Aydra RichardsCritiques

I dont think violet should forgive john...what he done just awful,and violet just suddenly ok with it and fall in love for him when john said some I been watching you,these years crap?seriously girl MAN JUST TAlK and you buy it.
PS:WHAT THE HELL with those comment which judged violet for she done while she was struggle to surive?what she done and who she with is HER freedom and the fact that she was still married to john doesn't change it,because he is the one who sent her to a terrible place and make her suffer for three month and the next eight years,so I think it's totally reasonable for violet not to trust him and hate him.And those who accused violet I think you people were just misogyny.

3rd act heartbreak surprisingly poignant. Interesting family. MMC not particularly likeable.

Can’t quite put my finger on it but book didn’t grab me. Super unsympathetic MMC.

Violet has been on the run for ten years from her husband. They were forced into marriage, and he promptly sent her off to finishing school (she was seventeen). Since then, John Darling has realized his mistake and finally caught up with his errant wife.
I actually read this out of order, reading the second book after the first. I would recommend reading them in order as events from previous books make more sense then. This was not my favorite of the series, but it's still a good read as the two must reconcile their differences and get to know each other. I'd say 3 1/2 stars.½

Jenny runs the Ladies' Club Fantasia (we met her in previous books), but she's been hiding from the law after being accused of murdering her husband. Sebastian Knight lives across from her and falls in love at first sight. Much to Jenny's amusement, he proposes an affair at their first meeting. We'd say Sebastian is on the spectrum in today's world. But he can solve crimes, and he's trying to solve a murder that occurred during a jewel robbery.
I thought this would be one of those tropes where he saves the heroine from jail and/or murder, but I was pleasantly surprised by the author's twist here. Then we got some of the best grovel I've read lately. Sebastian is a wonderful, honest hero who tries his best in a world that isn't comfortable for him. Jenny is a woman without hope who decides a fling might be the thing she needs before the inevitable conclusion to her story.
It's another good read from Ms. Richards.

While I didn't like this story as much as the others in Ms. Richards's back catalog, it's still a good book. It's a Cinderella retelling and predictable as such, but the characters are lovely. Ella who continues to clean even when her life changes, and Nick who doesn't know what to do with himself except that he's falling in love with Ella. I loved that he made the right choice with her, even when it all comes unglued later in the book. Onward to the next book.

If you want a romance with a lot of angst and grovel, this book is for you. James, Duke of Rushton, is determined to get revenge on the man who ruined his sister but refused to marry her, so he sets his sights on the man's sister, Jilly. Jilly is already on shaky ground in society because her fiance eloped with another woman, and the Ton blames her for his lack of devotion. As James falls in love with Jilly, he still determines to ruin her for the sake of his sister, while Jilly has no idea.
It's a terrific story. James knows better, but he's stubborn. And it takes a while for Jilly to overcome her previous heartache and accept James, not knowing his plans. They're a wonderful pair, and I liked how much they could change each other for the better. Another good book from Ms. Richards.

I've started reading all the books by this author though I seem to be reading them out of order, not that I think it makes much difference; the books are pretty much stand-alone with some overlapping characters appearing.
Alex, Duke of Davenport, receives a letter from a tenant complaining about the high rents and lack of maintenance, so he decides he should investigate - plus, it's a handy way to get out of town and away from his mother's marriage machinations. Theo Vance is trying to work her farm with her blind father when Alex appears pretending to be the Duke's man of affairs. His disguise doesn't fool anyone, but the village delights in teaching him how to farm, make repairs, and cook, items not usually in a Duke's repertoire. Theo and Alex squabble but are perfect for each other.
I don't usually like this kind of trope with the noble person is disguised as a governess or companion, but this worked mostly because of Alex's personality. He's funny and kind and honestly concerned with his people, though he's a bit slow coming to the realization of their issues. The ending was slightly contrived with the common thing in romance where there's a squabble eighty percent into the book that needs to get resolved but I was okay with it because HEA.
I'm continuing to enjoy Ms. Richards books and will continue on and recommend them.

So I love that this author is taking some of the usual regency tropes and bringing a refreshing viewpoint to them, really digging into the characters. Here, we have the hero, Simon, who has been in love with Charlotte for years, but he insults her at a ball in a futile attempt to save her from ruin. It's basically Julia Quinns's Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, but I loved this story so much more.
Simon goes away for ten years but returns to find that Charlotte has reinvented herself as a leader in society but has lost her authentic self. It's such a lovely story as the two struggle to find each other once more, as well as freeing Charlotte to be herself again. There are sections that are very dark, but the romance is lovely. Simon is a wonderful hero, a true cinnamon roll man who only want to help and love Charlotte. I loved this story, so on to the next.

Claire Hotchkiss is a housekeeper. Forced to find a new position, she is horrified to find it's in the household of Gabriel, Marquess of Leighton, the man who deceived her with a false marriage and left her ruined. However, Gabriel doesn't recognize her, and she needs to work, so she stays. There's more to why Gabriel doesn't know her, and the author does a lovely job of laying out the steps as the two find each other once more.
It's a great story with some hot scenes and a lot of tension. I just found this author and I'm so pleased with her writing style and can't wait to read more of her books. These are great characters, strong and, at the same time, fragile and forgiving.

Grey St Clair, newly-made Marquess of Granbury, is out for revenge against the family who ruined his own family. He has the means now to force her father to make Lady Serena Tyndall his mistress, and he does so, though he only intends to give the impression she is his mistress. She seems to be a milquetoast debutante, not his type. However, Serena decides not to be the 'Mouse' he calls her and takes the opportunity to explore her new freedom.
Someone recommended this book to me since I love a good grovel story, and this is one of the best of that type. Ms. Richards is a new author to me, but I like her writing very much. Her characters are funny and compelling, even the few friends and servants involved in the story. There's a good redemption arc for Serena's brothers, but the villain is appropriately evil in a real sociopathic manner. I loved the book, and now I'm delving into the rest of the author's back catalog.