A Match Gone Awry

by Arlem Hawks

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Desperate to leave Paris, Gabrielle d’Amilly has set her sights on an English diplomat who can whisk her away to a happier life. But when an attempt to catch his eye goes wrong, she enlists the British navy lieutenant Harvey Barlow to help in her scheme. Under the guise of visiting a friend, Lieutenant Barlow arrives in Paris with the task of checking France’s relations with the discontented colonies. Playing at matchmaking won't hurt his mission, especially for a good cause. But when his intentions to be helpful turn to feelings of love, he finds himself distracted from his duties. In his quest to advance in the navy, he cannot give Gabrielle the happy life she's after. With war threatening, Harvey and Gabrielle are forced to decide to hold to their previous goals or strive for an imperfectly perfect match.

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Book Details

Genre

Historical Romance

Subgenre

Georgian (1714–1837)

Series

Georgians in Paris • Book 3

Audience

Adult

Bell Peppers

🫑

Profanity

1 None

Violence

1 None

Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco

2 Mild

Publication Date

March 22, 2024

Language Versions

English

Narration Type

Human

Fiction Form

Novel

well written but slow

This story was well written and smooth, however for me it was a bit slow. No real excitement or flare.I feel like the focus was mostly a historical lesson on how aristocratic life was in Paris. So it was probably very accurate based on the ladies research.That being said, I gave it 4 stars because the writing is good. But to me the storyline was a 3.If you just want a simple love story with no adventure, mystery or depth, then you will enjoy this.

Delightfully Delicious

Title: A Match Gone AwryAuthor: Arlem Hawks📚Review:Ah, this story was simply delightful and charming. It made me smile. I finished happy. It was a lovely bite of something sweet and I adored every single minute.I’ve long been a fan of Arlem Hawks’ ability to tell story, and it was fun to see how she chose to spin a sweet book, rather than a full-fledged wartime book. To say I was pleased, though not surprised, would describe my feelings perfectly.The setting came alive for me in this book, and though I rarely find myself interested in visiting big cities, I can’t deny I now have a keen interest in visiting Paris. Too bad I can’t visit Paris as it stood two hundred fifty years ago. I also very much want to try the pastries mentioned in this book from a French Patisserie. Anyone living in France want to hook me up?I think Harvey and Gabrielle were both so cute. I loved Gabrielle’s quirky personality and her outlandish plan to save herself from her overbearing and deplorable step-mother. Harvey’s need to rescue Gabrielle and his bumbling way of sometimes going about doing that was simply charming. They felt so real. They had problems, they quarreled, they struggled, they figured things out. And I loved so much that the ending didn’t magically come together with everyone getting what they originally dreamed of. Sometimes a new dream ends up being better overall, even if that wasn’t the original plan. Now we just need Harvey to open a pastry shop, and all will be right in this little world.Long story short: I loved this book so much and highly recommend it for anyone looking for a delightfully written, unique, quick book.

clean and fun romance

Four and a half stars for this story of plans going awry!Both the hero and heroine have plans for their futures and they do not include each other… or do they?The author creates a wonderful story of misadventure within the Paris 1770’s and does a great job of capturing the climate and political atmosphere. I enjoyed the historical part of the story woven in among the characters.Great characters and plot line kept me reading.This is the second book in the series and each is a standalone. But I recommend reading the other book as well!Can’t wait for the next installment.

This book is worth at least TEN stars

Character development, humor, tenderness, empathy, descriptions, conversations, and a fascinating plot earn all the superlative adjectives that come to my mind. Audacious Gabrielle is very proactive in searching for a way to escape her stepmother's nefarious efforts to suppress her social life and education. Although she is intent on gaining the interest of a young man she thinks can save her, she eventually discovers he was not worth the effort. In the meantime empathetic Harvey helps her to make herself appealing to Finch, but regrets when he has success. Both Gabrielle and Harvey find themselves engaged to the wrong persons. Wise advice from older friends enable them to gently make adjustments in their intentions. This is a charming romance with an impressive background in Paris ! I absolutely loved this book!

A good read

[4.5 stars]This is a charming story, with smooth writing and a well developed romance. The pace is a tad slow and there is little action, but I still found it enjoyable and engaging. It’s light with little angst, but not shallow or fluffy. A good read.The audiobook narrator is excellent.Content:There is no foul language, sex, or violence. The romance is limited to lightly descriptive kisses. Despite a couple mentions, there is no real message of faith or God.