Ho hum, another romance with a hero who has a Tragic Backstory that is supposed to excuse him acting like an arse. And another heroine who is Not Like Other Girls, those "mewling misses" who can't manage to think like a man. I am not fond of either of these things.

In fairness, the focus on sexual consent here is very strong, and I enjoyed that. If only the characters had accorded that level of respect to marriage. Well, I say "characters." I mean the hero, who conceals his circumstances from the heroine because she doesn't deserve the right to choose her own future, apparently, which is bad enough, but I lost every bit of liking that I had for him when he stooped to blackmail, or the attempt thereof. Minerva cut through that bullshit like a knife through butter, but personally, the grand gesture at the end isn't enough to make up for it. It's only enough for Minerva because she is, frankly, desperate. So desperate, she entirely overlooks the fact that, despite the grand gesture, she doesn't even get an apology for his behaviour. But she does get a man, and that's the main thing... even for Not Like Other Girls, apparently.