What a surprise! The novel I was the least sure about ended up being the one I liked the most out of this series! At least, so far. I don't know what it was. It didn't have any of the usual tropes that make me smile and snuggle in for a good read, and I can't really compare it to any other romance novel I've read. But maybe that's why it was a success with me. It was so different than everything else Dare has done that I was constantly surprised and was able to enjoy myself. Brava.

The story can best be described as a regency Cinderella mixed with My Fair Lady, except the hero's mother is trying to makeover the heroine while her wayward son wants the heroine to botch the job. Pauline is practical, intelligent, kind, resourceful, and genuine. More to the point, she actually demonstrates those characteristics in a way that doesn't feel over the top or Mary-Sue, unlike Susanna Finch who is perfect from tip to toe. Pauline is truly a strong heroine, and I enjoyed reading her journey.

The plot was also interesting, the supporting cast was layered, and the conflict was believable. MUCH more believable than Beauty and the Blacksmith, which has the exact same premise, but in reverse. Honestly, my only complaint was that it wasn't super romantic because I found the hero to be quite rude, at times. Even though Griff is trying to put up an indifferent front so no one suspects his true feelings for her, he genuinely hurts Pauline and has the sorriest excuses when she confronts him about it. I probably should've docked off two stars for this behavior, but Pauline was such a great heroine that she managed to make me want the romance in spite of Griff's faults.

The ending is the stuff of fairy tales. It feels shoe-horned because romance authors nowadays want heroines with career ambitions. I'm all for that, but it doesn't really work when the heroine is about to become a duchess. It's not like she'll be bored. If you like fairy-tales where things don't really make sense but there's actual class warfare, then this is a great book for you. ( )

So good. I wasn't initially interested in this installment b/c the barmaid to society lady trope annoys me but I'm glad I read it. I was wrong. It's an awesome trope. Totally worth it. ( )

Plausibility is not a term I use often about the romances I read, and I don’t think they need it to be enjoyable. This, however, was implausible enough it was distracting. I still rooted for the characters, I still loved Griff’s mother in all her eccentricity, and I still love Dare, but this is not one of my favorites. ( )

I consider this a fun twist on Taming of the Shrew. (I've never much cared for that story typically, but this was changed enough I enjoyed it). The characters were interesting and developed. ( )

Well. This was entertaining and a quick read. Although I think I still have issues with these "historical" romances. I guess I'm just a bit frustrated having these super modern people in books where the history seems to be only the reason to have balls and have class differences... And don't get me wrong, I do think people in the end don't change that much through times, but of course the surrounding culture will affect what you think and how you act. So, entertaining and enjoyable, but doesn't really work in the end for me. ( )