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My Dearest Enemy
With the inimitable blend of humor, innovative storylines, and steamy sensuality that has made her one of the genre's hottest writers, Connie Brockway delivers a historical romance set in Victorian England in which a dead man's will pits a young woman yearning for independence against a world-weary adventurer searching for a home.
Hardcover
First published August 1, 1998
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About the author
Connie Brockway
60 books726 followersNew York Times and USAToday best selling author Connie Brockway has twice won the Romance Writers of America's Rita award for best historical romance as well as being an eight time finalist. After receiving a double major in art history and English from Macalester College, Connie entered grad school with an eye to acquiring her MFA in creative writing. Soon enough she jettisoned the idea of writing serious literature for what she considered (and still considers) the best gig in the world, writing romance.
Connie has received numerous starred reviews for her romances in Publisher's Weekly and Library Journal. Library Journal also named her Her 2004 romance, My Seduction, one of the year's top ten romances.
In November of 2011, THE OTHER GUY'S BRIDE (a sequel to the perennially popular AS YOU DESIRE) was Amazon's Montlake Publishing's launch title. Here next book, NO PLACE FOR A DAME will be published September, 2013. A regency set romance, it is also the sequel to ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT.Today Connie lives in Minnesota with her husband David, a family physician, and two spoiled mutts.
Connie has received numerous starred reviews for her romances in Publisher's Weekly and Library Journal. Library Journal also named her Her 2004 romance, My Seduction, one of the year's top ten romances.
In November of 2011, THE OTHER GUY'S BRIDE (a sequel to the perennially popular AS YOU DESIRE) was Amazon's Montlake Publishing's launch title. Here next book, NO PLACE FOR A DAME will be published September, 2013. A regency set romance, it is also the sequel to ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT.Today Connie lives in Minnesota with her husband David, a family physician, and two spoiled mutts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 436 reviews
December 15, 2019
One of my long-time favourites, My Dearest Enemy is a lively character driven Victorian romance full of both humorous and touching moments, with two remarkable and endearing protagonists, Lillian and Avery, and a shining prose best showcasing the well-crafted set of emotions and Connie Brockway's ability of subtly blending and interspersing light-heartedness with more meaningful matters about love and life. The headstrong suffragist and the world-weary adventurer start their bantering even before knowing each other through a string of delicious letters and then go on with the sparks when they finally meet, making for an exciting, funny and moving read.
October 10, 2015
I enjoyed this one. It was a sweet, sometimes heartbreaking read. I can fully understand Lily's opinion and outlook on life. Us ladies have it easier in this day and age ... we don't have to take our husband's name, we can vote, we can have our own bank accounts.
Loved the banter between. And I got a sweet epilogue.
“Dear Mr. Thorne, For the next five years, I will profitably manage this estate. I will deliver to you an allowance and I will prove that women are just as capable as men.”
“Foolish Lily," he said. "Don't you know why I haven't touched you? Didn't you guess that once you were in my arms I would never let you go?”
Lilian Bede was stunnning. The shock of her appearance capsized all his preconceptions and left Avery foundering for words.
Loved the banter between. And I got a sweet epilogue.
"The woman obsesses me. It's unhealthy. It's ridiculous.
“Avery?" she whispered.
He gathered her closer, his eyes still closed.
"Avery?"
"Shh." His voice was low and infinitely sad. "Hush. Tomorrow's waiting outside this door. It's crouching there in an ocean of words and uncertainties. But it's not here yet and we are. Lily. Lillian. Love. I'm begging you. Let me love you again. Let me love you all night long." She answered with a kiss.”
April 30, 2011
This was the first book by Connie Brockway I've read, but it won't be the last.
My Dearest Enemy has it all: it's funny and, at the same time, heartbreaking, Romantic - yes, with a capital "R"! - and has two of the most charming couples I've "met" in Romancelandia. Avery and Lily made me laugh with their initial witty banter, made me cry when their individual beliefs tore them apart, and made me sigh in happiness with their HEA.
There is NOTHING I can fault in this book. It's a keeper and I can see myself rereading it at least once a year in the future. :)
My Dearest Enemy has it all: it's funny and, at the same time, heartbreaking, Romantic - yes, with a capital "R"! - and has two of the most charming couples I've "met" in Romancelandia. Avery and Lily made me laugh with their initial witty banter, made me cry when their individual beliefs tore them apart, and made me sigh in happiness with their HEA.
There is NOTHING I can fault in this book. It's a keeper and I can see myself rereading it at least once a year in the future. :)
March 15, 2017
4.5 stars.
March’s prompt for the TBR challenge is “comfort read”, which is defined as a book that uses a favourite trope or setting, or is by a favourite author. I’ve chosen something from my TBR that everyone seems to have read except me – Connie Brockway’s My Dearest Enemy, which combines two of my favourite things, an enemies-to-lovers romance and a story in which letters play an important part (I do love an epistolary novel!). It’s a gloriously romantic, character-driven story set at the end of the 19th century, in which our hero – a famous explorer – and heroine – an advocate of women’s suffrage – butt heads over the home they both love, sniping and pushing each other’s buttons as the attraction between them deepens.
Avery Thorne finds himself all but disinherited upon the death of his uncle Horatio, who, believing Avery to be a weakling and in need of discipline and humility, has granted stewardship of his home and lands to the illegitimate daughter of his late wife’s sister, nineteen-year-old Lilian Bede. Miss Bede is to take possession of the property for a period of five years, and at the end of that time, if the farm and land are profitable, the house will belong to her fully. Avery is furious, but he can do nothing, and opts to leave England rather than watch someone else take possession of the only home he has ever known.
Lily Bede is astonished to find herself the recipient of a house, and does worry that if she accepts the bequest, she will be doing the legitimate heir – whom she has never met - a bad turn. But she doesn’t really have an alternative; with her parents both dead, she is living pretty much hand-to-mouth, and the prospect of having a real home – even one that might end up being temporary – is too much to resist. And besides, the alternative, receiving a small income instead, but one she will lose unless she publicly denounces the Women’s Suffrage movement… well, that just isn’t going to happen. Taking the house is, as far as Lily is concerned, the lesser of two evils.
During the five years of Avery’s absence, he and Lily exchange a series of letters, that are full of biting sarcasm (without being nasty), humorous banter and, sometimes, emotional honesty. Avery has gained a reputation as an adventurer and explorer, and has also made himself a lot of money by writing up the stories of his exploits which are serialised in a popular newspaper. Yet he still carries with him his ideal of home and is still determined to claim Mill House when he returns to England.
In that time, Lily has had some success in turning a profit, but she’s not in the clear yet. She’s economised considerably, reducing the staff to a bare minimum and doing a lot of the work herself; it’s her only chance to have a house and home of her own, as she doesn’t ever want to get married, so she’s worked hard and is determined to keep the house that has become her home.
Even though she and Avery have been corresponding for nearly five years by the time he returns home, Lily is in no way prepared for the way he affects her from their first meeting. Having been led - by descriptions of those who knew him before, and from his portrait - to expect a rather scrawny and unprepossessing individual, she is stunned to come face to face with the most handsome man she’s ever seen, one who radiates confidence and masculinity to such an extent he nearly takes her breath away.
Avery is just as surprised to discover that instead of the dried up spinster he’d expected, Lily is an exotic, feminine beauty, albeit one that strides around the place in tweed bloomers. Of course they’re both smitten – but we knew that from reading their letters and especially from Avery’s reaction to the one Lily sent him after the death of a close friend.
Their romance is beautifully written and developed as both of them try to get the upper hand in order to prove they have a right to the house while coming to appreciate each other’s sterling qualities. Avery is a truly swoonworthy hero without being stereotypical; he’s handsome, competent and confident, but he’s more of a beta than an alpha. He’s not vastly experienced with women, he loves his home and wants to marry and have a large family. He’s protective without being suffocating, and I loved the way he treats Lily as an equal and lets her do things for herself whereas many men of the time would have attempted to step in and do things for her. The way he – and the reader – is shown the extent of Lily’s care of the estate and the prejudice she has encountered on account of her gender and her illegitimacy, is masterfully done, with one moment in particular almost reducing me to a quivering wreck. His insistence on being a gentleman is very sweet - especially as his view of what is gentlemanly tends to be somewhat fluid – but the subtle message, that the mark of a true gentleman lies in the truth and honour of his actions rather than in his manners and the adherence to convention is expertly and effectively conveyed.
Lily, too, is a great character, and I liked her very much even though there were times I wanted to shake some sense into her near the end of the book. For most of it though, she’s terrific – witty, clever, sarcastic and perfectly able to hold her own against Avery’s barbs; it’s much more difficult for her to conceal how strongly attracted to him she is than it is to find the words to get under his skin. My main criticism of Lily is that while her reasons for not wanting to marry are sound and very well explained (her mother’s husband took away her children after she left him and she never saw them again – it’s a heartbreaking story), she has chained herself to a dead woman’s grievances and made a crusade of her mother’s pain to such an extent that she has blinded herself to the truth of what’s standing in front of her – a man who loves and respects her deeply and will never hurt her.
There is a small but very well-drawn cast of secondary characters, most intriguing of whom is Horatio’s unmarried sister, Francesca, a fading beauty who fills her life with frivolity and, it’s implied, men, but who is characterised by an underlying sadness. Bernard, Avery’s twelve-year-old cousin is a delight; a boy becoming a man, intent on protecting his womenfolk while he also suffers from the severe asthma which affected Avery as a child (and continues to do so in certain circumstances). The relationship that evolves between the pair is just lovely.
My main criticism of the book as a whole is that the ending is very abrupt, and, given all the angst that has gone before it, the tiniest bit anticlimactic. There is an epilogue set around a decade afterwards, but I needed a little more closure on the original story rather than a glimpse into the future.
But even so, My Dearest Enemy is a gem of a book, and I’m really glad I finally got around to reading it. It’s witty and clever, with some moments of true poignancy near the end which had me quite choked up - plus Avery is one of the most wonderfully romantic heroes I’ve ever read.
March’s prompt for the TBR challenge is “comfort read”, which is defined as a book that uses a favourite trope or setting, or is by a favourite author. I’ve chosen something from my TBR that everyone seems to have read except me – Connie Brockway’s My Dearest Enemy, which combines two of my favourite things, an enemies-to-lovers romance and a story in which letters play an important part (I do love an epistolary novel!). It’s a gloriously romantic, character-driven story set at the end of the 19th century, in which our hero – a famous explorer – and heroine – an advocate of women’s suffrage – butt heads over the home they both love, sniping and pushing each other’s buttons as the attraction between them deepens.
Avery Thorne finds himself all but disinherited upon the death of his uncle Horatio, who, believing Avery to be a weakling and in need of discipline and humility, has granted stewardship of his home and lands to the illegitimate daughter of his late wife’s sister, nineteen-year-old Lilian Bede. Miss Bede is to take possession of the property for a period of five years, and at the end of that time, if the farm and land are profitable, the house will belong to her fully. Avery is furious, but he can do nothing, and opts to leave England rather than watch someone else take possession of the only home he has ever known.
Lily Bede is astonished to find herself the recipient of a house, and does worry that if she accepts the bequest, she will be doing the legitimate heir – whom she has never met - a bad turn. But she doesn’t really have an alternative; with her parents both dead, she is living pretty much hand-to-mouth, and the prospect of having a real home – even one that might end up being temporary – is too much to resist. And besides, the alternative, receiving a small income instead, but one she will lose unless she publicly denounces the Women’s Suffrage movement… well, that just isn’t going to happen. Taking the house is, as far as Lily is concerned, the lesser of two evils.
During the five years of Avery’s absence, he and Lily exchange a series of letters, that are full of biting sarcasm (without being nasty), humorous banter and, sometimes, emotional honesty. Avery has gained a reputation as an adventurer and explorer, and has also made himself a lot of money by writing up the stories of his exploits which are serialised in a popular newspaper. Yet he still carries with him his ideal of home and is still determined to claim Mill House when he returns to England.
In that time, Lily has had some success in turning a profit, but she’s not in the clear yet. She’s economised considerably, reducing the staff to a bare minimum and doing a lot of the work herself; it’s her only chance to have a house and home of her own, as she doesn’t ever want to get married, so she’s worked hard and is determined to keep the house that has become her home.
Even though she and Avery have been corresponding for nearly five years by the time he returns home, Lily is in no way prepared for the way he affects her from their first meeting. Having been led - by descriptions of those who knew him before, and from his portrait - to expect a rather scrawny and unprepossessing individual, she is stunned to come face to face with the most handsome man she’s ever seen, one who radiates confidence and masculinity to such an extent he nearly takes her breath away.
Avery is just as surprised to discover that instead of the dried up spinster he’d expected, Lily is an exotic, feminine beauty, albeit one that strides around the place in tweed bloomers. Of course they’re both smitten – but we knew that from reading their letters and especially from Avery’s reaction to the one Lily sent him after the death of a close friend.
Their romance is beautifully written and developed as both of them try to get the upper hand in order to prove they have a right to the house while coming to appreciate each other’s sterling qualities. Avery is a truly swoonworthy hero without being stereotypical; he’s handsome, competent and confident, but he’s more of a beta than an alpha. He’s not vastly experienced with women, he loves his home and wants to marry and have a large family. He’s protective without being suffocating, and I loved the way he treats Lily as an equal and lets her do things for herself whereas many men of the time would have attempted to step in and do things for her. The way he – and the reader – is shown the extent of Lily’s care of the estate and the prejudice she has encountered on account of her gender and her illegitimacy, is masterfully done, with one moment in particular almost reducing me to a quivering wreck. His insistence on being a gentleman is very sweet - especially as his view of what is gentlemanly tends to be somewhat fluid – but the subtle message, that the mark of a true gentleman lies in the truth and honour of his actions rather than in his manners and the adherence to convention is expertly and effectively conveyed.
Lily, too, is a great character, and I liked her very much even though there were times I wanted to shake some sense into her near the end of the book. For most of it though, she’s terrific – witty, clever, sarcastic and perfectly able to hold her own against Avery’s barbs; it’s much more difficult for her to conceal how strongly attracted to him she is than it is to find the words to get under his skin. My main criticism of Lily is that while her reasons for not wanting to marry are sound and very well explained (her mother’s husband took away her children after she left him and she never saw them again – it’s a heartbreaking story), she has chained herself to a dead woman’s grievances and made a crusade of her mother’s pain to such an extent that she has blinded herself to the truth of what’s standing in front of her – a man who loves and respects her deeply and will never hurt her.
There is a small but very well-drawn cast of secondary characters, most intriguing of whom is Horatio’s unmarried sister, Francesca, a fading beauty who fills her life with frivolity and, it’s implied, men, but who is characterised by an underlying sadness. Bernard, Avery’s twelve-year-old cousin is a delight; a boy becoming a man, intent on protecting his womenfolk while he also suffers from the severe asthma which affected Avery as a child (and continues to do so in certain circumstances). The relationship that evolves between the pair is just lovely.
My main criticism of the book as a whole is that the ending is very abrupt, and, given all the angst that has gone before it, the tiniest bit anticlimactic. There is an epilogue set around a decade afterwards, but I needed a little more closure on the original story rather than a glimpse into the future.
But even so, My Dearest Enemy is a gem of a book, and I’m really glad I finally got around to reading it. It’s witty and clever, with some moments of true poignancy near the end which had me quite choked up - plus Avery is one of the most wonderfully romantic heroes I’ve ever read.
June 9, 2010
A super romantic historical, with an H/h story that was deeply passionate and from the heart. I loved it. I shed a few tears in the end. And such great bantering/dialog between the H/h, what fun it was when these two were communicating together. Set in the countryside of England in the late 1800’s, he was a captivating beta-type hero who grew up with physical disabilities which he had to overcome, and she was a devoted woman’s rights leader with a past that fully explains her point of view on marriage. The H/h had some major obstacles to overcome before they could get to their HEA. There was a strong under-current of passion and tension between the H/h throughout the story, but those looking for the physical parts will need to wait a bit longer as it comes later in the book. But when it does, WOW it was passionate and tastefully done. I can see why this is on the AAR top 100 list. This was my favorite Connie Brockway novel so far.
July 20, 2009
A bit ‘meh’, a bit ‘blah’, a bit ‘oh-look-I’m-on-page-150-and-still-nothing-is-happening-what-else-is-on-TBR’, yeah this book just didn’t do it for me and I had some high hopes too. I was expecting a Lisa Kleypas “It Happened One Autumn” or a Loretta Chase “Lord of Scoundrels” battle of words but it was neither and just a really average ho-hum read.
It's the story of two adversaries fighting it out to get ownership of a house in five years time. The hero who was supposed to inherit the house got on his dead relative's nerves and to teach him a lesson the dead guy decreed in his will that he had to play a wait and see game with the heroine. She (a nobody who was aquainted with the dead guy) does her best to manage the house and make a profit because if she does after five years it'll be hers finally giving her a place in society. During the five years she has to send the hero his allowance (he's roaming the world during that time) and that's how they stay in touch and write some in-yer-face-Jack letters to each other until they finally meet once the end of the five years approaches.
The back blurb is quite the eye-catcher with these scathing letters to wet your whistle between the h/h. Well that’s about as good as it gets. Sort of like the really good movie preview but a real dud of a movie when you see. This book had its moments but they were far and very few between. The h/h were well-developed with lots of potential but they were rarely together in the novel and having shared only two kisses over 220 pages I was really getting fed up. To top it all off anytime they were in close proximity someone was ‘suddenly’ interrupting them. Now this can be used as a good tension builder but when the reader gets the feeling it’s going to happen every single time it gets irritating and it’s hard to enjoy the meager moments. Even the ‘big’ moment was disappointing and I felt short changed, gypped, scammed, MAD! Ahemmm, yeah, I hate reading a book that doesn’t deliver on the final goods so to speak. I’m not saying that they had to get it on early on or anything but a little more development in the bedroom would have been appreciated after all those ‘interruptions’ over the course of 300 pages (!)
There was some good banter, sarcasm but it never went anywhere. Things were at a standstill in terms of the relationship development between Avery and Lily. There was a lot of potential but the author felt it was more important to talk about the mundane with secondary characters or harping on women’s rights and a man being a gentleman than advancing the story at times. There's also a lot of narration that skirts the boring more than once or suddenly things happen and you have to go back and reread to make sure you understand where "that" just came from. It’s pretty much just a slightly less than average read with some good parts chucked in hither and yon so to speak to remind you it’s a romance novel :-/
Though it had a nice ending, I can’t say I really believed in the all encompassing love between Avery and Lily. They suddenly loved each other even though there was no real build-up to it. You can’t love someone if you’re hardly with them. Love/hate stories are my favourite and though the basis of this one had that, it just didn’t take off and sort of stayed at second base throughout all those pages. So it’s okay, but quite forgettable.
It's the story of two adversaries fighting it out to get ownership of a house in five years time. The hero who was supposed to inherit the house got on his dead relative's nerves and to teach him a lesson the dead guy decreed in his will that he had to play a wait and see game with the heroine. She (a nobody who was aquainted with the dead guy) does her best to manage the house and make a profit because if she does after five years it'll be hers finally giving her a place in society. During the five years she has to send the hero his allowance (he's roaming the world during that time) and that's how they stay in touch and write some in-yer-face-Jack letters to each other until they finally meet once the end of the five years approaches.
The back blurb is quite the eye-catcher with these scathing letters to wet your whistle between the h/h. Well that’s about as good as it gets. Sort of like the really good movie preview but a real dud of a movie when you see. This book had its moments but they were far and very few between. The h/h were well-developed with lots of potential but they were rarely together in the novel and having shared only two kisses over 220 pages I was really getting fed up. To top it all off anytime they were in close proximity someone was ‘suddenly’ interrupting them. Now this can be used as a good tension builder but when the reader gets the feeling it’s going to happen every single time it gets irritating and it’s hard to enjoy the meager moments. Even the ‘big’ moment was disappointing and I felt short changed, gypped, scammed, MAD! Ahemmm, yeah, I hate reading a book that doesn’t deliver on the final goods so to speak. I’m not saying that they had to get it on early on or anything but a little more development in the bedroom would have been appreciated after all those ‘interruptions’ over the course of 300 pages (!)
There was some good banter, sarcasm but it never went anywhere. Things were at a standstill in terms of the relationship development between Avery and Lily. There was a lot of potential but the author felt it was more important to talk about the mundane with secondary characters or harping on women’s rights and a man being a gentleman than advancing the story at times. There's also a lot of narration that skirts the boring more than once or suddenly things happen and you have to go back and reread to make sure you understand where "that" just came from. It’s pretty much just a slightly less than average read with some good parts chucked in hither and yon so to speak to remind you it’s a romance novel :-/
Though it had a nice ending, I can’t say I really believed in the all encompassing love between Avery and Lily. They suddenly loved each other even though there was no real build-up to it. You can’t love someone if you’re hardly with them. Love/hate stories are my favourite and though the basis of this one had that, it just didn’t take off and sort of stayed at second base throughout all those pages. So it’s okay, but quite forgettable.
January 13, 2024
4.5/5.
I first read this book in 2013 and this was my take on it then:
5 stars. Beautifully written, emotionally expressive with a great deal of witty humour. Sizzling chemistry conveyed, even prior to them meeting, through their letters.
Now, 5 years later after my first reread of this wonderful book, I can say the above sentiments remain except I will deduct 1/2 stars as explained below.
As a young boy, the orphaned Avery Thorne was invited to spend a few holidays at Mill House Estate by his uncle and owner of the estate. He promptly fell in love with the place and was subsequently promised by said uncle that the estate will be his one day. He held on to this promise like a life buoy as he battled loneliness and isolation throughout his school years - caused by a combination of asthmatic lungs and the cruelty of fellow students who saw his frail health as easy picking. It is thus a great and bitter shock to Avery to discover, upon his uncle's passing, that the estate has been placed under the management of one Miss Lillian Bede for 5 years, during which she will be responsible for Avery's as well as the estate's keeping. If she makes a profit at the end of the five years, the estate will pass in to her possession permanently otherwise ownership will finally go to Avery. Angry and resentful of his uncle's terms, Avery promptly leaves England to seek his own fortune rather than wait around under the thumb of a woman and a suffragist at that.
At 19, orphaned, illegitimate and without financial security, Lillian never expected to be granted a chance to be in charge of her own estate and future. It is far more than her feministic fantasies have allowed her to dream of. She immediately rises to the challenge posed by her distant relative, rolls up her sleeves, ditches the skirt for practical bloomers and gets to work to do what menial and cerebral tasks must be done to keep the estate in profit. For the next almost 5 years, she does a most credible job of turning Mill House into a comfortable home for herself, her instant 'family' consisting of a sickly young boy and the heir of the bulk of the family fortune, the boy's mother and great aunt as well as a collection of pregnant maids and retired race horses - all the while keeping up a steady exchange of fiery and entertaining letters with Avery Thorne, Mill House's owner-in-waiting. They trade lively insults and challenges as her letters chase him around the world and his letters regale tales of his adventures in various exotic locations.
After almost 5 years of wandering the globe, Avery decides it's time to return back and check on Lily and his young cousin, whose frail lungs remind him of himself as a boy. His first meeting with Lily is unexpected for both. She expects a skinny, pale young man and not this robust picture of masculinity before her and she - well, overlooking her strange manly attire - she is even more alluring than he had pictured. What has not changed is their abilities to rile one another up, although more than tempers get aroused when they clash as becomes obvious to the whole household.
Evelyn could practically see the sparks leaping between their locked gazes. "Something is definitely up between them," Polly Makepeace whispered as Lily struggled for her composure. "My old mum's corset laces had less strain on them than there is between those two. And she weighed near thirty stones."
Their attraction is mightily inconvenient to both as neither are willing to give up on the estate they count as theirs. They had their challenges growing up, events which shaped them into the people they are now. Even when they finally succumb to their attraction, Lily remains enchained by the sufferings of her past and memories of her mother's pain of losing her two legitimate children (Lily's older half-siblings) to her husband, so much so that she cannot contemplate the possibility of a future with Avery.
She wasn't infallibly wise, after all. She was far too human in her failings. She'd chained herself to a dead woman's grievances and made a crusade of her mother's pain. There was no room in her heart for him.
"Shh.” His voice was low and infinitely sad. “Hush. Tomorrow’s waiting outside this door. It’s crouching there in an ocean of words and uncertainties. But it’s not here yet and we are. Lily. Lillian. Love. I’m begging you. Let me love you again. Let me love you all night long.”
I love Avery. He was witty, warm and once he finally realised that he was already goner for her, he was unafraid to express his feelings:
"Yes, I'm allergic to the wretched creatures (her horses)," he flung out. What difference did it make if she knew of his weaknesses? She already owned his heart, an atrociously defenseless organ.
He was respectful of her intelligence and independence and yet with her independence came a streak of stubbornness that frustrated him:
"I don't give a bloody damn if I never share your bed, your name, or your house - you are still my concern. You can leave, take yourself from my ken, disappear for the rest of my life but you cannot untangle yourself from my - my concern. That I have of you, Miss Bede, for that at least, I do not need your permission.
Lily was a very unusual heroine. She had made her own way in the world after her parent's deaths, surviving on her wit and ingenuity. Due to her mother's heartbreak at losing her children forever to an angry husband, Lily had embraced the the cause of feminism to empower women in their marriages, in the work place and in society. Yet even in her scandalous pants, she remains feminine and warm, caring for her adopted family and household and animals - even reached out to console a broken Avery who wrote to her of the death of his long term travel companion and friend. And she secretly relishes each gauntlet he throws her way.
She'd once disdained his exaggerated masculinity. She'd lied, to herself, to him. She gloried in it.
Unfortunately, much that I sympathised with her sentiments, she held Avery off for too long, refusing to legitimise their feelings even when Avery has shown himself a decent and loving man to be trusted. For that, the book lost 1/2 star.
The ending though:
Avery:
" The only way you could ever hurt me is by leaving me. But know this, Lily, it will be a mortal wound. Because I'll never find the likes of you again. I've wandered all over the world, Lily, waiting to come home. I'm here. Now. Please. Don't send me away."
Lily finally:
"Here is my heart, Avery," she whispered. " Here is my past. Here is my future. They've been yours all along. I was just too blind to see."
Me:
I first read this book in 2013 and this was my take on it then:
5 stars. Beautifully written, emotionally expressive with a great deal of witty humour. Sizzling chemistry conveyed, even prior to them meeting, through their letters.
Now, 5 years later after my first reread of this wonderful book, I can say the above sentiments remain except I will deduct 1/2 stars as explained below.
As a young boy, the orphaned Avery Thorne was invited to spend a few holidays at Mill House Estate by his uncle and owner of the estate. He promptly fell in love with the place and was subsequently promised by said uncle that the estate will be his one day. He held on to this promise like a life buoy as he battled loneliness and isolation throughout his school years - caused by a combination of asthmatic lungs and the cruelty of fellow students who saw his frail health as easy picking. It is thus a great and bitter shock to Avery to discover, upon his uncle's passing, that the estate has been placed under the management of one Miss Lillian Bede for 5 years, during which she will be responsible for Avery's as well as the estate's keeping. If she makes a profit at the end of the five years, the estate will pass in to her possession permanently otherwise ownership will finally go to Avery. Angry and resentful of his uncle's terms, Avery promptly leaves England to seek his own fortune rather than wait around under the thumb of a woman and a suffragist at that.
At 19, orphaned, illegitimate and without financial security, Lillian never expected to be granted a chance to be in charge of her own estate and future. It is far more than her feministic fantasies have allowed her to dream of. She immediately rises to the challenge posed by her distant relative, rolls up her sleeves, ditches the skirt for practical bloomers and gets to work to do what menial and cerebral tasks must be done to keep the estate in profit. For the next almost 5 years, she does a most credible job of turning Mill House into a comfortable home for herself, her instant 'family' consisting of a sickly young boy and the heir of the bulk of the family fortune, the boy's mother and great aunt as well as a collection of pregnant maids and retired race horses - all the while keeping up a steady exchange of fiery and entertaining letters with Avery Thorne, Mill House's owner-in-waiting. They trade lively insults and challenges as her letters chase him around the world and his letters regale tales of his adventures in various exotic locations.
After almost 5 years of wandering the globe, Avery decides it's time to return back and check on Lily and his young cousin, whose frail lungs remind him of himself as a boy. His first meeting with Lily is unexpected for both. She expects a skinny, pale young man and not this robust picture of masculinity before her and she - well, overlooking her strange manly attire - she is even more alluring than he had pictured. What has not changed is their abilities to rile one another up, although more than tempers get aroused when they clash as becomes obvious to the whole household.
Evelyn could practically see the sparks leaping between their locked gazes. "Something is definitely up between them," Polly Makepeace whispered as Lily struggled for her composure. "My old mum's corset laces had less strain on them than there is between those two. And she weighed near thirty stones."
Their attraction is mightily inconvenient to both as neither are willing to give up on the estate they count as theirs. They had their challenges growing up, events which shaped them into the people they are now. Even when they finally succumb to their attraction, Lily remains enchained by the sufferings of her past and memories of her mother's pain of losing her two legitimate children (Lily's older half-siblings) to her husband, so much so that she cannot contemplate the possibility of a future with Avery.
She wasn't infallibly wise, after all. She was far too human in her failings. She'd chained herself to a dead woman's grievances and made a crusade of her mother's pain. There was no room in her heart for him.
"Shh.” His voice was low and infinitely sad. “Hush. Tomorrow’s waiting outside this door. It’s crouching there in an ocean of words and uncertainties. But it’s not here yet and we are. Lily. Lillian. Love. I’m begging you. Let me love you again. Let me love you all night long.”
I love Avery. He was witty, warm and once he finally realised that he was already goner for her, he was unafraid to express his feelings:
"Yes, I'm allergic to the wretched creatures (her horses)," he flung out. What difference did it make if she knew of his weaknesses? She already owned his heart, an atrociously defenseless organ.
He was respectful of her intelligence and independence and yet with her independence came a streak of stubbornness that frustrated him:
"I don't give a bloody damn if I never share your bed, your name, or your house - you are still my concern. You can leave, take yourself from my ken, disappear for the rest of my life but you cannot untangle yourself from my - my concern. That I have of you, Miss Bede, for that at least, I do not need your permission.
Lily was a very unusual heroine. She had made her own way in the world after her parent's deaths, surviving on her wit and ingenuity. Due to her mother's heartbreak at losing her children forever to an angry husband, Lily had embraced the the cause of feminism to empower women in their marriages, in the work place and in society. Yet even in her scandalous pants, she remains feminine and warm, caring for her adopted family and household and animals - even reached out to console a broken Avery who wrote to her of the death of his long term travel companion and friend. And she secretly relishes each gauntlet he throws her way.
She'd once disdained his exaggerated masculinity. She'd lied, to herself, to him. She gloried in it.
Unfortunately, much that I sympathised with her sentiments, she held Avery off for too long, refusing to legitimise their feelings even when Avery has shown himself a decent and loving man to be trusted. For that, the book lost 1/2 star.
The ending though:
Avery:
" The only way you could ever hurt me is by leaving me. But know this, Lily, it will be a mortal wound. Because I'll never find the likes of you again. I've wandered all over the world, Lily, waiting to come home. I'm here. Now. Please. Don't send me away."
Lily finally:
"Here is my heart, Avery," she whispered. " Here is my past. Here is my future. They've been yours all along. I was just too blind to see."
Me:
December 3, 2025
"She already owned his heart, an atrociously defenseless organ"
Being a homebody even in my reads, I decided to cheat just a little bit with the continent squares. The hero spends some of the epistolary period of the book in Africa and even though the bulk of the story happens in the peaceful English countryside, I'm counting it~~
Okay, enough explanations, on to the review ♡
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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Being a homebody even in my reads, I decided to cheat just a little bit with the continent squares. The hero spends some of the epistolary period of the book in Africa and even though the bulk of the story happens in the peaceful English countryside, I'm counting it~~
Okay, enough explanations, on to the review ♡
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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December 19, 2020
Enjoyable read! Thanks to all those who have recommended this based on my enjoyment of letter writing love stories! Finally, the HRBC TBR challenge pushed me to make time and read it.
I was here all day for the inexperienced leads navigating intense attraction and strong emotions. I enjoyed how they didn’t understand the feelings, and it took nudges/suggestions from loved ones that could see the obvious. I enjoyed the bluster, the gruffness and awkwardness. The correspondence was fun, though I wished it had been sprinkled more throughout the book.
The thing that is keeping me back from 5 stars is that it did feel a bit confusing at times. I would have preferred to have a bit more background/setup at the beginning and there were moments that further explanation would have been nice. However, it was enjoyable and the h&h were really great. I look forward to reading more Brockway.
I was here all day for the inexperienced leads navigating intense attraction and strong emotions. I enjoyed how they didn’t understand the feelings, and it took nudges/suggestions from loved ones that could see the obvious. I enjoyed the bluster, the gruffness and awkwardness. The correspondence was fun, though I wished it had been sprinkled more throughout the book.
The thing that is keeping me back from 5 stars is that it did feel a bit confusing at times. I would have preferred to have a bit more background/setup at the beginning and there were moments that further explanation would have been nice. However, it was enjoyable and the h&h were really great. I look forward to reading more Brockway.
March 1, 2017
#Retorita.
Primero, ¿Quién pone los títulos en español?. Aquí se han lucido pero bien. El título original es "Mi querido enemigo" y éste título, sí es acorde con la historia (no solo porque lo haya puesto la autora y creadora de la historia). Aquí no hay odio, hay respecto, admiración, muchas pullas y luchas dialécticas, hay atracción, pasión, miedo, dolor y amor. Pero no hay odio (bueno si, odio indirecto a la sociedad en la que viven). Además, el título es el empiece de una carta y en el libro las cartas son parte importante en la historia.
La historia que se presenta, parece normal a simple vista, pero según vas adentrando en la historia y conociendo a los personajes y sus historias, ves que para nada es normal y simple y mucho menos fácil. Me han encantado los personajes, tanto los principales como los secundarios (las criadas han estado genial).
Tanto Avery como Lilly, son personas inteligentes, con una lengua incisiva y con una vida personal que les marca y les define tanto a ellos como a sus actos. Y ahí está el problema, porque aunque puede parece gracioso, ver como se enfrenta una sufragista, con su lucha sobre los derechos de las mujeres, contra un caballero inglés a finales del siglo XIX (y realmente son unos momentos inolvidables, tanto en carta como presencial). No podemos olvidar las circunstancias y los no derechos que tenías las mujeres en esa época. No quiero contar mucho, es mejor leerlo en el libro, ya que la autora lo ha escrito magistralmente, poco a poco, con las dos posturas enfrentas, comprendiendo y entiendo a las dos partes.
Ha sido divertida, entrañable, con momentos y diálogos fabulosos. No me ha sobrado nada. Merece la pena leerla. Porque además de darme una historia preciosa de amor, también te hace pensar. Y pensar es bueeenoo.
Primero, ¿Quién pone los títulos en español?. Aquí se han lucido pero bien. El título original es "Mi querido enemigo" y éste título, sí es acorde con la historia (no solo porque lo haya puesto la autora y creadora de la historia). Aquí no hay odio, hay respecto, admiración, muchas pullas y luchas dialécticas, hay atracción, pasión, miedo, dolor y amor. Pero no hay odio (bueno si, odio indirecto a la sociedad en la que viven). Además, el título es el empiece de una carta y en el libro las cartas son parte importante en la historia.
La historia que se presenta, parece normal a simple vista, pero según vas adentrando en la historia y conociendo a los personajes y sus historias, ves que para nada es normal y simple y mucho menos fácil. Me han encantado los personajes, tanto los principales como los secundarios (las criadas han estado genial).
Tanto Avery como Lilly, son personas inteligentes, con una lengua incisiva y con una vida personal que les marca y les define tanto a ellos como a sus actos. Y ahí está el problema, porque aunque puede parece gracioso, ver como se enfrenta una sufragista, con su lucha sobre los derechos de las mujeres, contra un caballero inglés a finales del siglo XIX (y realmente son unos momentos inolvidables, tanto en carta como presencial). No podemos olvidar las circunstancias y los no derechos que tenías las mujeres en esa época. No quiero contar mucho, es mejor leerlo en el libro, ya que la autora lo ha escrito magistralmente, poco a poco, con las dos posturas enfrentas, comprendiendo y entiendo a las dos partes.
Ha sido divertida, entrañable, con momentos y diálogos fabulosos. No me ha sobrado nada. Merece la pena leerla. Porque además de darme una historia preciosa de amor, también te hace pensar. Y pensar es bueeenoo.
August 31, 2010
I was charmed by this book. I had my share of problems with it, but overall it was wonderful. I'll be putting it on my keeper shelf for a future reread.
The letter exchange that Lily and Avery participated in was so perfect. Their back and forth banter was one of my favorite parts of the story. I really loved the feel of the scenes when Avery would pull out the newest letter and read it aloud to his friends. Being able to see a little of his interaction with his friends in that setting really helped add insight to Avery too.
I loved that Avery kept bellowing that he was a gentleman. It cracked me up. His ability to ignore or insist on his gentlemanly qualities as the situation warranted was cute. I really found his character endearing. The scene where he comes in and bellows for Francesca really illustrates his personality.
I didn't warm to Lily as much as I did to Avery. I thought she was a little hypocritical. I loved the scene where Avery acted like he felt violated because she had forced her attentions on him. I really felt like she got what she deserved then. I didn't enjoy her reasons for not wanting to marry. I thought wanting to be with Avery but only her way was selfish. I really respected Avery when he refused to have children with her if they did things her way. Bravo for him.
I found Francesca more interesting than Lily and couldn't help but want to know more about her. I really felt that she stole the show whenever she was in a scene with one of the other characters.
This was my first Connie Brockway book, but I'll be on the lookout for more.
The letter exchange that Lily and Avery participated in was so perfect. Their back and forth banter was one of my favorite parts of the story. I really loved the feel of the scenes when Avery would pull out the newest letter and read it aloud to his friends. Being able to see a little of his interaction with his friends in that setting really helped add insight to Avery too.
I loved that Avery kept bellowing that he was a gentleman. It cracked me up. His ability to ignore or insist on his gentlemanly qualities as the situation warranted was cute. I really found his character endearing. The scene where he comes in and bellows for Francesca really illustrates his personality.
I didn't warm to Lily as much as I did to Avery. I thought she was a little hypocritical. I loved the scene where Avery acted like he felt violated because she had forced her attentions on him. I really felt like she got what she deserved then. I didn't enjoy her reasons for not wanting to marry. I thought wanting to be with Avery but only her way was selfish. I really respected Avery when he refused to have children with her if they did things her way. Bravo for him.
I found Francesca more interesting than Lily and couldn't help but want to know more about her. I really felt that she stole the show whenever she was in a scene with one of the other characters.
This was my first Connie Brockway book, but I'll be on the lookout for more.
September 10, 2016
My Dearest Enemy
has been sitting there tucked away for over a month,gathering dust on my shelf.As I skipped through genes, from historical friction to chic-lite,triller and back....before I finally decided to pick this particular read up to see what the fuzz was all about.
Best.Decision.I.Ever.Made.
This was my first Brockway novel and defiantly not my last .....The storyline,the characters and humorus banters between the two leads,I enjoyed everything about this book !! Defiantly adding this one to my prestigious favourite list !
Highly recommened to anyone searching for a book that has both the fantasies and realities of that time period. :D
Overall,Great great. :)
Best.Decision.I.Ever.Made.
This was my first Brockway novel and defiantly not my last .....The storyline,the characters and humorus banters between the two leads,I enjoyed everything about this book !! Defiantly adding this one to my prestigious favourite list !
Highly recommened to anyone searching for a book that has both the fantasies and realities of that time period. :D
Overall,Great great. :)
February 10, 2019
I usually never read historical romances, and I've never read anything by Connie Brockway. But, the 5 star reviews from my goodread friends (along with being available through my library) decided me to give this one a try. It did not disappoint.
The character development was stellar. But, what I enjoyed most were the subtleties and sophistication that gave this a complexity you don't typically find in the genre. I especially enjoyed the letters, which actually took on a character of their own. I was sorry to say goodbye, not only to Avery and Lily, but to all of them.
This one will be tough to beat.
The character development was stellar. But, what I enjoyed most were the subtleties and sophistication that gave this a complexity you don't typically find in the genre. I especially enjoyed the letters, which actually took on a character of their own. I was sorry to say goodbye, not only to Avery and Lily, but to all of them.
This one will be tough to beat.
February 10, 2017
I did not finish this book, so apologies if it improves drastically somewhere in the middle. I was given to believe, from the blurb and other reviews that this was a witty romance with lots of funny bickering, sparkling letters and what not. Unfortunately, I found it badly researched, only moderately well written and, worst of all, rather boring.
It is the story of a feud over an inheritance so unlikely and unbelievable that you may think that it is this that is the main joke of the book. Alas, it is not. The heroine, a 19 year old suffragette really does get a house and five years to make it profitable because some old guy doesn't like her thinking that she's better than a man. He is determined to prove that point despite it being rather on the moronic side of stupid, and despite him being dead and thus not able to witness his victory (which he is so keen on that he will sacrifice his house to attain it). The man who ought to have inherited becomes her dependant, and while you or I may think that in such a situation a man may, say, contact his lawyers and see if he can challenge such a ridiculous will, this man, our hero, decides instead to travel the world. They exchange letters, which I was given to believe would be funny but are at best mildly amusing. There aren't many of them, in any case, the vast majority of what I have managed to read of the book is nonsense about how one ought not to trust men or about our hero laughing at the heroines ill demonstrated wit.
Really, I don't mind how ridiculous the set up, so long as the characters are engaging, sympathetic, funny or something else that's readable. I did not find myself understanding them at all.
Lily Bede, our heroine, makes no sense to me. We are meant to believe that she is intelligent, witty, strong-willed and incredibly beautiful (yes, that of course always makes for a sympathetic heroine, doesn't it?), and yet what the author demonstrates is her lack of understanding and lack of sympathy and tolerance for other human beings unless they were women in need. She fires servants a few moments after meeting them at the slightest provocation (which is, really, rather cruel) including the butler, and hires instead pregnant maids so that they can give birth safely and then go on to work elsewhere. Either the author does not know how country houses work and how they needed skilled, loyal staff to be profitable, and how the servants and masters depended on one another, or she did know this and deliberately wanted to make Lily out to be a cruel, ignorant witch.
Our hero, on the other hand, is someone who really loved that house and had wanted it for years, yet he has no problem with a 19 year old woman making free with it for five years, without a challenge. To me that signals that he is incompetent and unworthy of the house as Lily Bede is.
Then there is their romance. A nice change from the typical historical romances in that the hero and heroine do not see one another and instantly feel the uncontrolled need to rip their clothes of each other's backs, but instead they get to know one another through letters and laugh at one another's wit and scrapes, which would be cool if we were given their correspondence to read and if some relationship development happened through that (in-jokes, for example, and some gradual warming in their letters). But we really don't get much of that and soon enough they do see each other, feel instantly attracted and there it just went from slow and plodding to irritatingly boring and predictable.
The thing that annoyed me most, beside the boredom, was the constant mistakes. British people in the 19th century saying the word "nope" for example, really takes me out of the story. Not to mention that any person of breeding in England, which at the very least our hero was, would rather die in mortification than hold a personal quarrel while carrying a servant in their arms! Then there were other mistakes such as using the word penultimate to mean ultimate and really I couldn't take it any more.
Not very good.
It is the story of a feud over an inheritance so unlikely and unbelievable that you may think that it is this that is the main joke of the book. Alas, it is not. The heroine, a 19 year old suffragette really does get a house and five years to make it profitable because some old guy doesn't like her thinking that she's better than a man. He is determined to prove that point despite it being rather on the moronic side of stupid, and despite him being dead and thus not able to witness his victory (which he is so keen on that he will sacrifice his house to attain it). The man who ought to have inherited becomes her dependant, and while you or I may think that in such a situation a man may, say, contact his lawyers and see if he can challenge such a ridiculous will, this man, our hero, decides instead to travel the world. They exchange letters, which I was given to believe would be funny but are at best mildly amusing. There aren't many of them, in any case, the vast majority of what I have managed to read of the book is nonsense about how one ought not to trust men or about our hero laughing at the heroines ill demonstrated wit.
Really, I don't mind how ridiculous the set up, so long as the characters are engaging, sympathetic, funny or something else that's readable. I did not find myself understanding them at all.
Lily Bede, our heroine, makes no sense to me. We are meant to believe that she is intelligent, witty, strong-willed and incredibly beautiful (yes, that of course always makes for a sympathetic heroine, doesn't it?), and yet what the author demonstrates is her lack of understanding and lack of sympathy and tolerance for other human beings unless they were women in need. She fires servants a few moments after meeting them at the slightest provocation (which is, really, rather cruel) including the butler, and hires instead pregnant maids so that they can give birth safely and then go on to work elsewhere. Either the author does not know how country houses work and how they needed skilled, loyal staff to be profitable, and how the servants and masters depended on one another, or she did know this and deliberately wanted to make Lily out to be a cruel, ignorant witch.
Our hero, on the other hand, is someone who really loved that house and had wanted it for years, yet he has no problem with a 19 year old woman making free with it for five years, without a challenge. To me that signals that he is incompetent and unworthy of the house as Lily Bede is.
Then there is their romance. A nice change from the typical historical romances in that the hero and heroine do not see one another and instantly feel the uncontrolled need to rip their clothes of each other's backs, but instead they get to know one another through letters and laugh at one another's wit and scrapes, which would be cool if we were given their correspondence to read and if some relationship development happened through that (in-jokes, for example, and some gradual warming in their letters). But we really don't get much of that and soon enough they do see each other, feel instantly attracted and there it just went from slow and plodding to irritatingly boring and predictable.
The thing that annoyed me most, beside the boredom, was the constant mistakes. British people in the 19th century saying the word "nope" for example, really takes me out of the story. Not to mention that any person of breeding in England, which at the very least our hero was, would rather die in mortification than hold a personal quarrel while carrying a servant in their arms! Then there were other mistakes such as using the word penultimate to mean ultimate and really I couldn't take it any more.
Not very good.
July 1, 2017
..."But when one finds the rare gentleman worth the trouble of instructing, one can afford to be gentle."
XD
I really enjoyed this book!
Lily is a headstrong suffragist with a purpose:
“Dear Mr. Thorne, [...]For the next five years, I will profitably manage this estate. I will deliver to you an allowance and I will prove that women are just as capable as men. And at the end, I shall accept Mill House as my reward..”Thus begins the correspondence between the MC.
I loved the banters and Avery turns out to be a very sweet hero.
“Where will you go? What will you do?" he demanded.
"That need be no concern of yours--"
"The hell it isn't!" he shouted. "Everything about you is my concern."
She opened her mouth to deny this but the look of him stopped her. For a long tense moment he studied her and when he spoke his voice was low and furious and yearning.
"I don't give a bloody damn if I never share your bed, your name, or your house -- you are still my concern. You can leave, take yourself from my ken, disappear for the rest of my life but you cannot untangle yourself from my -- my concern. That I have of you, Miss Bede, for that, at least, I do not need your permission."
He's not a ladies' man but a quote made me suspect he actually sleeps with someone while trying to distract himself from his attraction to Lily:
"Cold swims hadn't done it, moving things around the house hadn't done it, and his trip to London where he'd spent two nights immersing himself in a society that seemed unaccountably delighted to meet him—particularly the females, and in particular one Viscountess Childes—certainly hadn't done it. But if he just perservered, really exhausted himself out, then he would be able to get Lily Bede out of his thoughts."It does not say it explicitly so I'm not sure because it's not mentioned anywhere else...I just decided to interpret that quote in a "non-sexual way" and keep on loving him.
I know, this clarification is not completely sane... but expecially lately I'm very sensitive about any kind of cheating.
This book was not perfect.
The story is a bit slow paced, I wished there were more letters exchanged in the 5 years correspondence, the ending is super-lovely but felt too rushed...
Even so I enjoyed it all the way through and I can't wait to read more from this author ^_^
February 16, 2024
Oh sweet sweet read.
Both MC were such special characters I adored them both.
Novels with epistolary parts to it make me cringe a little because I expect them to be boring and maybe a bit over dramatic but here it worked beautifully.
Ending surprised me though. The book ends at 87% and their reconciliation happens on last few pages.
4.5 stars
Both MC were such special characters I adored them both.
Novels with epistolary parts to it make me cringe a little because I expect them to be boring and maybe a bit over dramatic but here it worked beautifully.
Ending surprised me though. The book ends at 87% and their reconciliation happens on last few pages.
4.5 stars
July 16, 2018
Solid 2.5 stars.
Nicely written with interesting characters and some terrific letters that go back and forth between the MCs.
I really liked both the hero and the heroine. They seemed real people to me and had real issues they needed to overcome, even if these issues were a bit far-fetched and too modern for me. Lots of hard work to get to their HEA. It didn't make me swoony or accelerate my heartbeat at all, and I had trouble swallowing a lot of the details, but I let that go and just enjoyed the story.
Nicely written with interesting characters and some terrific letters that go back and forth between the MCs.
I really liked both the hero and the heroine. They seemed real people to me and had real issues they needed to overcome, even if these issues were a bit far-fetched and too modern for me. Lots of hard work to get to their HEA. It didn't make me swoony or accelerate my heartbeat at all, and I had trouble swallowing a lot of the details, but I let that go and just enjoyed the story.
September 15, 2020
You know, I would have given a 5⭐ if not for how long she was stubborn in the book, it got to my nerves. I like stubborn characters, but everything has its limits hehehee
Overall, it was nicely done!!!
Overall, it was nicely done!!!
February 6, 2017
#RetoRita Kim y Vero, espero estar haciendo esto bien.
Mi primer libro del reto y estoy encantada. Me ha gustado mucho la historia, la premisa epistolar y ellos dos como pareja. Le doy un 4,5
Mi primer libro del reto y estoy encantada. Me ha gustado mucho la historia, la premisa epistolar y ellos dos como pareja. Le doy un 4,5
May 17, 2011
This was my second book form Brockway. Although the premise was different from what i have read before from her, the book still delivered! I had may laughs over the witty bickering.
I loved the tone of the book! Connie seems like a poet morphed into a writer... this woman can write some soulful thoughts!! **sighs** I love her for that!
I found the premise of the book quite interesting: "A battle of sexes" . where an old man tries to play a trick to his free spirited nephew while try to prove wrong a die hard feminist.
Avery and Lilly were really well paired IMO, because they both brought the best and and challenge the worst of each other. I enjoyed the way Lily and Avery felt compelled to prove themselves "the better person" with their witts rather than with dull courtships and/ or misunderstandings that usually shape the couples of this era.
One thing that really stood out for me was the unintended lightness of the plot. While it was witty, funny, and certainly charming the way they way the story was played out. i also had the chance to see what it was like to live like a woman at that time. showcasing Lili`s life , Brockway give us a glimpse of what The suffragists really fought for when talking about the equality rights. It was more than prove a point in strength or intelligence,but to be respected as human being.
Sometimes when Lili`s sense of autonomy went too far I felt i little exasperated,but the way Avery never gave in but rather challenged her by respecting her decisions only made their relationship more appealing.
Another parallel i was able to draw from CB`s books was their unlikely scenarios. I really really enjoy books that stray from the stuffy "Aristocratic ton-society". She comes up with characters that give 2 figs about parties and soirees, both the H/h are usually so comfortable with who they are, that they dont need to be notorious rakes, or the exuding beauty. they are just so interesting and FREE!! to be themselves!
this would definitely not be my last read by this talented writer. Her prose, premises, characters are more than outstanding! I want to get to know them all!
Favorite quotes
- "Love is not a reward,it is a chance.A chance to be something more"
- Avery : shh..his voice low and infinitely sad."hush.Tomorrow is waiting outside this door. Its crouching there in an ocean of words and uncertainties.But its not here yet and we are.Lily.Lilian.Love. Im begging you.Let me love you again, let me love you all night long." she answered with a kiss.
Fav Correspondence
Lillian: I have looked over the bills you left outstanding upon your flight from London and paid them. It is doubtless my plebian antecedents which have me drawing faint breath over settling an account of 50 pounds for a hunting jacket. Pray, sir, satisfy my curiosity. Could you not hunt in, say, a simple jacket? Or would the fox take exception?
Avery: I hope you enjoy Billy [a stuffed crocodile], as man-hating, crusty an aberration of nature ever to lurk upon earth. Billy here is actually a female … any chance resemblance between old Billy here and, well, whomever is unintentional. Even the name “Billy,” so similar in cadence to her name, is merely a curious coincidence.
I loved the tone of the book! Connie seems like a poet morphed into a writer... this woman can write some soulful thoughts!! **sighs** I love her for that!
I found the premise of the book quite interesting: "A battle of sexes" . where an old man tries to play a trick to his free spirited nephew while try to prove wrong a die hard feminist.
Avery and Lilly were really well paired IMO, because they both brought the best and and challenge the worst of each other. I enjoyed the way Lily and Avery felt compelled to prove themselves "the better person" with their witts rather than with dull courtships and/ or misunderstandings that usually shape the couples of this era.
One thing that really stood out for me was the unintended lightness of the plot. While it was witty, funny, and certainly charming the way they way the story was played out. i also had the chance to see what it was like to live like a woman at that time. showcasing Lili`s life , Brockway give us a glimpse of what The suffragists really fought for when talking about the equality rights. It was more than prove a point in strength or intelligence,but to be respected as human being.
Sometimes when Lili`s sense of autonomy went too far I felt i little exasperated,but the way Avery never gave in but rather challenged her by respecting her decisions only made their relationship more appealing.
Another parallel i was able to draw from CB`s books was their unlikely scenarios. I really really enjoy books that stray from the stuffy "Aristocratic ton-society". She comes up with characters that give 2 figs about parties and soirees, both the H/h are usually so comfortable with who they are, that they dont need to be notorious rakes, or the exuding beauty. they are just so interesting and FREE!! to be themselves!
this would definitely not be my last read by this talented writer. Her prose, premises, characters are more than outstanding! I want to get to know them all!
Favorite quotes
- "Love is not a reward,it is a chance.A chance to be something more"
- Avery : shh..his voice low and infinitely sad."hush.Tomorrow is waiting outside this door. Its crouching there in an ocean of words and uncertainties.But its not here yet and we are.Lily.Lilian.Love. Im begging you.Let me love you again, let me love you all night long." she answered with a kiss.
Fav Correspondence
Lillian: I have looked over the bills you left outstanding upon your flight from London and paid them. It is doubtless my plebian antecedents which have me drawing faint breath over settling an account of 50 pounds for a hunting jacket. Pray, sir, satisfy my curiosity. Could you not hunt in, say, a simple jacket? Or would the fox take exception?
Avery: I hope you enjoy Billy [a stuffed crocodile], as man-hating, crusty an aberration of nature ever to lurk upon earth. Billy here is actually a female … any chance resemblance between old Billy here and, well, whomever is unintentional. Even the name “Billy,” so similar in cadence to her name, is merely a curious coincidence.
February 22, 2025
An enjoyable Brockway read with a classic enemies to lovers scenario. I liked the way the plot unrolled, beginning with both protagonists being placed in a difficult position, forcing them to vie for future ownership of an inheritance. Then they exchange snarky but heartfelt letters, gradually getting to know each other each other. The letters section wasn't overdone, but handled nicely by the author.
Both MCs were interesting and appealing characters. When Avery returns from his travels and actually meets Lily in person, they start to fall for each other. But what's nice about this book is that the letters came first, and they have already begun to fall for each other's minds and personalities before they ever actually meet (despite being 'enemies').
There are some lovely humorous moments in Brockway's trademark style. There is also a 'found family' feel to the book, with various needy secondary characters gathering together at Mill House as the story develops.
An engrossing story with unconventional characters, that kept me engaged right to the end. Nice.
Both MCs were interesting and appealing characters. When Avery returns from his travels and actually meets Lily in person, they start to fall for each other. But what's nice about this book is that the letters came first, and they have already begun to fall for each other's minds and personalities before they ever actually meet (despite being 'enemies').
There are some lovely humorous moments in Brockway's trademark style. There is also a 'found family' feel to the book, with various needy secondary characters gathering together at Mill House as the story develops.
An engrossing story with unconventional characters, that kept me engaged right to the end. Nice.
February 4, 2018
"Some people swear it exists", she continued. "That it can grow with each encounter, not fade. And that it freshens the spirit not sickens the soul. And that it lasts forever. Of course," she sniffed, "I have my suspicions about those people's drinking habits."
This book has been gathering dust in the recesses of my kindle for ages. I'm not sure why it took me so long to get to it, but I'm so glad I did. This book was adorable. I was a little worried going in, everyone seems to love it so much. High expectations are often my downfall. Thankfully, this book delivered.
Plot: Horatio is a nasty curmudgeon of a man who couldn't just leave the world peacefully. Oh no, he decides to pit his suffragette relative- Hold up. I'm not sure it is ever actually said what her relationship is to nasty old Horatio. Is she even related? I'm not so sure. Especially considering that her love interest is Horatio's nephew. Do I have this right? I'M SO CONFUSED RIGHT NOW. Oh well. What was I saying? Oh yes. He pits Lily against his nephew Avery, who he considers weak and useless. His will states that after his death, Lily Bede will inherit Mill House. She has five years to manage it and turn a profit or Avery will get Mill House. It that wasn't enough, if Lily loses Mill House to Avery, she will get a generous amount of money to live on but only on the condition that she publically states that she failed because she was a woman and her entire suffragette cause is stupid. Because Horatio, even dead, is an asshat. So Horatio bites the big one and it begins. Avery, instead of biding his time in London as someone else runs the home he's dreamed of inheriting his entire life, goes off to explore the world and live his life. Lily and Avery exchange letters over the five years and what develops is a strange kind of friendship brought on by their long-distance verbal sparring. Until of course, he comes home. And then the real fun begins.
This book is a perfect example of a slow burn romance done well. The progression of their relationship was slow but it never dragged. Granted, five years of letters certainly helped slow things down a bit, but still. I liked that when they finally came face to face, there wasn't an immediate BAM! I LOVE YOU HAVE MY BABIES moment. Their affection for one another kinda crept up on them. And their banter? Fantastic. The room was ready to combust every time they were together. I loved their verbal sparring. It also helped that Lily always seemed to come out on top. She could really handle herself.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was filled with fun secondary characters and it felt as though so much happened in one book and it never felt rushed. It was incredibly romantic and oddly realistic. Which somehow made it even more romantic. I loved Avery as a hero and I found Lily to be very relatable, especially with her trust issues. I don't think I'll ever read it again but I wholeheartedly recommend it. It was a lovely way to pass a few hours.
This book has been gathering dust in the recesses of my kindle for ages. I'm not sure why it took me so long to get to it, but I'm so glad I did. This book was adorable. I was a little worried going in, everyone seems to love it so much. High expectations are often my downfall. Thankfully, this book delivered.
Plot: Horatio is a nasty curmudgeon of a man who couldn't just leave the world peacefully. Oh no, he decides to pit his suffragette relative- Hold up. I'm not sure it is ever actually said what her relationship is to nasty old Horatio. Is she even related? I'm not so sure. Especially considering that her love interest is Horatio's nephew. Do I have this right? I'M SO CONFUSED RIGHT NOW. Oh well. What was I saying? Oh yes. He pits Lily against his nephew Avery, who he considers weak and useless. His will states that after his death, Lily Bede will inherit Mill House. She has five years to manage it and turn a profit or Avery will get Mill House. It that wasn't enough, if Lily loses Mill House to Avery, she will get a generous amount of money to live on but only on the condition that she publically states that she failed because she was a woman and her entire suffragette cause is stupid. Because Horatio, even dead, is an asshat. So Horatio bites the big one and it begins. Avery, instead of biding his time in London as someone else runs the home he's dreamed of inheriting his entire life, goes off to explore the world and live his life. Lily and Avery exchange letters over the five years and what develops is a strange kind of friendship brought on by their long-distance verbal sparring. Until of course, he comes home. And then the real fun begins.
This book is a perfect example of a slow burn romance done well. The progression of their relationship was slow but it never dragged. Granted, five years of letters certainly helped slow things down a bit, but still. I liked that when they finally came face to face, there wasn't an immediate BAM! I LOVE YOU HAVE MY BABIES moment. Their affection for one another kinda crept up on them. And their banter? Fantastic. The room was ready to combust every time they were together. I loved their verbal sparring. It also helped that Lily always seemed to come out on top. She could really handle herself.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was filled with fun secondary characters and it felt as though so much happened in one book and it never felt rushed. It was incredibly romantic and oddly realistic. Which somehow made it even more romantic. I loved Avery as a hero and I found Lily to be very relatable, especially with her trust issues. I don't think I'll ever read it again but I wholeheartedly recommend it. It was a lovely way to pass a few hours.
September 16, 2010
This was my first Connie Brockway and it will not be my last. Wow. This book..wait.. I LOVED AVERY! What a man, a true gentleman!! :-) This book made me laugh my head off and then cry my eyes out. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 is because there was a short period of time where I just wanted things to hurry up and happen and boy did they!! And also, let me say that as far as I can tell from this first book of Connie Brockway's that I am reading, her writing is just inspiring. It's how I sometimes in short spurts of pure genuius can write, but never with any satisfying accuracy. She managed to do it for almost 400 pages. I'm looking forward to more of her books!!!
Update: I decided it deserved a 5 star review! The way I laughed and cried and the way there were some lines in the book that just stayed with me AND the way it made me run out and find more of her books says it all I think!
Update: I decided it deserved a 5 star review! The way I laughed and cried and the way there were some lines in the book that just stayed with me AND the way it made me run out and find more of her books says it all I think!
February 15, 2021
"God takes care of fools and children thus, being men, you are double safeguarded against misadventure."
What a lovely read this was. Lillian and Avery were both easy to love, I was rooting for them both from page one. I liked how the correspondence went on for years but it didn't not take up a majority of the book, I was worried we have more letters than face to face time between H/h but it was paced perfectly. Lillian was empathetic, hardworking and kind, my favorite kind of heroine. She was also very stubborn but she had her reasons. Her and Avery's banter and chemistry made the slow burn so very good. Avery was a fabulous hero, I loved how he knew Lillian was it for him and he made that clear to her.
This story hit perfectly on every emotional level, it made my heart happy and that is all a girl really wants.
What a lovely read this was. Lillian and Avery were both easy to love, I was rooting for them both from page one. I liked how the correspondence went on for years but it didn't not take up a majority of the book, I was worried we have more letters than face to face time between H/h but it was paced perfectly. Lillian was empathetic, hardworking and kind, my favorite kind of heroine. She was also very stubborn but she had her reasons. Her and Avery's banter and chemistry made the slow burn so very good. Avery was a fabulous hero, I loved how he knew Lillian was it for him and he made that clear to her.
This story hit perfectly on every emotional level, it made my heart happy and that is all a girl really wants.
March 21, 2016
This book was recommended to me over and over by so many people, but every time I would remember to look it up it cost more than I was willing to spend on an ebook. It finally went on sale and I snatched it up.
It's a fun little story about an inheritance and the two people who are put in a position to "compete" for it. The characters are sharp and funny and their attraction is believable and organic. The language is deft, Brockaway being a skilled historical romance author.
It's on many people's HR recommendation lists and it makes it to mine as well. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It's a fun little story about an inheritance and the two people who are put in a position to "compete" for it. The characters are sharp and funny and their attraction is believable and organic. The language is deft, Brockaway being a skilled historical romance author.
It's on many people's HR recommendation lists and it makes it to mine as well. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
November 30, 2014
So, imagine you're me, and you've just completed the greatest novel ever written in the entire history of humanity, endearingly named My Dearest Enemy.
Yeah.
I so went there! Screw logic, and reality, for Connie Brockway has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt she owns that title like a boss. I, after all, was once convinced that an historical romance written prior to 2000 could never, not ever be of good quality. I love my historical romance novels like nobody's business, but hot-damn, even I realize how god-awful the "old school" romance was, truly. Example? Sure! ...
*Cue barfing soundtrack.* Okay, so while that might only be an imagining of said novel, it's a good approximation. The covers to such books were about as cringe-worthy as the overabundance of bad writing. But! Praise the literary gods and french fries, My Dearest Enemy is the very proof that this genre can rock, even in 1998. Hell, one knows a book has gotta be good when the author says the following in her book's Acknowledgements: "As always, my gratitude to the trolls for providing me fodder."
Yeah! And, oh-boy, did this book deliver on that unspoken set-up. Considering the fact that this novel utilizes some very heavy-hitting topics, the lacking of women's rights in regards to their bodies, futures, and offspring, the concept of identity crises intermixed with the role individuals play in their own lives, the emotional realities of friendship and family, and the weakness and stigma of misunderstood disease? Jesus freakin' Zeus, that's one hell of a lineup for fictional drama!
"It simply must fail!" you're inevitably screaming, you non-existent doubter, you! Well, you're wrong like discount sushi. Take that bag of conflict, and throw on a good measure of intense internal and external conflict driven by the hero and heroine, topped off with a nice dose of enemies-to-lovers trope that is more believable than the Easter bunny, calorie-free steak, and affordable gas, and you've got the makings of this book, for realz.
So, you know it's coming; my inevitable girl-and-guy crush on Lily and Avery. Well, you're right there, of course, but hold fast! Yes, Lily is probably the most intense, believable, likable, admirable, strong, well written, passionate, beautifully determined, uniquely individual, intelligently headstrong heroines I've ever read. Yes, Avery is absolutely the most realistically tortured, perfectly balanced, patiently attractive, romantically well developed alpha-beta heroes I've ever experienced in the breadth of literature. This is all true, and I will willingly fork over my "I'm-A-Fangirl-Like-Whoa" card for this couple, but! As wonderfully well constructed as the two lead characters are, hold on to your panties, babe, because...!
... So, too are every single other character within the entire book of My Dearest Enemy!
Yes! Believe it, reader! Avery's cousin, Bernard, who just happens to be a preteen throughout the entire story and is pivotal in many ways to the climax and conflict of the story? Yep! Most authors write these characters more as caricature plot-devices because said authors have dip-shit for brains; not so for Ms. Brockway! Aside from the key secondary character having such high quality development, so too do all the surrounding cast members, everyone from the aunt to the perifial servants to the infamous house guest. Literally every character arrives on the scene as a believable human being with careful attention to detail paid to the nuances of human behavior and personal motivations. I SPEAK THE TRUTH ON THIS!
(It really is!) ... The amazing talent that exists within this book amazes me with amazement! If that shining endorsement weren't enough to get you to read this, dear reader, nothing shall! (Except, here! Have a non-existent twenty dollar bill; read this book, please!) Truly, I wrap up this review here and now, with absolutely no complaints or criticisms against this novel whatsoever! All the characters were phenomenally well constructed. The writing was elegantly beautiful, detailed without being monotonous. The romantic and emotional elements were euphorically well intermixed with amazing tension and conflict. The plot was exceptionally believable with absolutely perfect pacing, an entertaining climax, and a stomach-punch of a resolution!
Well done, Ms. Brockway! A so very hardcore, epic, I'm-gonna-fan-girl-all-your-books-now well done!
March 30, 2020
Lee la reseña completa en: https://oceanodelibros.blogspot.com/2...
Horatio Algerton Thorne deja como heredera de la propiedad de Mill House a Lillian Bede con la única condición de que sea capaz de mantenerla durante cinco años, si pasado ese tiempo no es capaz de hacerlo pasará a manos de Avery Thorne. Avery y Lillian mantienen contacto por correspondencia y los dos desean la propiedad y no se darán por vencidos.
Esta novela estaba en mi lista de novelas recomendadas en varias webs y aparte de esto la autora es nueva para mí con lo cual no sabía lo que me iba a encontrar.
La forma de narrar de la autora no me ha molestado pero hay fragmentos que no sé si es que es por la traducción pero me resultaron sin sentido, quizás por ello a veces no conectaba en profundidad con la lectura.
La parte de la correspondencia creo que es la que más floja me pareció y con la que no conecté mucho por lo que antes comentaba de la traducción (si es que es ese el motivo, pero viendo como cambiaron el...
Horatio Algerton Thorne deja como heredera de la propiedad de Mill House a Lillian Bede con la única condición de que sea capaz de mantenerla durante cinco años, si pasado ese tiempo no es capaz de hacerlo pasará a manos de Avery Thorne. Avery y Lillian mantienen contacto por correspondencia y los dos desean la propiedad y no se darán por vencidos.
Esta novela estaba en mi lista de novelas recomendadas en varias webs y aparte de esto la autora es nueva para mí con lo cual no sabía lo que me iba a encontrar.
La forma de narrar de la autora no me ha molestado pero hay fragmentos que no sé si es que es por la traducción pero me resultaron sin sentido, quizás por ello a veces no conectaba en profundidad con la lectura.
La parte de la correspondencia creo que es la que más floja me pareció y con la que no conecté mucho por lo que antes comentaba de la traducción (si es que es ese el motivo, pero viendo como cambiaron el...
December 26, 2015
I don't really enjoy reading about heroines like the one in this book. I find the whole running around in pants (in every single scene but one!) in the 19th century and refusing to let a person help you up from the ground when you've fallen just because he's a man cheap, obvious ways of telling the reader that the heroine is an independent proto-feminist. In the end, this schtick became less tiresome than it initially was, because the author, in the only really subtle stroke in this novel, kind of alluded to the fact that the heroine really is just flying blind and does these things because she doesn't know how else to guard herself against people she thinks can and will hurt her, namely men. As she was a proclaimed suffragette, I wish we'd gotten a more...nuanced portrayal, or some sense of the work she was doing for the cause apart from railing against the patriarchy in the privacy of her manor home.
I did really relate to one thing the character said with regards to men though:
"What must it be like to be so confident, always certain you were right, never doubting yourself, your place in the world, or your ability to hold it?"
I'm a bit of a know-it-all (fortunately and unfortunately), and I remember getting into an argument not long ago with a male acquaintance about some economic principle. Anyway, I was right, he was wrong, which is beside the point...the thing that bothered me after was that I backed down in the moment and conceded that I wasn't 100% certain that what I'd said was correct, whereas he refused to do so. Who is right and wrong in a situation like this? I'm rarely pigheaded enough to say I'm 100% certain of anything, but does that mean I lack confidence, that I doubt myself? I think we still operate in a world where being certain you are right translates to perceived power and intelligence, and men, from my experience, seem to be the ones who are more confident they have all the answers. Apologies for the segue, but this line in this book made me think.
This book reminds me a bit of a Sherry Thomas novel I read earlier this year, The Luckiest Lady in London, in that I was very meh on the first 50-60% of that book, but the end wound up really being great. In the latter half of this book, I came to really care about all of the characters; the hero, the heroine, and their extended little family, and wanted them all to have a happy ending. The epilogue was corny as fuck, but that's okay. The little moment in the orchard at the very end of the final chapter was enough to make me happy. I actually found it very touching. The last 40% of the book was a solid four star read. I wish the first part had been as engrossing and had done more to make me care about the characters and story.
I did really relate to one thing the character said with regards to men though:
"What must it be like to be so confident, always certain you were right, never doubting yourself, your place in the world, or your ability to hold it?"
I'm a bit of a know-it-all (fortunately and unfortunately), and I remember getting into an argument not long ago with a male acquaintance about some economic principle. Anyway, I was right, he was wrong, which is beside the point...the thing that bothered me after was that I backed down in the moment and conceded that I wasn't 100% certain that what I'd said was correct, whereas he refused to do so. Who is right and wrong in a situation like this? I'm rarely pigheaded enough to say I'm 100% certain of anything, but does that mean I lack confidence, that I doubt myself? I think we still operate in a world where being certain you are right translates to perceived power and intelligence, and men, from my experience, seem to be the ones who are more confident they have all the answers. Apologies for the segue, but this line in this book made me think.
This book reminds me a bit of a Sherry Thomas novel I read earlier this year, The Luckiest Lady in London, in that I was very meh on the first 50-60% of that book, but the end wound up really being great. In the latter half of this book, I came to really care about all of the characters; the hero, the heroine, and their extended little family, and wanted them all to have a happy ending. The epilogue was corny as fuck, but that's okay. The little moment in the orchard at the very end of the final chapter was enough to make me happy. I actually found it very touching. The last 40% of the book was a solid four star read. I wish the first part had been as engrossing and had done more to make me care about the characters and story.
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