakish young man in the nose (he deserved it). Parthenope was completely over the top, yet a very sweet, caring character and I loved reading her.
Marissa Doyle reveals that the disease that crippled Sophie would have been polio. I found Sophie's dealing with her disability realistic. She's resigned to the fact that (as her aunts keep reminding her) no one is going to want to marry a girl with a bad leg. She believes she'll have to settle for someone who's mostly after her money. She also grows very angry that people see that she has a bad leg and therefore assume other things are wrong with her too. People believe her to be a hunchback, or be "simple." Disability during this time period was even worse than it is now. Sophie doesn't want to be pitied most of all, which what gets her and Mr. Woodbridge off on the wrong first.
As much as Sophie tells people she strong and capable, she begins to realize she has let what's happen to her make her afraid. Ever since her illness, she hasn't been able to call on her magic easily, and sometimes not at all. Sophie at first thinks her magic must have somehow been damaged during her sickness, but starts to see that it might be herself that's stopping it. I thought this was a nice parallel to how me can build walls around ourselves when something bad happens. In order to make ourselves strong, we don't let other people in to help, even when we might need it.
It was also pretty great that there was no way to magic her disability away. Even Sophie's mother, who was also a witch, wasn't able to stop disease. Fantasy has a tendency to compensate for disability through magical means. Something might disable a character, but they're almost always able to overcome it through magic, so they aren't permanently disabled. Sophie is permanently disabled, and she deals with it.
So with all that making it sound probably a lot more serious than it is, it was full of adventure and magic and time-appropriate clothing (including Sophie's fabulous collection of canes, one for each outfit) and fear of Napoleon who has just escape from Elba and has taken back the throne! Blast that Napoleon. Oh, happy Bastille Day everyone!
This is the third book in the Leland Sisters series, and I have not read the first two. This seems to be OK, as the fist two are about a girl named Persephone Leland who didn't come into this book at all. So it seems to work fine as a stand along.
Courtship & Curses comes out August 7, 2012.
September 22, 2016
" Heroes are not always the biggest or the strongest, petite. They are just the ones who do what is most needed when necessary, without hesitating," -This quote is so powerful and true.
This book was such a delightful read! I absolutely adored it! It was like a wonderful cupcake washed down with mint tea! It was sweet but not diabetes inducing and also refreshing! I love myself a regency novel and I also love when it has not only romance, but lots of action, mystery solving and magic. Also I love it the most when the heroine has body flaws and she is no damsel in distress.
I didn't expect to like it as much as I do! I loved every single thing about it and I don't even have constructive criticism to give it, which is very rare.
The writing style is flawless, I mean it was 1800's language and this really highlighted the era. It didn't feel forced so kudos for that.
The characters are sooo wonderfully penned that you could swear they are real. The heroine is one of my fav heroines hands down. She is a high society lady, but she is not a snob, not even close, she makes rational choices, she is witty and charming and she is lovely. She is crippled, but she isn't bitter at all, even if sometimes she feels down and has body issues. She feels real and you can actually relate with her even if the novel isn't contemporary. you will like the way she deals with the ups and downs. Sophie is a delight and to top it all she is also a witch. Another thing I loved is how the whole magic problem is portrayed in here. The magic is subtle and elegant, so if you expect pointy hats and shoes, wands, potions etc, be warned that you will not find it in here.
You will adore Sophie's friend, she is a crazy, funny, loveable and full of life. She is also a high society chit, but she is sooo far away from a snob, she is soo awesome and her friendship with Sophie is goals!
Lord Woodbridge is officially the love of my life. He is now on my top 10 "to marry" heroes list and that is a high place to be. He falls for Sophie so hard and he is a dream. He is a gentleman and he shows it. I'm more inclined to fall for a reformed alpha rake/scoundrel and even if Lord Woodbridge is not like that at all he stole my heart with his polite hotness!!!! He understands that Sophie is no lady in need to be rescued, he also loves that she has brains and she shows them. I think these two are a perfect match.
All of the other characters are so lovely, each person has a unique personality and this adds to the real feeling you get from the book. I call a real feeling that moment when you feel like you're actually in the book, you are there with the characters like an invisible spectator.
The action was really interesting, I was eager to find out who is the one that is trying to kill the member of the war office.
I loved the absence of drama in this one. No love triangles, no unnecessary drama and no pointless characters make me adore a book. I just hate the extra stress, you know?
So to sum it all: Courtship and Cursed is a perfect, stress free read and I recommend it with all my heart! You will not regret reading this!!
This book was such a delightful read! I absolutely adored it! It was like a wonderful cupcake washed down with mint tea! It was sweet but not diabetes inducing and also refreshing! I love myself a regency novel and I also love when it has not only romance, but lots of action, mystery solving and magic. Also I love it the most when the heroine has body flaws and she is no damsel in distress.
I didn't expect to like it as much as I do! I loved every single thing about it and I don't even have constructive criticism to give it, which is very rare.
The writing style is flawless, I mean it was 1800's language and this really highlighted the era. It didn't feel forced so kudos for that.
The characters are sooo wonderfully penned that you could swear they are real. The heroine is one of my fav heroines hands down. She is a high society lady, but she is not a snob, not even close, she makes rational choices, she is witty and charming and she is lovely. She is crippled, but she isn't bitter at all, even if sometimes she feels down and has body issues. She feels real and you can actually relate with her even if the novel isn't contemporary. you will like the way she deals with the ups and downs. Sophie is a delight and to top it all she is also a witch. Another thing I loved is how the whole magic problem is portrayed in here. The magic is subtle and elegant, so if you expect pointy hats and shoes, wands, potions etc, be warned that you will not find it in here.
You will adore Sophie's friend, she is a crazy, funny, loveable and full of life. She is also a high society chit, but she is sooo far away from a snob, she is soo awesome and her friendship with Sophie is goals!
Lord Woodbridge is officially the love of my life. He is now on my top 10 "to marry" heroes list and that is a high place to be. He falls for Sophie so hard and he is a dream. He is a gentleman and he shows it. I'm more inclined to fall for a reformed alpha rake/scoundrel and even if Lord Woodbridge is not like that at all he stole my heart with his polite hotness!!!! He understands that Sophie is no lady in need to be rescued, he also loves that she has brains and she shows them. I think these two are a perfect match.
All of the other characters are so lovely, each person has a unique personality and this adds to the real feeling you get from the book. I call a real feeling that moment when you feel like you're actually in the book, you are there with the characters like an invisible spectator.
The action was really interesting, I was eager to find out who is the one that is trying to kill the member of the war office.
I loved the absence of drama in this one. No love triangles, no unnecessary drama and no pointless characters make me adore a book. I just hate the extra stress, you know?
So to sum it all: Courtship and Cursed is a perfect, stress free read and I recommend it with all my heart! You will not regret reading this!!
October 21, 2014
Cover Blurb: I like the colors and the classic look of it, but I must admit that I wish it took after Betraying Season more. I like books in a series to follow a pattern, and while Courtship & Curses can technically work as a stand-alone from the other two Leland Sisters books, it still ties in and therefore ought to fit the theme cover-wise.
What I Liked: Sophie is a sensible protagonist; her self-pity is, thank goodness, only annoying sometimes, and she stops pitying herself fairly quickly. There’s a very wide range of characters, and they were all fantastic. Peregrine Woodbridge was a kind and honorable love interest; Persephone Hardcastle a perfect companion character wish a very big personality; Underwood a wonderful cad - and Sophie thankfully dealt with him the way she ought, which I enjoyed immensely. I was afraid Sophie’s two aunts would grow wearisome, but the Author kept their appearances in the story at a reasonably low number, so they maintained their hilarity.
What I Disliked: I was not a fan of Peregrine’s name, and even less so when shortened to “Perry.” Why can’t any of her characters have more normal names?
Believability: As with her other two books, the Author has managed to make witches and warlocks fit into the Napoleonic era very smoothly.
Writing Style: There was a good amount of mystery surrounding the “accidents” to keep me guessing. But after a short while, the villain’s identity became painfully obvious, and I grew frustrated with the characters for not realizing it quicker - especially when Sophie accuses the wrong person. And since the Author has explored the difficulties of hiding magical abilities from “those closest to you” in her other two books, this plot device just served to irk me. Because we Readers know how it will turn out in the end: Peregrine will find out about Sophie’s magic and he will eventually come to terms with it. One thing I did appreciate, though: when Sophie and Peregrine have their inevitable falling-out (happens in every love story), it is a rather minor falling-out, it is over an issue that is actually important, rather than something trivial, and their reconciliation is blessedly swift.
Content: None.
Conclusion: The ending was exciting, but not overly dramatic. This book had as many pros as cons, and in comparison to Bewitching Season and Betraying Season, this one was my favorite. There was a wider range of characters, Sophie didn’t cause any of her own problems, and the number of annoying names was significantly less.
Recommended Audience: Fans of the Leland Sisters series, and those people who like historical fiction with a dash of magic. A girl-read, appropriate for Readers as young as middle-grade.
What I Liked: Sophie is a sensible protagonist; her self-pity is, thank goodness, only annoying sometimes, and she stops pitying herself fairly quickly. There’s a very wide range of characters, and they were all fantastic. Peregrine Woodbridge was a kind and honorable love interest; Persephone Hardcastle a perfect companion character wish a very big personality; Underwood a wonderful cad - and Sophie thankfully dealt with him the way she ought, which I enjoyed immensely. I was afraid Sophie’s two aunts would grow wearisome, but the Author kept their appearances in the story at a reasonably low number, so they maintained their hilarity.
What I Disliked: I was not a fan of Peregrine’s name, and even less so when shortened to “Perry.” Why can’t any of her characters have more normal names?
Believability: As with her other two books, the Author has managed to make witches and warlocks fit into the Napoleonic era very smoothly.
Writing Style: There was a good amount of mystery surrounding the “accidents” to keep me guessing. But after a short while, the villain’s identity became painfully obvious, and I grew frustrated with the characters for not realizing it quicker - especially when Sophie accuses the wrong person. And since the Author has explored the difficulties of hiding magical abilities from “those closest to you” in her other two books, this plot device just served to irk me. Because we Readers know how it will turn out in the end: Peregrine will find out about Sophie’s magic and he will eventually come to terms with it. One thing I did appreciate, though: when Sophie and Peregrine have their inevitable falling-out (happens in every love story), it is a rather minor falling-out, it is over an issue that is actually important, rather than something trivial, and their reconciliation is blessedly swift.
Content: None.
Conclusion: The ending was exciting, but not overly dramatic. This book had as many pros as cons, and in comparison to Bewitching Season and Betraying Season, this one was my favorite. There was a wider range of characters, Sophie didn’t cause any of her own problems, and the number of annoying names was significantly less.
Recommended Audience: Fans of the Leland Sisters series, and those people who like historical fiction with a dash of magic. A girl-read, appropriate for Readers as young as middle-grade.
January 26, 2016
It turns out I've actually read two books by this author before, and remember nothing about either of them, which did not bode well. However, it turned out to be pretty okay!... if also fairly forgettable.
Courtship and Curses is the technical prequel to Marissa Doyle's first two books, Bewitching Season and Betraying Season. I remember nothing about either of them and I don't know how Courtship and Curses links up with them; presumably one of our heroines is the mother of the two heroines of the earlier books? ANYWAY it follows Lady Sophie Rosier in her first season who has just lost her mother and little sister to (according to the author's note) polio. Polio also left her with a shortened leg and a limp, as polio does, thereby preventing her from taking part in half the Season's events. Her magic seems to have disappeared on her, fading in and out as it chooses. And the cute boy she thinks is very cute apparently just wants to protect her.
As if all that wasn't enough, someone is trying to kill members of the War Office, including Sophie's father. Via magic, which almost no one believes exists.
Now, this book has good sides and bad sides. I adore Sophie's relationship with Parthenope, her best friend. Parthenope is bright and reckless and funny, and she drives Sophie into doing things she wouldn't necessarily do otherwise. However, Sophie grounds Parthenope, and seems to enjoy the wild things they do get up to. She also rescues Parthenope at one point, and Parthenope in turn believes her immediately and without reservations about the plot to kill people and her magic. They genuinely support and encourage one another, and make each other better people in the process. Her relationship with her pseudo-stepmother Amelie is just as supportive and comfortable. The relationships between women in this book are really interesting, somewhat varied, and always in some way supportive, even Isobel in her really idiosyncratic and kind of bitter way, and I really appreciate that. Plus the Duke of Wellington showed up and was badass.
Bad sides: it's so, so, SO predictable. It's obvious who the actual villain is. It's obvious who Sophie's going to end up with. It's obvious that Sophie's going to save the day, and obvious how she's going to do it when things hit the fan. It's even obvious how the subplot with Norris Underwood is going to be resolved. It's REALLY OBVIOUS, guys. I did keep reading because I loved Sophie (a disabled protagonist in a Regency romance!) and I loved Parthenope, and I loved their relationship, but it's REALLY predictable.
Marissa Doyle writes delightful prose and I love her female relationships, but her books are REALLY predictable. Keep that in mind when choosing what to read next.
Courtship and Curses is the technical prequel to Marissa Doyle's first two books, Bewitching Season and Betraying Season. I remember nothing about either of them and I don't know how Courtship and Curses links up with them; presumably one of our heroines is the mother of the two heroines of the earlier books? ANYWAY it follows Lady Sophie Rosier in her first season who has just lost her mother and little sister to (according to the author's note) polio. Polio also left her with a shortened leg and a limp, as polio does, thereby preventing her from taking part in half the Season's events. Her magic seems to have disappeared on her, fading in and out as it chooses. And the cute boy she thinks is very cute apparently just wants to protect her.
As if all that wasn't enough, someone is trying to kill members of the War Office, including Sophie's father. Via magic, which almost no one believes exists.
Now, this book has good sides and bad sides. I adore Sophie's relationship with Parthenope, her best friend. Parthenope is bright and reckless and funny, and she drives Sophie into doing things she wouldn't necessarily do otherwise. However, Sophie grounds Parthenope, and seems to enjoy the wild things they do get up to. She also rescues Parthenope at one point, and Parthenope in turn believes her immediately and without reservations about the plot to kill people and her magic. They genuinely support and encourage one another, and make each other better people in the process. Her relationship with her pseudo-stepmother Amelie is just as supportive and comfortable. The relationships between women in this book are really interesting, somewhat varied, and always in some way supportive, even Isobel in her really idiosyncratic and kind of bitter way, and I really appreciate that. Plus the Duke of Wellington showed up and was badass.
Bad sides: it's so, so, SO predictable. It's obvious who the actual villain is. It's obvious who Sophie's going to end up with. It's obvious that Sophie's going to save the day, and obvious how she's going to do it when things hit the fan. It's even obvious how the subplot with Norris Underwood is going to be resolved. It's REALLY OBVIOUS, guys. I did keep reading because I loved Sophie (a disabled protagonist in a Regency romance!) and I loved Parthenope, and I loved their relationship, but it's REALLY predictable.
Marissa Doyle writes delightful prose and I love her female relationships, but her books are REALLY predictable. Keep that in mind when choosing what to read next.
June 16, 2023
It was fairly straight forward. I was not overly surprised at the ending but it still held my attention and kept me reading. Overall a well written book.
June 2, 2015
When I started this book I was not sure what to expect but I thought the title was interesting and the book description caught my attention enough for me to try it out. Happily, I soon found myself speeding through it and entranced with all the characters. I lived Sophie the main character, who seemed real and honest. As a young adult coming out into London society during the time of Napoleon, she suffered through a disease when she was younger that left her with a bad leg in which it is slightly shorter than the other, twisted and mangled so others in society have rumors about her. Sadly, the same disease also killed her sibling and her mother so she has suffered tragedy and is raised by her father and aunts. An old family friend's wife Amelia has come to visit also but unfortunately her father's friend died before they got there, and she is French so people are rude to her at times but she is friendly and great help to Sophie. My favorite character is Penelope who becomes Sophie's best friend in the book and is the cousin of Parthenope, Amelia, Sophie's suitor. She is funny, blunt, and at times just too much and not what you would think of for that time period which is why I like her. The thing though that makes this book different is Sophie is actually a witch. Her mother was teaching her before she passed away and when Sophie had gotten sick her powers went away so she thought she lost them, but slowly they have started coming back. Now that she is finding happiness and security and confidence in herself her magic is getting stronger than ever. Unfortunately, someone else with magic is determined to try to kill the members of the war cabinet against Napoleon so the British are getting more wary against all French people. I can sit and write all the plot details but that will not do much other than tell you what the book is about which everyone can do for themselves. The thing is the book was fun to read. Usually, teen books can be immature, or misleading, tell bad facts, come off mocking history, but this book managed to include history in a intellectual way without turning it into a history lesson, add magic without making it into a giant show and have characters that aren't stereotypical but have flaws and are like real people you can relate to and enjoy. I really enjoyed the book. I did not know this was a series and have not read th e others, but you do not need to to read this book. I will now to check them out since I enjoyed this one so much though.
February 20, 2017
Ok, I really enjoyed this novel. It's a Regency, with Wellington playing an important part. It is full of humor and fun, as many in the mode of Georgette Heyer. However, it is also a fantasy--with magic a major force in the novel. What a fun combination with a predictable, but still very enjoyable, romance. The novel is well written with a worthy theme--dealing with a disability in a society in which disability brings on condemnation and prejudice.
October 18, 2014
Summary:
The story starts off with the main character Sophie and her family shopping for dresses for a ball. Sophie is a witch but only her mother (who was also a witch) knew. However, her mother died when she was younger but her father is involved in war work so she is mostly surrounded by her annoying aunts. Also, she is “crippled” and has to use a cane to walk because one of her legs got messed up, which also somehow caused her to lose her magic.
When Sophie is looking all pretty at the ball, the incredibly sweet Lord Woodbridge starts talking to her and it was love at first sight (for both of them). However, an accident happens at the ball in which her father almost died, but then Sophie feels magic in the air and she knows that the accident was not an accident. Luckily for Sophie, somewhere along the book she starts to get her magic back and all she knows is that she is gonna use this to her advantage.
Thoughts:
I love Lord Woodbridge he is so sweet and adorable that it makes me want to hug him. And Parthenope is awesome, she goes against the whole “being a proper lady” thing and just does whatever she wants. She’s funny, sarcastic, and open minded (kinda reminds me of myself).Many of the characters are interesting in their own way (including Sophie) but overall, I was so glad that Sophie found a best friend and a lover that both accept her for who she is.
Even though this is the third book in the “series” (I heard this one actually is not that connected to the others ones), this is the first one I read because my friend recommended I read this one first. The book was way better than I expected and I am going to read the other ones in the series right away (already have them on hold).
Would I recommend this? Well if you like YA books, light romance, some fantasy, and stories that take place in 19th century England then hell yeah I recommend.
The story starts off with the main character Sophie and her family shopping for dresses for a ball. Sophie is a witch but only her mother (who was also a witch) knew. However, her mother died when she was younger but her father is involved in war work so she is mostly surrounded by her annoying aunts. Also, she is “crippled” and has to use a cane to walk because one of her legs got messed up, which also somehow caused her to lose her magic.
When Sophie is looking all pretty at the ball, the incredibly sweet Lord Woodbridge starts talking to her and it was love at first sight (for both of them). However, an accident happens at the ball in which her father almost died, but then Sophie feels magic in the air and she knows that the accident was not an accident. Luckily for Sophie, somewhere along the book she starts to get her magic back and all she knows is that she is gonna use this to her advantage.
Thoughts:
I love Lord Woodbridge he is so sweet and adorable that it makes me want to hug him. And Parthenope is awesome, she goes against the whole “being a proper lady” thing and just does whatever she wants. She’s funny, sarcastic, and open minded (kinda reminds me of myself).Many of the characters are interesting in their own way (including Sophie) but overall, I was so glad that Sophie found a best friend and a lover that both accept her for who she is.
Even though this is the third book in the “series” (I heard this one actually is not that connected to the others ones), this is the first one I read because my friend recommended I read this one first. The book was way better than I expected and I am going to read the other ones in the series right away (already have them on hold).
Would I recommend this? Well if you like YA books, light romance, some fantasy, and stories that take place in 19th century England then hell yeah I recommend.
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