Charlie Jonquil is mild-mannered and kind—except when it comes to his one true adversary, Artemis Lancaster. Though Charlie has a brilliant mind for mathematics, Artemis poses a problem he can’t seem to comprehend: how can one be so lovely and so infuriating? A party in London brings him into the company of the maddening young lady, and it is clear that Charlie’s disdain is mutual. But when an unfortunate incident between the pair involving Charlie’s jacket and a glass of raspberry shrub leads to scandal, the sworn enemies are left with only two options: be ruined or be married.
So it is that Artemis finds herself in a most outrageous predicament: she must wed a gentleman she’s hated for years—and she pledges to avoid him at all costs. But it is only when they enter into this mockery of a marriage that Charlie and Artemis learn things are not as simple as they once appeared. As their tentative ceasefire leads to friendship, it seems their marriage born of desperation might lead them to a love that was destined to be.
This book wraps up two different series based on the Lancaster and Jonquil families. I recommend reading the other books in the series before diving into this one. These two families have been overlapping for about twelve books altogether, so we've seen Charlie and Artemis in previous books and like others, I was looking forward to these two characters that have hated each other being forced to marry.
Artemis and Charlie do not get along. They got off on the wrong foot and have steadily grown more annoyed with each other with each encounter they have. So both are horrified when they find themselves in a compromising position that results in a forced marriage. I also enjoy a good enemies-to-lovers trope, throw in a forced marriage and I'm hooked! I did feel like this storyline got a bit lost in the shuffle though.
There was a lot of focus on past and new characters. Lots of characters to keep track of, which leads to very little page time for Charlie and Artemis together. For me, I would have liked this book if it was written *after* Charlie and Artemis’ story, as just a story to bring both families together, etc. But, its more of a personal preference of mine that in a series I like each book to be able to stand on its own with the main focus being on the main couple.
I also didn’t love the storyline about Artemis and Papa. I figured who it was right away, but it still felt a little creepy. And her attachment to this stranger after only a few short meetings felt off. I did like that it ties her to the family, but felt their relationship should have bene developed more to be believable. And I didn’t get why he wouldn’t have asked her name (a totally normal and natural thing to do) and discovered who she was so he could make sure she was actually ok. And as another reviewer said, on that first encounter he should have walked over and returned her to her family, instead of disappearing.
I’m still pondering how I feel about this book before giving it a proper review and rating. After so much anticipation for Charlie and Artemis story—especially Artemis—it turned out to be more about the Jonquil family and Lucas Jonquil, as well as characters in Eden’s next series, and that was rather disappointing as that was not the story I wanted to read.
It might have been less so if the Lancaster family—whom I’d been most eager to see—had been given equal treatment, but they were more of an afterthought. Unpopular opinion, but I much prefer the Lancaster family characters and series by far, and am not as much a fan of the Jonquil family or books as most of Sarah Eden’s fans are. I just don’t connect with them, and have never reread any of their stories, whereas I’ve reread the Lancaster series multiple times.
I wish this story could have focused more on Artemis and Charlie’s romance, but Sarah Eden’s romances lately have been less about the romance, which is disappointing but not surprising. Despite these disappointments and the story being more about the vast array of secondary characters than I preferred, overall I did enjoy this final installment.
Absolutely breathtaking! Charming Artemis is the stunning conclusion to an unforgettable series.
With each book in this series, I have fallen in love a little more with the members of the Lancaster and Jonquil families including, of course, the characters who have joined the family along the way.
In this book, not only did I adore Charlie and Artemis and their unconventional but beautiful love story, but I fell in love with the entire cast of characters all over again.
I feel such a connection to the characters knowing each of their stories: their struggles, their heartaches, their triumphs, and this book definitely gave me all the feels.
I laughed, I swooned, I smiled, I cried..okay, technically, I sobbed.
And when I finished, I picked the book right back up to read it again.
The untied threads from the rest of the series are weaved together with the beautiful theme of the book that is also the Jonquil family motto: "Strength through Loyalty." And faith, according to Harry. And I would also add love.
This is a story of home, of family, and the ties that bind us together.
Fans of historical romance, do not miss this heartfelt and romantic story. I truly cannot recommend this book enough! I am only giving it 5 stars because that is all I am allowed but it is simply not enough for a story this outstanding.
This book has earned a spot on my favorites shelf and I will be re-reading it for years to come.
While this is technically a standalone, if you have not read Forget Me Not (or it has been a long time) I would strongly suggest you read it before you pick this one up. There are so many connections between the two and having that book fresh on your mind will only increase your enjoyment of this one.
I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.
I was looking forward to this one (plus I'm a sucker for this trope) but didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. I thought the whole thing with Artemis' "Papa" actually being the Jonquils' father way too cheesy. As soon as I read the first chapter, I knew that's what was going to happen and was disappointed to find out I was right. Then even more cheesy, suddenly also Adam had seen Lucas Jonquil as a parental figure supposedly all along. I'm just rolling my eyes, I can take some silly highly unlikely consequences but this book had it in spades, it was overkill. I also would have liked to have seen more support and interaction from Persephone with Artemis, I mean in this one and the first in the Lancaster series, she talks of this supposed bond between them, but then they barely even talked to each other. So then it feels like it's all about the men and very, very little about the relationships between the women where one would expect a relationship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
After years of waiting for Artemis and Charlie's story, this book was rather disappointing. It was less about them and more about the Jonquils, especially Lucas and annoyingly Phillip and Sorrel (whom I don't like at all), as well as characters in two upcoming series (whom I don't yet know or care about, so I wish they would just stick to their series). It was just way too much. I appreciate cameos, but I think secondary characters should never overpower the story of the main hero and heroine, and this was the case for this one (I mean, Lucas and Mater have their own story in Forget Me Not, why did they have to be such a focus here? Especially since Artemis's relationship with Lucas was a bit of a stretch).
And why was the Lancaster family hardly ever mentioned? I like them much better, but they were overshadowed. It makes me think that in the end, Sarah Eden prefers the Jonquil characters more, which is disappointing to me who just isn't as much of a fan of that series (I've only read their books once, compared to the Lancaster stories, which I've read multiple times). I used to love Sarah Eden's books, but lately they just aren't the same quality as her earlier ones. Other Regency authors who have since emerged write ones I connect to more—stories that are more focused on the romance and growth of the hero and heroine, don't repeat the same inner issues of the characters as much from book to book, and are less about exploring the smallest interactions between a fictional family at the expense of the main story.
This story was long anticipated, and the history of Artemis and Charlie's relationship would have made for a fascinating story. And what we did see was wonderful. But there was so much we missed. I wanted to see more of their growing friendship and falling in love, enjoy more scenes after they fell in love, explore their emotions as their relationship shifted so drastically (and perhaps also more of their conversations over what was happening), gotten an epilogue so we could see a glimpse of their future since the series is over and we won't see them again (though I suppose we will in the Huntresses series?). We didn't even get to see them confess their love, and their first real kiss was in front of their families (which made it less special). It was all rather disappointing.
At least what we did see was cute, and in the end the story was overall enjoyable. I just wish it had been more about Artemis and Charlie, less about the Jonquils and other secondary characters, and that Sarah Eden had at least made the Lancasters an equal focus with the Jonquils if she insisted on having the secondary characters share the stage.
I will say it concluded the series nicely, even if I would classify it more as a Jonquil Brothers conclusion than a Lancaster one.
If you liked this book or are named Sarah Eden look away cause this isn't going to be pretty. This book was so frustrating and dare I say annoying to read. Having loved a majority of Sarah's books and hearing such good things about this concluding story I might have gone into it with higher expectations than I should have.
First of all, for a story that is supposed to be about the youngest siblings of two different series, Artemis and Charlie often got lost in chapters closing out everyone else's story. It was nice to have all the characters back together in a grand finale kind of way but it took so much of the focus and time off of the "main characters".
Second of all, Artemis' relationship with her Papa. Can we acknowledge how weird that storyline was?! A little girl gets lost in town and an older gentleman finds her, buys her a treat and helps her find her family again. She likes having someone care for her so she wants to claim him as her father. Repeat 5 times over the years. Maybe a plausible request from a lonely child but to carry that into adulthood, to truly believe he is her adoptive father is a little messed up. Then to have him leave letters for her in his will was just bizarre.
Third, not only has Sarah's writing gotten kind of silly but so much of this book was committing the error of telling us rather than showing us. Over and over again we are told that Artemis is miserable and lonely. She's having a happy moment, great, but don't forget she's actually sad. It's the same thing for Charlie. He's spending time with his family and they are all happy but remember, he's actually not that happy cause he was abandoned by his father (by death). Because he has few memories of his father it must mean he doesn't really fit in and belong in his family. And if you forget those two points, don't worry, you will be reminded.
Fourth, this story had good bones. Two people that are lonely and hurting meet, dislike each other, and because of circumstances out of their control end up together and have to navigate their way through it. IT COULD HAVE BEEN SO GOOD! But instead, there wasn't enough development of their relationship. I never really felt the chemistry. It felt rushed, forced and inorganic. In the end, I didn't really care if they were together and I certainly didn't believe they were madly in love.
I've said what I've said. It got my two stars because I was able to finish it but it wouldn't be one I could recommend someone else spending their time with other than to be able to have a fun discussion about it.
This was lovely, I really really liked seeing the Lancaster and Jonquil families coming together. But. This was very predictable. For me, anyway. Ms.Eden’s books have always tended to focus on the characters’ emotions rather than their actions, so perhaps there wasn’t much to predict to begin with.
Generally speaking, I recommend this series. It was fun. Also, Adam’s my favorite character. I have a thing for grumpy people with sarcastic senses of humor and the tenderest hearts in existence.
Pre-read review: A marriage of convenience? This is better than I expected. I've been shipping these two so hard for the past two years and now my ship is sailing and sailing in spite of itself apparently hehehe.
4.25 Ha sido un cierre muy bonito para la saga Lancaster que deja todo perfectamente cerrado. Pero ha habido un momento en que todo era tan maravilloso y tan perfecto, que me ha dado una sobredosis de azúcar y me han chirriado varias cosas. Me ha faltado ver un enamoramiento más potente, me ha sobrado todo ese pasado que de pronto se descubre del duque aterrador, y me ha sobrado que el difunto Jonquill fuese adivino (lo digo con sarcasmo). Aún así sigo diciendo que es un cierre muy bueno.
How can I sum up my feelings for a long awaited conclusion to two series I have loved and read from the beginning? I feel like I've watched Artemis grow up and become the strong vibrant young lady that she is. Of course, that's a front she puts up for those around her. Inside she's really aching and struggling with insecurities and things she views as failing and shortcomings. She longs for healing and love. And that comes in the form of the one person who has been her nemesis for a while. Charlie Jonquil. He is another character that I've watched grow up in the Jonquil series.
The ups and downs of their story will have you cheering and crying, laughing and aching. If you're looking for a happy ever after, sweet and little struggle type of book, this is not that book. This book is full of beautiful scenes and struggles and learning and growing, healing and love. But it takes time and work and understanding. I loved the scenes when all of the Jonquils and/or Lancasters and Gents were together. I just love these characters. They feel like friends and family to me after years and years of reading their stories.
Artemis is a character you ache for but you also see the small spark of hope she's harboring and you want to do anything you can to help that spark ignite into a strong burning flame. I loved reading further into the story and seeing it start to grow.
Charlie is a character who is just as lost as Artemis in many regards. His hopes and dreams seem to be lost but I loved how through family and trust and understanding and compassion, he learned so much more and found a way for his dreams to live.
I truly enjoyed this final book of the Lancaster and Jonquil series. I look forward to reading these books again and again. And seeing what other books this author has in store for me as a reader.
Content: Clean.
I received a copy from the publisher but have purchased my own personal copy. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Except I actually don't, I just have a love/hate relationship with Regency fluff.
The main subplot was so weird and excessive. Also, this whole book is really cringy and over-the-top dramatic. But Eden did a good job with the whole "engage the reader's emotions so that she keeps reading even though she hates herself for it." Also, the ending drags on forever. Forever.
No content warnings. But I'm not exactly recommending it. Eden's earlier books are better. (But... they're still fluff.)
Ah I was so excited for these characters because they seemed different than the usual ones she writes about. As soon it got in their heads tho I feel like it automatically went back to the same form as all of her other books, which is fine bc I’ve read all of those too but it is so repetitive. Also the whole “Papa” thing was just kinda weird to me, obv I know from the beginning who it was gonna be, but the whole idea was kinda obscure. Anywayssss there were some cute parts but I was too disappointed with the personality switch to truly obsess.
So much potential for an amazing love story but it gets lost in the bigger story of the ending of this family story. The love story was fun and could have been much more developed enemy to lovers story but it fizzles out. I loved that so many loose ends get tied up and I loved how the gents were connected. I really had a hard time liking Artimis's story line of her and her Papa. It was unbelievable and a bit silly.
Honestly, I loved how this story started out. The name is so cute with a play on the names of the two main characters: "Uncle Charming" and "Artemis." Their interactions were cute and relatable for the first half of the story... and yet I really struggled with the inconsistency of some of the characters as the story went on. Artemis goes along with marrying her enemy no problem But dives into a deep depression when she learns that the almost stranger she felt close to from 5 short interactions, but hadn't seen for 13 years, had died. It just didn't make sense to me. Her intense loneliness and claim that no one had ever told her they loved her also didn't fit with the immediate response of her family coming to her rescue or having a caring brother and brother-in-law to give her away at her wedding. Her despair at not having her "Papa" at her wedding didn't come at the wedding itself but months later. All those details kind of drove me crazy. It was as if the author was trying way too hard to immortalize Lucas Jonquil as the perfect father who could foresee every possibility and help every needy child. It was a bit much, in my opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
My sister and I have been talking about and waiting for the eventual book with Charlie and Artemis for what seems like forever. I can not even describe how excited we both were when I saw that this book was finally being released. I have already thought about it at least a dozen separate times in the last hour :) I had kept reminding her in the past not to write the book in her head for fear she would be Underwhelmed when it finally came out! But when I saw the vague plotline I could not believe how perfect it sounded! Better than anything else either of us could have imagined. I am literally counting the days. I already put a alarm reminder on my phone for extremely early October 4th :) Also, love the play on names with "Charming" and "Artemis"! Extremely clever ;) Longingly Waiting!
So happy to read another book featuring the Jonquil brothers and Lancaster siblings! Charlie and Artemis are the youngest of those families, so this served as the last book of both series, but it also connects the author's two newer series- The Gents, which is about Lucas Jonquil's generation of friends, and The Huntresses, which focus on Artemis and her friends. This book is not what I expected, but it was still wonderful. Charlie's deceased father is actually a bit of a scene-stealer in this book- much of the story revolves around him and his influence on the characters, as well as the impact of his passing. It was highly emotional at times, and I felt like there was quite a bit of resolution and closure of issues that had been hovering throughout the series. What most surprised me was how through this experience Artemis and Charlie's spicy relationship mellowed. I missed their banter which hinted at romantic tension, so when that was removed I felt like their interactions were missing something. In their new marriage the development focused more on overcoming prejudices about each other and giving friendship a chance. The romance was gentler than anticipated, but still it was very sweet and woven in with both Artemis and Charlie's secret vulnerabilities and their healing as the Jonquil family comes together for a final endowment from their well-loved and missed patriarch.
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
Charming Artemis is the final book in the Lancaster and Jonquil series of books, at least that is what I am assuming.
I have been eagerly waiting for this book, Charming Artemis because anyone who can charm Artemis is certainly an intelligent man! And that man is Charlie Jonquil who isn’t planning on marrying anyone, least of all, Artemis!
Charlie and Artemis find themselves in a predicament that forces them to marry. If you’ve read The Gents, which features Charlie’s parents' own rocky start to their marriage, you’ll be happy to know that Charming Artemis features the other guys, other than Lucus Jonquil. In the other Jonquil book, Lucas is spoken about but here you really get to know what a wonderful man he tried to really be, I started to really understand why Mater is so consumed by her grief for her deceased husband.
I really enjoyed understanding Artemis and why she is the way she is, and how it played into who Charlie is, and how well they were suited to each other in the end. They were all well-loved.
What to say? This book is so amazing and intense! Sarah M Eden eloquently draws the reader in and the emotions are so real and raw. I was not expecting to cry so much but having read these stories for years and to culminate into this book to end it - has been so satisfying and endearing. In fact, I'm too selfish that I'm not ready to say goodbye to all these characters that I love!
In past books we've seen Artemis and Charlie fight with witty banter, and there's some really great lines in this book, and I always love enemies to lovers and marriage of convenience or as Charlie put it - marriage of inconvenience. Their pasts seem so different but they're both lonely and looking and missing the same thing but they have no idea how to get it back.
The simple answer is its family and it was always there. SME writes family dynamics and even LARGE families so well that the main characters aren't lost in the large cast. And I have a special love for Adam and Phillip and there are so many poignant scenes! I really can't say any more without spoiling it. Everyone helps each other learn what they must learn, they support each other and stand together. Its so beautiful to read about, much harder to do in real life. SME books always leave me feeling inspired.
SME has long been an auto buy author and that continues! I can't wait to read the Gents and Huntresses series and anything else she writes.
I was given an e-arc copy of this book. These are my own thoughts and opinions.
Charlie Jonquil es un amante de las matemáticas. Artemisa es el diamante de la temporada. El carácter tranquilo del primero se tropieza con el orgullo de la joven, siempre en disputa, dos caracteres muy distintos y un desafortunado incidente que los obligará a casarse o a sufrir el escándalo.
El quinto y último libro de la serie “Lancaster” es una especie de homenaje que reúne a múltiples personajes de esta serie y de la serie “Los hermanos Jonquil”, aquí tenemos un batiburrillo de historias y personajes que deslucen un poco la historia principal.
Aquí hay que tener en cuenta varias cositas, la primera es que anterior a esta novela existe otra que cronológicamente sucede antes (me explicaré más adelante); segundo, al inicio de la novela, si no queréis spoilers pasad de las primeras páginas, puesto que aparecen los árboles genealógicos y a estas alturas mejor ahorrárselos y evitar un disgusto.
De nuevo me confundo mucho con tal nivel de personajes que aparecen y más si tenemos en cuenta por ejemplo que anterior a esta está la novela “The Best-Laid Plans” perteneciente a la serie “The Huntresses” y cuyos protagonistas son Newton Hughes y Ellie Napier y como es lógico muchas cosas que pasan nos quedan sin conocer a los que no hemos leído la novela. Las amistades de Artemisa formando el grupo de “las cazadoras” y aparte (toda) de la familia Jonquil, puesto que hasta el momento y en español solo conocemos la de Lord Cavrat. Sigue la reseña en: https://oceanodelibros.blogspot.com/2...
How does one review a book that so fully reaches their heart and exceeds their expectations like this one? I honestly will just say right off the bat, this book was even better than I could have imagined and it is novels like Charming Artemis that are the "why" I read. The way Sarah Eden brought these characters to life and built her world was more than just fiction; they became a part of me the last few years and I am so grateful to have read this book and the sweet and fulfilling story that it is. Seriously, this book was AMAZING! I am struggling to put into words the way it made me feel. Want to talk about a book hangover? I have already revisited my favorite parts (aka the whole book) multiple times and I just want to read it all over again as I type up my review. Fans of the Jonquil and Lancaster series will not only be so happy to see Charlie and Artemis together (because if you are anything like me, you've been hoping for the two of them to fall in love since the first time they met), but this book is like a love letter to both series. I cried, more like sobbed, so many times, but all the tears were so happy and the emotion was incredibly real! I also love how original, truly unique even, Charlie and Artemis's romance was! There were little things here and there that reminded me of Lucas and Mater, but so unique and special for the two of them as a couple. They experienced so much character growth, I loved it! I don't want to spoil anything for anyone because that would be so sad, but I will say, I do think this book needs to be read after the other books including Forget Me Not, to fully appreciate the emotional impact it has. I laughed, I smiled, I swooned, I cheered, and boy did I cry. Chapter 27 people! Hands down one of the best reads of the year, this book has solidified itself amongst my all-time favorites. I recommend it entirely with every star and great rating I can give it. My heart is full from reading this story! I received an ebook ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I have also preordered my own final print paper back copy.
post read: I literally outwardly sobbed through the entire last third of this book so take that as the endorsement it is meant to be.
far pre-read: idk how to an image to a goodreads review (or, in this case, a pre-review) but take my word for it that I have a sticky note above my desk in prime eye-real-estate spot that says "Reasons To Live" and that two weeks ago, after reading The Best-Laid Plans , I wrote "Artemis & Charlie Eventual Book" on said sticky note.
I am VERY pleased to cross that out and write the proper title. This book is, at this point, the furthest-in-the-future item on that particular list, so that's certainly a very specific type of endorsement. How many books can claim that honor?
There’s not much I can say except this was perfect. The perfect ending to two beloved series, and an absolutely magical love story. Sarah Eden has a way of making you laugh through an entire chapter then cry through the next. Her brilliance is unmatched!
This was my least favorite Sarah Eden. The beginning came across as a bit creepy rather than charming, and I struggled to enjoy the rest of the book. However, it was a very nice wrap-up to multiple storylines.
Before I get into what I did not like about this book let me say this, if any part of you is contemplating reading this book, even to simply open it’s cover and skim the contents inside the answer is yes! Having been on the Lancaster & Jonquil journey from the very beginning more than ten years ago, I’m sure I’m not unique to say I have a bookshelf solely committed to Mrs. Eden’s work and I wear that badge with pride. “Charming Artemis” is a piece of the continuing puzzle with regards to so many characters’ lives who many Eden fans have come to love. Leaving hints in earlier books, Sarah Eden does an incredible job at combining these two households. Although this is not technically the first time the Jonquils and Lancaster’s have been joined by marriage (Linus and Arabella’s love story), Charlie and Artemis’s story shed a light on relationships you have been given glimpse of and left wanting more. Eden did not disappoint in that regard, in fact I cried tears of joy throughout this book as moments passed between feisty Artemis and terrifying Adam along with moments between Charlie and his brothers. You can really tell that Eden has come to love and even get to know these characters better along with growth in her writing. This book is probably some of her best work but there were a few disappointing elements to this book. The first being that in her more recent books I feel like the main lady is always extremely depressed. Full disclaimer depression is a very real thing and I have no issue with the characters having it or reading about it but I feel like Eden has the tendency to go down a spiraling rabbit whole trying to be philosophical and moving while she writes about the deep, dark emotions of the characters that it just ends up overly dramatic and exhausting. It is almost like she has been circling this story plot of the women coming from a distressing family and is lonely, depressed and unloved for the past 5 novels. All of which are serious and at some point all regency romances are some variation of the same plot; arranged marriages, highway robberies, etc., but I do think there are more creative ways to write a character. If you compare this book to “Seeking Persephone”, both Adam and Persphone were depressed and/or lonely but reading about it wasn’t painful. There was more to them than their depression or loneliness. There is even a line in “Charming Artemis” that jokes about all of the women coming from a distressing home.
The second thing I did not like about this novel and would probably say the same thing for the past 4 novels of Edens is the lack of passion between the two main love interests. Now I do not expect nor want this book to be the next “50 shades” but I do believe that physical touch is a form of love and a good ingredient to a romance novel so I do feel like Eden has taken the “passion dial” and turned it almost off in her most recent novels, this one being no exception. I would almost argue that the amount of affection is so mild that it is more like a brother and sister level, as cringy as that sounds. You can only write so many novels full of only heads laying on shoulders and a brief hand squeezes before “Little House on the Prairie” is more exciting. Us readers these books attract are not looking for habanero spice sexual action but for pete’s sake a few more tantalizing looks, stolen kisses, heart-racing-after-he-helps-you-out-of-the-carriage moments wouldn’t hurt.
Lastly, I did not like the development of Sorrel. It could be just in my head but I have a feeling that Sarah Eden is preparing her readers for the death of Philip’s beloved wife. This makes me incredibly sad as Sorrel is one of the only extremely unique characters in this Lancaster/Jonquil world. Although I thoroughly enjoyed Clara’s, Catherine”s and Marjorie”s stories there isn’t much distinction between the three ladies. Sorrel on the other hand is a refreshing character that even though she has the “typical” Eden women background of a terrible father and home life, she is feisty, headstrong and outspoken along with being disabled which disrupts the regency feel of the story in a good way.
To conclude, I really did enjoy this novel. It had me laughing and crying, I just wish there were more romantic moments between Charlie and Artemis along with less living in the past and more in the moment. I loved ALL of the scenes with Adam in it as well as the introduction of new characters. I would love to see Eden be more confident in letting go of the idea of the main character being depressed and lonely. All in all, if you are a fan of charming uncles, unlikely pairs and beautifully chaotic families you will love this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to get this review up. I finished reading the book over a week ago, but it is midterm season y'all, and your girl is BUSY and TIRED. Nonetheless, I had to express my thoughts. You all know I'm a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers story and this story has taken place over approximately 13 books. This is the Avengers: Endgame of the regency romance genre, no I will not be taking any arguments. This was my most anticipated book of 2021 and I couldn't have asked for anything better. This book made me laugh, cry, aww, and everything in between.
I did myself a favor by NOT reading the synopsis before reading the book and so in just the first few chapters, I was SHOOK at discovering Charlie and Artemis were to be forced into a marriage of convenience (another favorite trope of mine). I was intrigued by how similar this book was to Forget Me Not. I'm a little more biased towards FMN but, this is still Sarah so I really can't complain.
I'm SO glad that I took the time to read all the books in chronological order before reading this one because it just helped me have all the relationships and circumstances fresh in my mind and made the experience that much more enjoyable. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this (I read it on my Kindle).
Artemis and Charlie's characters never really changed, just their views of one another. They were surprised to discover that they are not all that different after all and they fiercely misjudged one another. Charlie develops such a tenderness for her that melts my heart. He reminds me of a very dear friend of mine who is not always the best with words and he's often awkward in his actions, but his intentions and his heart are always pure. I love him dearly and with his love, I never feel alone. Charlie and Artemis are very accustomed to feeling alone and unwanted, and by the end of the story, they can empathize with each other and make sure the other never feels lonely.
I was just so blown away by the story's sweetness and tenderness. It was well worth the wait, and though I am sad to see these series end, I'm excited to see what Sarah writes next. She never fails to make me fall in love with each of her intimately crafted and cared-for characters. 100/5 if I could give it, but I will have to settle for a resounding 5/5.
I like Eden's earlier books best, and haven't bought any from her recently. However, the storyline of this one intrigued me, so I decided I'd give it a try.
I had mixed feelings about it. I liked Charlie better than I liked Artemis, although she grew on me. Sometimes, though, I felt like Charlie was getting brough beaten by everyone. I also feel like alot of Eden's stories lately have repeated each other, just with less humor and fun than her earlier books. I also felt like the ending of this book drug on. It ended, then it ended again...and again.
I did enjoy the humor that was in the book, and I liked the tenderness Charlie showed to Artemus. I liked how her "Papa" problem ended, but I kind of felt like relationship with him was a bit far fetched. It seems strange that he would have met her on 5 different occasions and felt extremely concerned for her, but never even asked her her name. It also seemed strange that she would have wandered off on 5 separate occasions and happened to run into him, but he never met any of her family.
I tend to read to escape from the world, so when stories are mostly serious, I don't care for them much. Another person might like this more than I did. It was well written (although I was surprised by a couple of oddly phrased sentences, that seemed out of character for Eden's writing; I.E. "it's not likely that they won't have bread pudding". There were at least two sentences like this that had double negatives. It seemed that this book wasn't as well edited as some of her others.
I was very excited when I saw that Sarah M. Eden was writing a book about the youngest siblings in the Jonquil and Lancaster families. I have loved the books about these families, and I couldn't wait to see how it would all come together. Artemis had been, for lack of a better word, a bit of a dramatic pain in the other books, and Charlie was mostly a trouble maker. Although we'd seen glimpses of both of them that indicated they were much more than those labels. Those glimpses made me curious about their depth, but I didn't go into Charming Artemis with much of a love for either character.
At the end of the story I liked both characters somewhat better than I had going into it, but instead of being a story mostly about Charlie and Artemis together it felt more like a means to wrap up the two families stories. We were given more back story and depth, mostly about Artemis, but their connection wasn't much of a focus. And I couldn't help but be put off by the "papa" aspect of the story. In this day and age that situation screams creeper. I hate typing that since it wasn't like that at all, but several things about the situation just didn't sit right with me. I really liked some aspects of the story, but other parts felt a bit too . . . convenient, in an effort to tie everything up in a neat bow.
It was one of those stories that my expectations were so high that I didn't quite get what I was hoping for from it. Perhaps I wasn't in the right mood when I read it though, so I will give it another shot, and I will definitely read more from the author.
If you’re looking for the book of the year, look no further. This book is EVERYTHING! I’ve been following along the Jonquil and Lancaster family for the last 10 years and this book was even beyond what I could have dreamed! “Do you wish for a love story for the ages?” This question is asked in this book and I’m here to tell you this is one of the most tender and beautiful love stories I’ve ever read. The tenderness is all encompassing in this book: every character, every situation. There is no place in your heart that this book won’t touch. It will wreck you in the very best way.
I have nothing to critique on this book. It is absolute perfection. I have no doubt this book will become my most re-read book that I own. There is something so fantastic about stubborn main characters and I believe Charlie and Artemis might be the most stubborn characters I’ve ever read.
There are so many moments in this book that will make you realize how important family/friend connections are. The loyalty and love between these families is something worth fighting in real life and something I will take away and be so grateful for. Thank you Sarah M. Eden for creating this masterpiece. It was truly magnificent in every way!
Thanks to the author and publisher for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
I’ve been excited for Charming Artemis ever since it was announced. Sarah M Eden’s books are some of my very favorite. This author does a great job with her characters. And I love the way they all fit together. This book actually ties up two of her series. And I’m so sad to see them end. But they way they ended was beautiful. I’m just going to be honest and say I cried the last 50 or so pages of the book. Such a great ending!
Artemis and Charlie have never been best friends. In fact, they think that they are enemies. I didn’t read the back of the book first, so I was shocked when they had to get married. This is one of my very favorite tropes. I love seeing love grow from nothing. It just does my heart good.
The way Charlie wins Artemis is sweet and perfect. I loved his character. The way Artemis lets her guard down with him and only him, so sweet. I love these two characters!
One of my very favorite things though, is that all of the Jonquils and the Lancasters come together in this book. I loved that the reader gets to see Adam in a different way than usual. And I really loved that the Jonquil brothers went to call out a jerk. That may have been my very favorite scene.
I very rarely can pick favorites. But this book is my favorite book that I’ve read this year. It needs to be on your list!
I am a huge fan of Ms. Eden's work, and have read nearly all of her Regency romances, which is why it pains me to write what some may see as a scathing review. Charming Artemis essentially "wraps up" two of her most popular series: the Jonquil Family set of books, as well as the Lancaster set. This much-anticipated novel falls short, however, seeming at times stilted and forced, as though it were just an excuse to put every single one of her past characters (and a heck of a lot of new ones, because - cha-ching - new books, hello) together. It was easily twice as long as it needed to be, and I found myself checking the number of pages I had left, many times. Eden used lazy techniques such as, "these characters were there the whole time, for years; we just didn't see them" and "they're joking with each other, *really* - they're not being mean, even if their words sound mean." Most of the plot was the two main characters walking on eggshells with one another. Somehow the late Lord Jonquil adopts the entire universe, because why not? It was uninspired, messy writing.
I've celebrated Eden's work for many years and think she's a fabulous author, but I also will not laud junk just because it has her name stamped on the cover. She could have (and has) done better.