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A review by luluwoohoo
In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation by Alexandra Vasti
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation by Alexandra Vasti (audiobook narrated by Mhairi Morrison)
☀️☀️☀️☀️🌥️
Thank you to NetGalley and @Dreamscape_Media for this ARC audiobook! This short and sweet historical romance hit all the right notes.
Often my biggest complaints with shorter stories like this revolve around the depth of character and the pacing of the plot itself, but neither of these were an issue here. Vasti is naturally forced to simplify the romantic arc but doesn't compromise on the backstory of each main character, both of whom are endearing in their love and lust and fear of rejection. The plot moves quickly and relies on some common romance tropes but never to its detriment.
The modern voice Vasti employs in her writing might bother some readers but I enjoyed it, particularly the balance she found between humour and heart. The crass, fanciful nature of Margo lends well to a romance with upright and nervous Henry, whose restrained affection for Margo is the highlight of the novella. Their raucous adventure is so enjoyable to listen to with Morrison's lovely performance, though ideally I'd have liked a bit more time between the twins to better establish their relationship before things kicked off.
My one issue was how generic the sex scenes were written - I'd have liked something more interesting or less successful given Henry's inexperience. And some of the more historical smutty terms during those scenes, which crop up in most historical pieces, always make me feel ick.
I'm pleasantly surprised by how taken I was with this story. It packs a lot of quality into a short page count and I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
☀️☀️☀️☀️🌥️
Thank you to NetGalley and @Dreamscape_Media for this ARC audiobook! This short and sweet historical romance hit all the right notes.
Often my biggest complaints with shorter stories like this revolve around the depth of character and the pacing of the plot itself, but neither of these were an issue here. Vasti is naturally forced to simplify the romantic arc but doesn't compromise on the backstory of each main character, both of whom are endearing in their love and lust and fear of rejection. The plot moves quickly and relies on some common romance tropes but never to its detriment.
The modern voice Vasti employs in her writing might bother some readers but I enjoyed it, particularly the balance she found between humour and heart. The crass, fanciful nature of Margo lends well to a romance with upright and nervous Henry, whose restrained affection for Margo is the highlight of the novella. Their raucous adventure is so enjoyable to listen to with Morrison's lovely performance, though ideally I'd have liked a bit more time between the twins to better establish their relationship before things kicked off.
My one issue was how generic the sex scenes were written - I'd have liked something more interesting or less successful given Henry's inexperience. And some of the more historical smutty terms during those scenes, which crop up in most historical pieces, always make me feel ick.
I'm pleasantly surprised by how taken I was with this story. It packs a lot of quality into a short page count and I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
"Good lord. In the faint, watery light of the morning, Margo could see rather more of him than she'd glimpsed last night, and the sight was spectacular. What did solicitors do all day? There was no way that physique emerged from sitting behind a desk."