Member Reviews
This book is perfect for fans of Bridgerton and the Regency era.
This book was really engaging and had multiple POVs from really interesting and different characters. At the heart of the story, you have Emma Love who is determined to continue the success of the family business by switching up the London dating scene. All the other characters are so different and entertaining that it makes it really difficult to put the book down.
One minor thing I struggled with is how the friendship group could be so close but keep so many secrets from each other. However, it did not take away from how much I enjoyed this book.
Thank you Netgalley for accepting me to review this book.
This book has a great premise and I wanted to love it but the vast amount of POV's made it difficult to relax into. I was glad to see others felt the same way because I thought it was just me.
I was very intrigued by the premise of this book. But was not a fan overall.
The book follows four different couples finding love. I like the idea but it wasn’t executed well. It was hard to know whose POV the book was following with it changing so much with no name indicator. Also, the pacing felt way off for some of the couples. It was hard to see them all being in love when we only got 1/4 of the book following the .
I think it would have been better to have a book dedicated to each couple.
Emma has recently taken over her mother’s matchmaking service and is launching a modern day regency style dating “season” with elaborate events and chances for participants to get to know each other. With all of this on her plate, finding a match for herself is not on the radar. However, as all the participants begin to pair up, Emma finds herself thrown together with one person over and over again.
I thought this was a cute idea and I enjoyed the concept of the modern day season. The events sounded amazing! I really struggled with the multiple POV and how little time we got with each character- it felt abrupt and honestly confusing at times. I think this would have been a really enjoyable read if the book had focused on fewer characters.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hera for the advanced reading copy!
"Are you sick of swiping right, of remote relationships, and of 21st century dating altogether? Then we request the honour of your company at a series of glittering social events. You are invited to make a debut in society and meet single people of good character and good standing with a view to forming real attachments and finding lasting love."
What a delightful read! I enjoyed A Season For Love a lot! I loved everything about it:
- The premise: the idea of telling modern love stories through the expedient of taking the protagonists back in time intrigued me sooo much!
- The characters: there are many characters in this book and a I loved them all. I really could not help but root for every single one of them!
- The plot: I loved watching every single character's story unfold and I loved the way in which all the stories got entertwined in the end... just like in a typical Shakespearean tale.
- The end: happy endings for everyone! I mean, what could I ask for more?!
Thank you NetGalley and Hera Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
thank you NetGalley and Herba publishers for the ARC!!
this book had a really cute idea, but i think it failed to meet the expectations the synopsis set.
i normally love multiple povs but i feel like this was following too many characters. it got way too confusing. i liked emma’s storyline the most, she was really the only character i found myself connecting with. i think the constant switching between characters took away the chance for me to form a bond with them. as someone who needs to love the characters in order to love the book, this failed that.
i also didn’t find it very funny. it felt like i was missing out on every joke. as a book marketed as “a laugh out loud romcom” i was expecting to giggle at least once but it sadly did not succeed.
on the bright side, the ending was sweet, i liked all the happy endings. i also loved the lesbian representation!! emma was such a sweatheart. i really loved her!
that being said, i probably wouldn’t recommend this. it’s not terrible, but it’s not good either, and there’s definitely better romance books out there!!
This was a really good idea for a book (modern Bridgerton) and it was carried out very well. Each character had lots of depth to them and it didn’t feel rushed. However the beginning of the story was a bit boring and took me a while to get into it. As the plot developed the book was more interesting but I feel like the epilogue ruined it a bit as the ending was sufficiently interesting. Anyway it was a good book and I would be intrigued to read about the characters lives developing
"A Season for Love" by Ally Sinclair caught my attention for the promise of merging contemporay characters with a regency Era match making event. I was so excited to read this book because it seemed like a really fun and interesting take on multiple romance sub genres. I was excited to see how these modern characters would find love "the old fashioned way". This was the first book I have read by Ally Sinclair so I did not know what to expect. I thought this novel was smart and her characters had potential. The biggest flaw for me was the amount of characters who were introduced and the muddled feeling it gave an otherwise promising story. It would have read so much clearer and been more enjoyable had the book focused on Emma's love story and just given sneak peaks into the others. Or perhaps even just focusing on two of the women's lives instead of all 4. It was too much and ultimately the style drifted too far from what I look for in a romance novel. I think it was a great idea and had some magical moments but it just tried to do too much. A series featuring these characters would have been better. I would read another novel by Ally Sinclair as she had some potential.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hera Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
This was an okay read. It took me to get at least 50% through before I could get into it. It was very confusing at the beginning with all the different POVs. At one point I forgot that Emma was supposed to be the MC.
I felt the multiple storylines slowed downed the plot. I would of preferred just to have Emma and Mr. Knight's story.
This was a cute romcom based on a modern matchmaking agency. When her mother retires from the family business, Emma Love strives to find a way to revitalize their business in the world of modern dating. Thus begins the “season for love.” Emma decides to host a regency-style season of glam events and balls to encourage people to take the time to get to know each other and find love by the end of the Season.
The writing was enjoyable and it was an easy read. I found the multiple character timelines took me out of the moment and I would have rather spent more time with Emma Love’s character, but overall a good read.
Thank you Ally Sinclair and NetGallery for providing this ARC copy of A Season For Love - in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
In a modern world where dating has lost all deep standards that lasting connections are based on - our main heroine sets off to revamp her family’s business - Love’s Love.
When I first read the description I KNEW I had to read this one. Romance, Jane Austen, and a promise of rom-com adventures involving courting - SIGN ME UP! If I were single this is something I would have actually been interested in - in the real world.
This LGBT friendly rom com was a bit of a struggle to get into at first - but once it got going around the 20(ish) percent mark I couldn’t put it down.
Both of our main characters have faced loss. Neither are prioritizing love at the moment. And like all classic Austen novels - love emerges in unlikely places.
3.5 stars!
A Season for Love is a perfect anecdote to your winter blues-funny, romantic, and a great combination of Jane Austen and modern life. Emma Love is a matchmaker who wants to bring love back in time to when people really got to know a person outside of dating apps and one night stands. So, she creates The Season, a series of regency events where love can flourish. You don't have to be a regency romance lover to appreciate this book, however. Romance readers of all types will find themselves enjoying the process and rooting for all of the characters to find love!
I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
I've read books with technically superior writing, but this story has strong heart and humor and that's why I shall give it 3.5 stars. I believe it could have done with a few more rounds of editing and refinement, but it somewhat makes up for that with whimsy. It's predictable; it's not subtle (the matchmaker's name is Emma); but it's funny and lighthearted and uplifting. If you're a fan of Jane Austen and modern day AUs I think you will be delighted by Sinclair.
Thanks NetGalley and Ally for the ARC!
Such a good book. I liked the characters, I loved reading their stories as they unfurled. I loved the concept of the book too. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hera publishers for the ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
I have to disagree with the tagline - this is neither laugh out loud nor completely uplifting. I didn't care about any of the characters or who they ended up with - and there were no surprises about any of them. The story was kind of boring even though from the description I thought it had great potential. Lots of characters with lots of POVs was too much. The one character I most wanted to learn about was Will, and he was very much a secondary character. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was awful, but I can't say I'd recommend it either.
2.5 stars rounded up
Thank you Netgalley for accepting me to review this book.
This is a fun, engaging read which takes all things regency and throws it into the 21st Century. Cleverly influenced by Jane Austen's iconic characters, this is a multiple-point-of-view, fast-paced book filled with loads of your favourite tropes. Emma Love is a matchmaker who is determined to take London's dating scene back in time when conversations and specially choreographed events were there to help you find the person you were meant to be with. Emma has recently taken over the reins of her family business and is determined to do something big, little does she know the true wheels she is setting in motion. With a host of great characters, their secrets and their ambitions this makes for an entertaining, humorous and heartbreaking couple of weeks.
Perfect for fans of Austen, the Bridgerton Series and other regency favourites. Or if you just want a different type of Rom-Com to cosy up with.
Be sure to check trigger warnings before reading!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Hera Books in exchange for my honest review.
If you haven't read my reviews before, I share my thoughts a I read with my overall thoughts at the bottom. So if you're just interested in what my final thoughts are feel free to scroll down 👇🏻
⚠️ trigger warning: domestic abuse mentioned⚠️
"My little girl won't let me down" - wow, no pressure or anything..
The stepbrother being named Josh reminds me of Clueless.. anyone else?? 🤷🏼♀️
Ohh!! I love books with multiple perspectives!!
I never understood why some places use different abbreviations for the word advertisement, some places use ad and others use advert.. just pick one abbreviation..
Did Annie have a crush on Josh?
Wait. So Jane was married to Emma's stepbrother Josh? Wouldn't they know that Emma was in the matchmaking business and that they might possibly see Josh at an event?
Hmm. So Jane has a secret she's keeping from her friends..
Emma is godmother to 2 of her exes kids? That's a little awkward..
Whatever happened to Emma's dad for her to have taken her stepdads last name when her mom married him?
I'm very curious how her playing poker online is going to be important to the plot... Maybe Tom Knight plays poker too??
I'm bored reading the poker talk.. but I'm afraid if I skip it I'm going to miss something important..
The only news I can think that Jane has that would ruin a marriage but not friendships is that she's lesbian?
I'm only currently on chapter 7 and haven't had any real laughs. For a book that claims to be "a laugh-out-loud, uplifting rom-com" so far it feels lacking in the "laugh-out-loud" department..
My advice for Lydia.. don't invite men over if you don't want to risk them falling asleep and staying the night 🤷🏼♀️
Hmm.. something is off with Lydia's mom...
Normally I enjoy multiple perspectives in my books, but this book jumps around too much I feel like. And I'm trying to decide if some of the information will be vital to the overall story.
Annie is the school teacher who has a second chance at love.. a second chance to get with Josh.
I'm very uncomfortable for this Colin guy because Annie is very quite obviously not interested in him..
Full disclosure - I'm really struggling to read this book. I'm not finding it as charming as I hoped based on the description and the cover art. I won't give up on it, but I am very much having a hard time.
Why do they keep saying Col, Colin, Colin Williams? Just call him Col or Colin...
I too am never sure if the dice game is called craps or crabs 😂😂😂
Lydia is a lonely woman who needs something more than a relationship, she needs therapy I feel like... She's desperate for the physical relationships, but it's because she's missing something in her life.
Josh is interested in Annie and feels upset she's formed what seems to be an attachment to Colin..
Does Emma end up playing poker for real to try to win money for the Season?
Okay.. so, we have POV Emma, POV Jane, POV Annie, POV Lydia, POV Tom and POV Josh.... I think that's all?
So I'm thinking SirWalt is Tom...
I feel like Lydia is depressed..
My favorite meal would also include a can of Dr Pepper, but that's as much as I have in common with Lydia I think.
Will (Hot Barman) is a nice guy. Is Lydia set on not being with someone because the guy her mom is with? I'm making an assumption that it isn't her dad..
Is Will a viscount? Or his dad?
His dad's an earl?? I figured he was from a rich family and worked because he wanted to prove himself independent.
My assumption was wrong, it is get dad who is the abusive prick.
"Then think of me as a weird stubbly girl you've had sex with" -- that actually made me laugh. Not belly laugh, but a good chuckle.
The part about Josh's dead dad's birthday hit home for me on this particular day of reading, because it is my dead mom's birthday.. I didn't do anything special to mark the day.
I honestly find Will's story the most interesting of the bunch and he's not even one of the main characters..
Wait, do Annie's family and Tom's family have the same carer? They both mentioned Hilly...
Emma just let slip get poker name in front of Mr Knight.. he recognized it..
Tom's story of his late-husband is sad.
Of course Tom is in love with Emma. Even if he doesn't know it yet..
They keep cutting Tom off before he can finish "and I play-" and he plays what??
I bet he was going to say "and I play poker", and if Emma let him say it, she would know he was SirWalt!
I'm annoyed Jane is trying to end things with Charlotte because she's pregnant instead of letting Charlotte make the choice for herself if she wants to stay with her.
The ending seemed a little rushed.
-Cover: 5/5 cute and simple with 2 people on the front, title font in a cute print
-Blurb "a laugh-out-loud, completely uplifting rom-com": 2/5 and that's being generous.. when I hear laugh-out-loud I think of laughing every other page or every few pages, I've laughed a small handful of times during this book.. when I hear uplifting I think positive happy things, not stories of people growing up hating their childhood, being raised in an abusive household and deceased significant others..
-Overall rating and thoughts, *fair warning, some of my overall thoughts might have been mentioned in my thoughts while reading 👆🏻 so I apologize if it seems redundant, but some people skip the during thoughts* 3/5
With this being Ally Sinclair's debut novel, this book was decently written. I typically love multiple POV stories, I like jumping into the minds of the characters the story is about, however, I feel like this book has to many points of view per chapter, I think it kind of messed with the overall "matchmaking" plot of the story. I feel like the story was rushed. Ally wrote a note saying there will be a 2nd book, about the Christmas season.. in my opinion she could have used this book to introduce characters and she could have written multiple books using each couple as a main focus of each book and center it around the couple and they're background and then falling in love during the season. That might have made it more enjoyable for me, less people to focus on in one book.
Honestly, I wouldn't read it again, and I'm not sure I'd recommend it to a friend either.
A fun take on Jane Austen's Emma, A Season for Love brings the season of Regency England into the modern era.
Emma Love is a matchmaker, taking over the business from her mother. She comes up with an idea to have an 8 week event over the course of the Summer in which singles can meet and court like they might have in the early 1800s. Aided by her stepbrother Josh, she gets her idea off the ground, inviting many vetted prospects.
Among these are 3 friends, school teachers off for the Summer break, Annie, Jane, and Lydia. The story follows them and their search for love. Will they find it? Or will they come up empty while wearing period costumes?
I was drawn into this story, and had to know if all the ends were nicely tied up. I wished for a little more passion, but it was a sweet, enjoyable read, nonetheless.
*I received a digital ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review
Emma took over her mom’s dating business, she decides to organise regency-style dating season events, where people meet each other and get to know each other and had no intention of dating anyone.
Emma is a hardworking character who does her best to make the business successful. Lydia is a PE teacher who has a commitment issue. Jane is Emma’s brother Josh’s ex-wife, and she has kept a secret from her friends. Annie likes Josh, and she hopes to find "The One" at the event. The story was told from multiple POVs.
I liked the regency-style dating events; they were fresh and unique. All characters have their own stories and problems while searching for their "The One."
The book is described as a rom-com, but I didn’t find any comedy elements in the book. I was expecting more of Emma and Tom's slow-burn romance. The plot was slow.
It was an enjoyable read. I liked reading this book.
This was cute, and easy to read. I did feel like there was almost too much going on - everyone’s own complex stories and thoughts and tales going on at once. I think this would do well as maybe a series of novellas or even split into two books so that you could halve the number of characters being focused on at once. It was almost like a whole TV show except in book form! Overall fun and cute and enjoyable.