thataddylady

[thataddylady]

Then and now...still gorgeous

[thataddylady]

She’s betrothed, but fate tempts her with another...

As a child, Regina’s father traded her identity for the extraordinary opportunity to make her a Baroness. Now, after 4 dead fiancés Regina is ready to marry a horse as long as it gets her down the aisle. At the very least it would distract her from Leo Kingston, the gorgeous, charismatic PI she keeps running into.

Every moment in his presence tests her resolve to commit to the marriage designed to protect her mother and sister from the continued slights of the British ton.

Leo Kingston has built his life and career with skill, blood and sweat. But his careful life is upended when a family secret threatens to rewrite his very identity. He isn’t interested in a legacy of pain and entitlement especially when it paints a target on his back. The only thing that could make him think twice is Regina Mason, the brave, cunning beauty who caught his interest at first sight. His choice is clear; stay safe in the shadows or follow his heart into the light and the crosshairs of danger.

A twist of fate is about to offer them everything they want, for a price too deadly to ignore.

What’s on offer? Wealth, privilege, and a passionate love that will shake the foundations of the ton itself.

What’s at risk? Life and limb. Will the fear of danger prove too much, or will these two warriors fight and win

… with a little help from their friends?

[thataddylady]

"Legislative horrors" and "Little shop of horrors" have the same number of syllables.

"Legisla-legislative horrors. Bop-sh-bop, legislative terrors. Watch the flop, legislative horrors. No, oh-oh no-oh."

[thataddylady]

I mean... obviously I disagree. Vehemently. But thanks for your input? I guess.

Analysis: 'To Sir Phillip with Love' What do Philoiseers love about Eloise x Phillip?

So on to the final part, what do we like so much about this pairing and this book? This book has the vibe of Persuasion by Jane Austen, Charlotte Heywood x Alexander Colbourne from Sanditon, or Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in The Lakehouse.

This is for the late bloomers who thought they needed to give up because there was no chance of finding their match and ended up finding the love of their lives.

Eloise was a character I related to. From the strong personality, the rambling and the anxiety about life passing me by, to the prank war with the kids that eventually breaks the ice. I saw myself in her. Eloise is a character with a high opinion of herself but she is very aware that it's not a shared opinion. Which is isolating. Her family loves her but her brothers avoid her and her sisters don't share her interests. No one has the stamina to keep up with her. She's looking for peace and companionship over love.

But then she meets Phillip. He's isolated, has been mostly ignored and passed over most of his life. He is an untapped mine of humor, intellect, tenderness and love. He is desperate for help with his children and his life, it's true, but he is also touch starved and desperate for someone to talk to. he reaches out to Eloise because through their letters to each other he thinks they could find friendship and companionship. Ultimately they want the same things.

What they both end up getting is a champion in their corner who sees them, understands them and appreciates everything they bring. Phillip is a character who has never really had anyone take an interest in him or his interests. Eloise is a person who has always been told that she is too much, too pushy, too talkative. Neither of them are a good fit for society life.

It's the fact that Phillip loves listening to Eloise talk, and genuinely adores pretty much every aspect of her personality. He loves and values how bossy and opinionated she is, he loves how she expresses herself. He loves how intelligent and expressive she is, he loves how capable she is. He is not cowed or put off by these very strong parts of her personality. When her brothers make a joke at her expense he is the first to tell them to knock that shit off, despite the fact that they nearly killed him when they first meet. He loves the color and noise and energy she brings to his life and he nurtures it in her. This is something Eloise has never had with anyone else, not even her family.

For Phillip, Eloise is able to give him a clearer and healthier perspective on his life. The first time anyone tells him "No your father was a monster and I wish he was alive so I could thrash him." is Eloise. The first person to say "I don't think anyone or anything could have made Marina happy," which is a fact (it was beyond his ability as she was clinically depressed with severe postpartum depression) is Eloise. She is the first person he is able to talk to about his marriage and lift the weight of bearing it alone. Eloise is the first person to tell him his children need him and miss him because they love him.

It is something you think is obvious, but he legitimately doesn't realize it. If you look at his history, it makes sense that he would also see his children as people who are stuck with him because there was no one else. His life has also taught him that no matter how hard he tries, he will never be enough, never be what someone needs or wants. When he marries Eloise, he thinks he's gotten them the parent they always deserved, someone better than him. The idea that they genuinely want to be around him as well is not something he has considered.

His children, who are super clever but mischievous and adorable think Eloise hung the moon and basically agree to make her their leader.

Essentially, Phillip and Eloise both become more of themselves but better in a very supportive, loving, wildly passionate relationship. Like they are having sex on the regular. If you think Colin is obsessed with Penelope, buckle up because you haven't seen Phillip Crane. Their love story is the adage that 'everything about you the wrong person couldn't handle is the exact thing the right person has been waiting for'.

The critique I hear a lot is readers wanted Eloise with someone more exciting who challenges her. Phillip isn't a reformed rake with rogueish charm and toxic masculinity who needs a loving touch from the right ball buster to remind him to be human. And I can see the appeal for that kind of hero, especially for Eloise. But would that hero be a better match for Eloise, or is it simply a more entertaining story with a flashier hero for a flashy heroine?

The truth is Eloise is surrounded by people who challenge her. What she lacks is acceptance vs tolerance and genuine appreciation for what she's been told are flaws. Her brothers hate shooting with her because she's too good. Phillip doesn't care, he loves to see her be her awesome self. Her brothers find her too domineering, Phillip loves that she always has a plan and an opinion to share. Phillip isn't a pushover incapable of standing up to her. But he isn't going to fight or argue with her for the sake of it. He'd rather help her do what she wants to do and then make love to her all night afterwards.

Eloise is a person who is in constant battle with the world, with opinions and forces she cannot control but certainly would like to. Does she really need someone to challenge her at home or does she need someone who sees her as she is and accepts her fully, giving her a warm soft place to land? Does she need a sparring partner or a quiet champion who adores her, nurtures her, and is ready to step up to smooth her way when she needs it?

That's all I got folks.

@whatsaweekend this is it!

[thataddylady]

I love this.

[thataddylady]

[thataddylady]

Uuugh, I love how mischievous they both are.

Xiao Qi & Awu + playfulness

[thataddylady]

writing cover letters

[thataddylady]

found this today

Please use these terms correctly. Not doing so will deeply harm the people who actually have experienced trauma, gaslighting, triggers, and people who have NPD.

[thataddylady]

As a history nerd, this gives me too much joy lol

I hate that SEPTember OCTOber NOVember and DECember aren’t the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th months.

[thataddylady]

ARC REVIEW: Miss Thornfield's Daring Bargain by Addy Du Lac

4/5. Releases 3/20/25.

—brother's best friend

—historical romance that isn't all about standard issue caucasians

—nooooooooooo don't grow up and turn into a sexy person my honor can't take it

—marriage of convenience

Heat Index: 6.5/10

The Basics:

Ada was supposed to have a fun season; unfortunately, her brother Richard just had to go missing, and now she needs his friend Basil's help to find him and save her future. But like, the easiest way to do this is obviously to marry Basil. They can always get an annulment once they've completed the mission? Right? Right? Riiiiiight?

The Review:

If there's one word I can use to describe Addy Du Lac's approach to historicals, it's "charming". She writes with a light hand in a manner that mixes the modern and the classic.

Which, speaking of, this is obviously going to get comparisons to Bridgerton because it's a diverse historical romance (Ada and Richard are of Chinese descent on their mother's side; but they're not alone, and Du Lac has tended towards diversity in her historicals so far, which is lovely). But Miss Thornfield's Daring Bargain is more rooted in reality, which means Ada does racism, and the world in which she lives isn't the postracial utopia that is Netflix's Bridgerton. As a disclaimer, I'm a white woman, and I can't speak as to how well Ada and Richard work as representation; nor can I speak much as to how race is handled in this book in general. I can say that it seemed well done to me, and I find Du Lac's approach to diversity in historical romances preferable to what Bridgerton does. It's never super heavy, but it does feel more... aware? A midpoint between harsh reality and "nothing wrong ever happens anymore it's fine don't worry about it".

Like, don't get me wrong. This is a fun, frothy book. And it know what the reader wants. When Basil gets all hot and bothered on waking up to Ada being just A Little Too Close? Delightful. His general dismay at her not being a skinny little girl anymore? Hell yeah. That's what we're here for. I don't know if they necessarily like... desperately needed to get married to find Richard? But to be real, the fact that they were like "Seems legit, I'm sure an annulment will be easy" made it more fun for me.

But Basil, bro—if you're gonna get this thing annulled, you kinda need to NOT bang her. Just a note. I know it's challenging.

If there's one thing I can say, it's that Basil and Ada are both genuinely kind people whose relationship progresses fairly quickly, in part because they are nice people. Really, why shouldn't they be together? They're nice and they're hot. Let's do this. Du Lac writes lovely people in a lovely way, and I do enjoy it; but I'd kind of like to see her writing people who are a bit harder to enjoy in the future. Not constantly, write your heartsong, but as a treat?

Like I said, Ada and Richard aren't the only people of color in this novel, and I look forward to seeing the stories of Ada's friends, also biracial women, down the road. This was a fun setup for what looks like a romp of a series, and I'm very interested to see what comes next.

The Sex:

While it takes a bit for Basil and Ada to fully give in, when they do—well, Du Lac writes a good sex scene. It's nothing super over the top, but the connection between Basil and Ada is palpable, and I was very "good for Her" TM about it.

Conclusion:

Any historical romance fans looking for something on the lighter side will definitely like this. And frankly, I'm always happy to see historical authors who branch away from the usual cast of white characters. While this is very classic in some ways, it branches out in others, and I had a good time!

Thanks to Addy Du Lac, Dragonblade, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[thataddylady]

“But if you forget to reblog Madame Zeroni, you and your family will be cursed for always and eternity.”

[thataddylady]

Good to know...

[thataddylady]

I don’t know how anyone can hate on this beautiful man.

[thataddylady]

Soft Dom behavior...

[thataddylady]

May I Love You? - Jae Yeon | When the Phone Rings OST

[thataddylady]

Reblog if it’s ok for people to give you $599.99