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celiapowell's review against another edition
3.0
You get thrown into things straight away with this novel (abduction! rescue! marriage for protection!), and I think if you didn't have the background on the main characters from the first novel in the Lost Lords series, that you wouldn't be particularly engaged at first. Some of the plot points of this were quite ludicrous, but in a very enjoyable way - I liked Julia's practical skills as a midwife, but also the way she enjoyed returning to the privileges of society.
migema's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
quietbookworm's review against another edition
2.0
Not my favorite in the series. Randall and Julia had hints of a romance in [b:Loving A Lost Lord|6066533|Loving A Lost Lord (Lost Lords #1)|Mary Jo Putney|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1307205240s/6066533.jpg|6242865], but as characters didn't seem as intriguing to me as others in this series. My ambivalence about their romance, resulted in a halfhearted reading that I have mixed emotions about.
Con: The conflict that allegedly kept them apart wasn't enough to sustain a full novel, so it's interspersed with conflicts that didn't feel believable. Part of that is because most of conflicts seemed to happen all on the same day. Plus some of the behaviors were a bit ahead of their time.
Pro: Some of the behaviors were ahead of their time. Julia being a domestic violence survivor, and wanting to start shelters around the country for women in similar circumstances, was commendable... but giving the laws of the time period...I just couldn't believe things would go as smoothly as the blithe let's do it conversations she had with Mariah and Randall. They were good people that it was easy to root for their relationship.
Con: The conflict that allegedly kept them apart wasn't enough to sustain a full novel, so it's interspersed with conflicts that didn't feel believable. Part of that is because most of conflicts seemed to happen all on the same day. Plus some of the behaviors were a bit ahead of their time.
Pro: Some of the behaviors were ahead of their time. Julia being a domestic violence survivor, and wanting to start shelters around the country for women in similar circumstances, was commendable... but giving the laws of the time period...I just couldn't believe things would go as smoothly as the blithe let's do it conversations she had with Mariah and Randall. They were good people that it was easy to root for their relationship.
librarianinperiwinkle's review against another edition
3.0
I started reading this book before I knew it was #2 in the Lost Lords series, and I kept feeling like I was missing something, so I put it down and went in search of the first one. Once I finished that one (Loving a Lost Lord), this one made much more sense!
Never Less Than a Lady is the story of Julia Bancroft, abducted by her dead first husband's buddies and rescued by Major Alexander Russell. To protect her--and because there is a reluctant attraction between them--they get married. Then they have to learn how to build a life together.
Mary Jo Putney is one of my favorite romance authors, but this book--like the one before it--left me a little dissatisfied at times. I just felt like it was too easy for Julia to get over her abusive past. Admittedly, I've never been abused (hooray!!), but from everything I've read or heard, that level of torture and abuse doesn't simply melt away over the course of a few months just because you've met Mr. Fabulous. Even though her physical scars are years old, the complexity of her emotional scars should have taken more time, patient work, and pages to heal. The same is true for Benjamin--not even children learn to trust again that quickly. It was just unrealistic.
For Reader's Advisors: story and character doorways
Never Less Than a Lady is the story of Julia Bancroft, abducted by her dead first husband's buddies and rescued by Major Alexander Russell. To protect her--and because there is a reluctant attraction between them--they get married. Then they have to learn how to build a life together.
Mary Jo Putney is one of my favorite romance authors, but this book--like the one before it--left me a little dissatisfied at times. I just felt like it was too easy for Julia to get over her abusive past. Admittedly, I've never been abused (hooray!!), but from everything I've read or heard, that level of torture and abuse doesn't simply melt away over the course of a few months just because you've met Mr. Fabulous. Even though her physical scars are years old, the complexity of her emotional scars should have taken more time, patient work, and pages to heal. The same is true for Benjamin--not even children learn to trust again that quickly. It was just unrealistic.
For Reader's Advisors: story and character doorways
brobison's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
being_b's review against another edition
3.0
It probably says something that the only part of this book I remembered since the last time I read it (over 6 years ago) is the heroine's ex-husband's bastard child. Who is just delightful, actually.
lakeh's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I think I may have enjoyed this book more than the first in the series - Julia was a lovely flawed lead with her past and her midwifery that she got to carry through the book. Randall was a great lead also, and I really enjoyed his knight-in-shining-armor thing. Incredibly predictable but delightful. Again, lots of talking between the leads (LOVE communication!) so will definitely continue reading Putney!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
al0812's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jenlouisegallant's review against another edition
4.0
I'm beginning to love the characters in this series. I've always loved midwives so Julia was a nice character to follow. I like how this book also addressed her past and how past relationships will affect future ones, but a little patience and love can help people begin to move forward. They'll never be the person they once were, but they can begin to live as the person they've become. Randall's character wasn't as intriguing to me, but he was still a strong character.
blodeuedd's review against another edition
2.0
First, fear not OCD people, I didn't know this was a "series", I read it and it worked fine. Book 1 was about a couple that showed up in this one too. So there would be no problem going back reading, cos come on, we all know there will be a HEA anyway.
Second, so embarrassed, this book gave me a freaking nightmare *shakes head*, will explain.
Julia lives in a little village and works as a midwife. But truth is she ran away cos her husband died, and he was one evil SOB. He was abusive in every way and now she hides. But his men shows up for revenge and to her rescue comes Alexander. A dashing major back from the war cos he is heir to a title. He saves and marries her. But she is scarred from life, and finds it hard to trust.
The book was an ok historical romance, and it sure wasn't scary even if I did get that nightmare. Two scarred people saving one another. And from that something builds, because she is curious and wants to make it worth, and he has not been able to forget her from their first meeting some time ago.
The plot takes some turns, she needs to confront those left behind long ago, and there is a child they need to find. And of course their love story unfolding, and all things are not as the seem.
Second, so embarrassed, this book gave me a freaking nightmare *shakes head*, will explain.
Julia lives in a little village and works as a midwife. But truth is she ran away cos her husband died, and he was one evil SOB. He was abusive in every way and now she hides. But his men shows up for revenge and to her rescue comes Alexander. A dashing major back from the war cos he is heir to a title. He saves and marries her. But she is scarred from life, and finds it hard to trust.
The book was an ok historical romance, and it sure wasn't scary even if I did get that nightmare. Two scarred people saving one another. And from that something builds, because she is curious and wants to make it worth, and he has not been able to forget her from their first meeting some time ago.
The plot takes some turns, she needs to confront those left behind long ago, and there is a child they need to find. And of course their love story unfolding, and all things are not as the seem.