Dangerous Alliance: An Austentacious Romance by Jennieke Cohen

Jul 18, 2019 Alexa rated it it was amazing

Dangerous Alliance scratched an itch I didn't know I had for a Jane Austen-esque YA historical romance. This book is if every Jane Austen novel plus Vanity Fair had a baby. It's set in 1817, so Jane Austen herself has published all but her last two novels (Northanger Abbey and Persuasion), and the main character, Victoria "Vicky" Aston is a massive fan. When disgrace befalls her family, she must participate in the Season to find a wealthy husband to save her family's estate. Reluctant but Dangerous Alliance scratched an itch I didn't know I had for a Jane Austen-esque YA historical romance. This book is if every Jane Austen novel plus Vanity Fair had a baby. It's set in 1817, so Jane Austen herself has published all but her last two novels (Northanger Abbey and Persuasion), and the main character, Victoria "Vicky" Aston is a massive fan. When disgrace befalls her family, she must participate in the Season to find a wealthy husband to save her family's estate. Reluctant but determined, Vicky uses lessons from Austen's beloved heroines and the rogues and love interests of note to guide her through things.

To that end, the book is a little meta. This premise has been done before, but always in a modern context--it was fun to read it in a historical, where essentially Jane Austen is a contemporary of the main characters. I'm trying to imagine 200 years from now someone writing a YA historical about a massive Leigh Bardugo fan using her books to guide their life lol.

I quickly got sucked into the main action, and particularly the characters--they're each well drawn, with a TON of conflict that made my stomach do flips, and turn the pages because I had to find out what would happen. The book is in multi-POV third person, so you get chapters/scenes from three characters: Vicky for the majority, also from Tom, her longtime best friend who has reappeared after a 5 year absence, and Susie, Tom's half sister who was born in scandal. It's really Vicky's story, but Tom and Susie's bits are there to fill in gaps and build tension.

I cared for Vicky, Tom, and Susie and so it was distressing at times to know their POV and then flip into another's and see the conflicts/them being badmouthed/misunderstandings. That's a big thing in this book: like every good Austen book, much of it relies on a building series of social misunderstandings, perceived slights, misplaced pride/prejudice, and some dastardly figures outright lying. If that sounds up your street, this book delivers! I was compulsively turning pages yesterday to find out what happened. I read 50% of the book in a single day.

Basically the book is full of Austen-esque character tropes and they are all deliciously well drawn. You'll recognize so many figures, but they all have an original twist to make them fit this world. There are rogues and rakes and meddling moms and cash poor nobles, etc. etc. I was swept up in all the emotions, twists and turns--I was SO ANGRY at the rogues/rakes/villains and SO FRUSTRATED with characters for not seeing them for who they were! It was great.

I highly recommend this book if you love Jane Austen, social/romantic conflict, and/or historical. I can see fans of (adult) Regency romance really loving this. ...more

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Jun 18, 2019 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle-books, arc-book-read

A Dangerous Alliance was an enchanting, heart warming and enthralling mix of history, romance, and mystery. With charming comparisons to some of Jane Austen's most famous novels and characters, it truly was a delight to read.

With engaging characters, a wonderful old world English setting, and a mystery that will keep you on your toes, I couldn't read this one fast enough. I devoured every single page and was sad when it was over because I wasn't ready to say goodbye.

*ARC provided by the ...more

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Nov 20, 2019 Christie«SHBBblogger» rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: advanced-copy, dec2019, historical, set-in-england, debut-author

Title: Dangerous Alliance
Author: Jennieke Cohen
Release date: December 3, 2019
Cliffhanger: No
Genre: historical romance

“You’re not like Mr. Darcy. And I wouldn’t have you be. You’re you. And I wouldn’t trade you for a dozen perfect gentlemen. The reality of you is far better than any fiction.”

This was such a fun, quirky book! When I read in the synopsis that the heroine is a book lover, more specifically that she is obsessed with Jane Austen, I knew she was a girl after my own heart. Not only did ...more

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Jun 19, 2019 Lisa rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019, arc

Half mystery, half romance, I loved it all. All the fun of Georgian England PLUS Jane Austen references. I really appreciated the author’s research into the particulars of the time - it added so much to the story.

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May 27, 2019 Shima rated it it was amazing

Throughout extremely lucky circumstances I got my hands on half a dozen pre-release books. Some of which I'd been waiting for months to read, this wasn't one of those. I hadn't heard of the book or the writer. While I do like historical fiction, I only read romance in very rare and specific circumstances. All in all, the chances would have been slim for me to pick this book up, especially since the synopsis does not do the book justice. It would have been a big loss.

The book begins when Vicky's ...more

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Nov 08, 2019 Lindsay (pawsomereads) marked it as to-read

I can completely see this book having allll the witty banter, so obviously I need it

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May 17, 2019 Namera [The Literary Invertebrate] rated it did not like it

Shelves: did-not-finish, arc, young-adult, historical-romance

ARC received in exchange for an honest review - thank you!

I feel super dispirited right now... not many YA books seem to be holding my attention lately. This is the third ARC within the space of a few days that I think I'll have to DNF.

I'm utterly unimpressed by her stupidity. She ends up slamming her head on the ground for the SECOND time in FIVE MINUTES because she didn't move out of the way of someone who's randomly attacked her. She also doesn't seem to be demonstrating the appropriate ...more

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Aug 20, 2018 Samantha Hastings rated it it was amazing

If you love Jane Austen’s books, Jennieke Cohen will be your new favorite author. Dangerous Alliance is the perfect combination of mystery, intriguing characters, surprising action, and delightful romance. I couldn’t put it down!!! I read it in one night!

What I loved :
1. Lady Victoria Aston is not your typical damsel in distress, every time she is in danger, she uses her wits to fight back. She’s optimistic, loyal, brave, out-spoken, and utterly charming. She’s definitely a feminist protagonist ...more

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May 07, 2019 Kester Grant rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya, hist-fiction

I gulped this delicious book down in one sitting - and stayed up far longer than I should have. As a lover of georgette heyer's regency romances I enjoyed the depth to the delightful regency frothyness that strikes a chord - with its detailed issues of divorce and physical abuse. also as a hardened hist romance/mystery reader i was sure i knew the outcome of the mystery, but i was completely blindsided by the perp! I sincerely hope there's a sequel in which Mr C gets a starring role.

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Jul 06, 2019 Jacqueline Firkins rated it it was amazing

I was fortunate to read an ARC of Dangerous Alliance, diving full speed into Regency England and a tale of damsels in distress, dashing heroes with impeccable timing, and dastardly villains so evil one can almost imagine a moustache being twisted over a wry sneer. The book has everything a lover of the genre could want, with its careening carriages, kidnappings, balls, and duels, all set up to support a central love story that parallels Pride and Prejudice. Cohen adds her own unique flourishes, ...more

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Dec 23, 2018 Lillie Lainoff rated it it was amazing

I'm exhausted today – why, you ask? Well, I stayed up all night reading an early copy of Dangerous Alliance because I couldn't put it down!
This book has so many wonderful components that it would be impossible to list them all. Here's just a few: Vicky (the MC)'s strong, distinct voice is a pleasure to read. Her personal strengths are so closely tied with her flaws (in my opinion one of the best signs of a well-developed character). The fierce, sisterly love is believable and authentic, and the ...more

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Jun 03, 2019 Laura Namey rated it it was amazing

I got to review an early copy of this book and my Jane Austen heart is so happy! I wish I’d had this as a teen! Wonderful pacing, twists and turns, beautifully drawn characters, and lovely prose make this a win win win!

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Dec 01, 2019 The Nerd Daily rated it really liked it

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Nathalie DeFelice

Jane Austen seems to be what my books are pointing me toward lately if my latest read is anything to go by. Dangerous Alliance is a fun novel about a young woman who seeks advice from her favourite Austen novels, when she unwittingly becomes a damsel in distress in her own story. Lots of fun banter, roguish characters, and a hero who can’t quite be ruled out as a villain yet await! Don’t hesitate to pick this up, especially if Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Nathalie DeFelice

Jane Austen seems to be what my books are pointing me toward lately if my latest read is anything to go by. Dangerous Alliance is a fun novel about a young woman who seeks advice from her favourite Austen novels, when she unwittingly becomes a damsel in distress in her own story. Lots of fun banter, roguish characters, and a hero who can’t quite be ruled out as a villain yet await! Don’t hesitate to pick this up, especially if you love Jane Austen references in stories! This was the first story for me where the aforementioned author is publishing while the characters are alive. It was fun to read, and definitely a great December read!

In this story, Lady Victoria Aston has been living quite happily. Her sister is happily married, the future of her family estate is secure, and she has plenty of time to herself in the fields surrounding her home. Suddenly everything is turned upside down after she finds out she must marry or she and her family will be left penniless. Armed solely with the wisdom from the Austen novels she loves, she’ll have to navigate a treacherous season in society. Who’s to say if Mr. Carmichael is truly a scoundrel, or if her best friend Tom Sherborne is out for Victoria’s heart or her money? She’ll also have to fend off the attentions of Mr. Silby, a man with a terribly poor fashion sense. Most importantly, her favourite novels won’t be helping her figure out her survival until her wedding day.

When I first picked this up and read the summary, I wasn’t sure what I was going to get myself into. There seemed to be so much going on with Lady Victoria and this book definitely hits the ground running, and doesn’t let up until the very end. There’s the mystery surrounding who could possibly want to murder Lady Victoria, as well as her sudden marriage predicament. It was a little confusing for me because the story is told from Lady Victoria and Tom’s perspectives, and so I sometimes had to backtrack and start again when I realised there had been a character shift.

Lady Victoria was a vexing character for me, partially because I’m not the biggest fan of damsel in distress characters. She didn’t truly win my heart until she began interacting with her sister, because it was then that I could see more than one aspect of her personality. She’s definitely a headstrong young woman who’s been trained on navigating society, but seems to lack good self-preservation skills. Which at times felt the complete opposite of Tom, who was very calculating and epitomised the phrase: “think before you speak”. The dialogue between these two definitely cracked me up, because Victoria managed to expertly bring down Tom’s walls. Mr. Carmichael was also delightfully charming, if a little worrisome at times.

The mystery itself was fascinating, because we’re given so many clues that it’s impossible to know which lead is the right one to follow. There’s so many clues as to who the perpetrator could be, and although you know who one of the antagonists is, we don’t know if there’s something much more sinister afoot. Something that this story surprised me with was the fact that it tackles domestic violence and assault several times. The story looks at how the situation is responded by immediate family and the support that would have been involved given the time period that it was. More importantly, this isn’t just a little blip in the story. The character in question is working through emotions and it’s a process that is continually highlighted in the book. This was also addressed again at in the Author’s Note at the end of the book, which I really appreciated.

While I found the romance very sweet, I like the friendship aspect of this story more than the romance. Since everything is happening so quickly for Victoria, the romance feels a little more force than it should be. However, the friendships that occur between Victoria and a couple of her love interests felt very genuine and I loved seeing that play out on the page. I’ll admit that I found the courting aspect of this novel increasingly hilarious, especially when it came to one of the characters with poor fashion sense.

Something I wasn’t quite in love with was that I didn’t feel like we got to know some characters the way they should. Victoria’s parents especially seemed a little unconcerned with the fact that their daughter was in danger, but perhaps that was due to some of the situations they were dealing with. It just felt a little cold because it put much of the work on the hero, which while very sweet, didn’t feel genuine (at least to me).

The pacing of this story is great, the anticipation builds in a way that will keep readers turning the page until they find out who’s behind it all. While I’m here, if you are easily triggered by domestic abuse, or violence against a person, I might approach this with a bit of caution. While I found it very tastefully done, it may not be the case for every reader. I’m going to rate this story an 8/10. It was a fun and memorable Austen filled read. ...more

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Oct 06, 2019 Aly rated it really liked it

Shelves: device-standalone, age-young-adult, 0-faves, includes-feminism, genre-historical, genre-mystery, 4-star-reads, arcs-ebook, reaction-underrated, 0-i-wanna-be-in-this-book

I had to space this book out between other things, but I am glad to say that I really enjoyed this book. Dangerous Alliance is such a fun book filled with witty banter, Jane Austen references, and a mystery. While I will admit that I haven't read much Jane Austen -which is something I should probably correct tbh- I still understood the references.

I usually try to read books in one sitting, and if I can't then I usually take that as a sign that the book isn't for me. That wasn't the case here. I I had to space this book out between other things, but I am glad to say that I really enjoyed this book. Dangerous Alliance is such a fun book filled with witty banter, Jane Austen references, and a mystery. While I will admit that I haven't read much Jane Austen -which is something I should probably correct tbh- I still understood the references.

I usually try to read books in one sitting, and if I can't then I usually take that as a sign that the book isn't for me. That wasn't the case here. I actually enjoyed spacing out the book between chapters. It made me more delighted to return to the world and get to the bottom of the mystery, with some romance dashed in of course. The pacing of this novel was almost perfect. It had a few slow moments here and there, but I believe the spacing of my reading actually made those more noticeable. The beginning is a tad slow for my liking, but after about 5 chapters I really started to fall into the book. From then on it was smooth sailing, save for maybe a few pages here and there. The buildup to the end of the mystery and the final chapters was superb, and I definitely didn't expect the outcome of the mystery that we got!

The characters truly make this book. Vicky isn't like your usual romance heroines, especially for a historical romance novel. She is extremely relatable, courageous, smart, witty, and just an overall amazing MC. I had so much fun with her character, and I even found myself being something akin to a hype man for her! Tom was also a well done character. I assumed they'd just fall in love and then that was that. Definitely not the case here. Tom respects Vicky, confides in her, and is willing to grow and learn with her as they figure out what's going on between them. It felt really realistic and not shoved in our face. The ending scene with them just made it all the better, which I of course won't go into further detail about. Just take my word that their romance really does seem genuine and something that could happen in real life.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book! It might not be 5 stars, but it's pretty damn close. I think a lot of people will enjoy this book, especially if you have a soft spot for Jane Austen-inspired novels. If you want a fun book, witty banter, a strong heroine, some realistic romance and a mystery, definitely give this one a shot.

ARC provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ...more

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Oct 20, 2019 Marie rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs, 2019-releases

I had such a fun time reading this one - definitely an entertainin read to keep on your radar :)
Full review coming soon!

Thank you to HarperCollins (Harper 360) for sending me an ARC of this book. This did not, in any way, influenced my thoughts and rating.

My Blog - Drizzle & Hurricane Books - Twitter - Bloglovin'

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Apr 25, 2019 Sami rated it really liked it

Can we make Regency Murder Mysteries a YA trend? Filled with swoonworthy suitors, devious deceptions, and some astute commentary on gender politics, Dangerous Alliance checks every box I have for a truly delightful historical novel. Fans of Cindy Anstey will go crazy for this.

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Nov 12, 2019 Online Eccentric Librarian rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, historical

More reviews at the Online Eccentric Librarian http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

Sadly, this one was not for me. I'm hardly an Austen purist but I can't help but feel that Austen's heroines are about intelligence, good sensibility, wit, and good heartedness. The heroine in this novel had none of those qualities. She was impulsive, said whatever came to her head, made very poor decisions, was rude, and otherwise had nothing to recommend her. If anything, I'd have assumed this was Lydia (Elizabeth More reviews at the Online Eccentric Librarian http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

Sadly, this one was not for me. I'm hardly an Austen purist but I can't help but feel that Austen's heroines are about intelligence, good sensibility, wit, and good heartedness. The heroine in this novel had none of those qualities. She was impulsive, said whatever came to her head, made very poor decisions, was rude, and otherwise had nothing to recommend her. If anything, I'd have assumed this was Lydia (Elizabeth Bennet's younger wild sister) with another name. I failed to see the attraction of any of the male characters toward this heroine as a result.

The setting also felt very anachronistic, with a modern PC spin on a character set in Regency England. There are so many illogical interactions that make no sense for the historical setting and I suppose are there to make the heroine look 'strong' or to make her more relatable to a modern audience. But Austen heroines are strong because they are intelligent and think through things (even overthinking things as in Emma and P&P). This heroine thinks through nothing and feels so much like a construct as to be ludicrous. Some examples from the first 30%:

- In the first scene of the book, she is ambushed and hit hard in the head with a large tree branch by someone trying to kill her. Despite the hero noting she likely has a concussion and should stay there while he goes after the antagonist, she gets on her horse, tries to stop the villain herself, is thrown from the horse hard onto the ground, and STILL ignores the hero. She apparently has no lasting after-effects from the injuries, isn't in any pain through the whole scene, and the idea of someone riding a horse galloping while having a concussion is silly. And she is rude to the one person trying to gently help her, ignoring his good advice and being completely illogical. Later, no one in the book seems concerned that someone attacked her or why - it's forgotten by the next few pages. The only purpose of this scene is to reunite the heroine with the hero after many years in a dramatic way. Once that happens, the author doesn't care to deal with the natural repercussions of such a major incident, both physically and emotionally. It's lazy writing.

- She promises to do anything to help her sister who is in a bad marriage - then immediately starts misbehaving at a ball in ways that would cause her sister trouble. All because she can't keep her mouth shut and blurts out whatever pops into her head. She has zero manners and grace. How are we to respect that? And how does one obsess about Jane Austen characters and completely miss the point of their characteristics?

- The heroine constantly asks herself, "What would X Austen character do in this situation?" Then proceeds to do the opposite. I can only hope that by the end of the book, the heroine finally has an epiphany that she is the anti-Austen character. But honestly, I question her ability to even be able to read a sentence, not to mention a whole Austen book.

The irony is that the author is clearly well versed in the social mores, legalities, and milieu of Regency England. More than any other author I've read in a long time. It's just a shame that she has paired that knowledge with very poor character development and story building skills. I almost wish she teamed up with another writer, one who doesn't know Regency England well but who has great character and plotting talents. Then we might have had a story less hokey and eye rolling. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher. ...more

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Apr 29, 2019 Beth Rose rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Austen Fans

Shelves: my-top-rated-of-2019

Her life was looking less and less like one of Miss Austen's novels and more and more like an utter mess.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss.
Read this review on my blog!

Now that her elder sister has married, Lady Victoria Aston is free to enjoy her idyllic country manor lifestyle knowing that the family estate has been secured. With her sister in London and her once exiled best friend avoiding her, Vicky spends her time roaming their estate in a stolen ...more

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Nov 19, 2019 Erin Arkin rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, read-in-2019, historical

Review to come

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Jul 16, 2019 Sarah Perchikoff rated it really liked it

Ok, this is akin to sacrilege for me but... Jane Austen doesn't know everything. *faints* Lady Victoria Aston finds this out when she needs to find a husband. Sure, Jane Austen was the queen of writing about women looking for husbands, but Victoria's situation is much more dangerous than anything Austen's heroines ever went through. Not only does she need a husband to save her family from her sister's abusive husband, but she also needs to figure out who is trying to hurt her. Let's get to the Ok, this is akin to sacrilege for me but... Jane Austen doesn't know everything. *faints* Lady Victoria Aston finds this out when she needs to find a husband. Sure, Jane Austen was the queen of writing about women looking for husbands, but Victoria's situation is much more dangerous than anything Austen's heroines ever went through. Not only does she need a husband to save her family from her sister's abusive husband, but she also needs to figure out who is trying to hurt her. Let's get to the review!

Vicky thought she had her life all figured out. She'd help her father with the estate, ride horses whenever she liked, visit people in the village, and get married when she found someone she loved.

That all changes when her sister ends up on their doorstep. The man she married, Lord Dain, was not who they all thought he was and it showed on Althea's body. To keep the estate out of Althea's abusive husband's hands, Vicky needs to marry and do it quick.

So, she heads into society to try and find someone she wouldn't mind spending her life with. Her first suitor is Mr. Carmichael, one of her father's business partners. He had flirted with Vicky when he was at the estate in the past, so she figures it couldn't hurt to start with him.

But once he starts to show his interest and her parents thoroughly approve of the match, another possible contender comes into play. Vicky's childhood friend, Tom Sherborne, has recently come back to the neighboring estate after being abroad for years. He did not leave on good circumstances with Vicky, not even saying goodbye, but that doesn't mean he wants to see her hurt, especially by a man he doesn't trust.

As you can probably guess, Vicky finds a decision hard to make. She has a great time with Mr. Carmichael. He is charming, flirty, and everything a gentleman should be. But with her relationship with Tom becoming close again and him telling her things about Carmichael she doesn't like, she doesn't know what to do.

And her parents aren't making it any easier by pushing her to pick someone quickly so the estate will be saved.

Althea's husband is not willing to give up his wife so easily either and while the two sisters are out in society, they must dodge him as well. It's A LOT to deal with!

There also appears to be someone out to hurt Vicky because she keeps finding herself in increasingly more dangerous situations.

Jane Austen would be shocked by all the things that happen to Vicky. Her life is in a bit of a uproar. But, like any Austen heroine, she's willing to do whatever she can to ensure her sister is safe and happy. And if that means protecting herself and her father from a carriage attack and fighting off Dain, so be it.

I enjoyed this book, but not as much as I thought I would. With Jane Austen in the synopsis, I thought this was going to be a new fave, but while I liked it, I didn't love it. Vicky not knowing which gentlemen she was going to pick was stretched out a little too long for me. I'm giving Dangerous Alliance 3.5 out of 5 stars. I love Vicky and Althea's relationship as well as Vicky and Tom's but the overall story didn't win me over entirely.

Dangerous Alliance comes out December 3, 2019

Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Nov 07, 2019 Mila rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs

The digital arc of this book was kindly provided by the publisher via Edelweiss+ website in exchange for an honest review.

3,5 stars

This historical romance has a very ambitious premise that is heavily based and influenced by Jane Austen's novels. And I think that was actually a huge setback for the novel because it was just trying to mimic other books and it didn't feel like its own thing half the time. All the Jane Austen references became very annoying at some point, almost as much as Vicky, ...more

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Apr 24, 2019 Nia •ShadesOfPaper• rated it it was ok

Shelves: arcs, 2019-releases, 2019-arcs, historical-fiction, young-adult, books-read-in-2019, mystery, standalone, romance

You can find this review on my blog Shades of Paper.

I admit I was pretty intrigued by this book, because even though I haven’t read anything by Jane Austen, I love both adaptations I’ve seen about her books, so reading something related to her sounded absolutely fantastic, but unfortunately Dangerous Alliance didn’t work for me.

The thing about this book was that, though it had some interesting touches and a very fast paced plot, it was very generic and it didn’t leave a lasting impression on me. ...more

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May 20, 2018 Gina rated it it was amazing

This book gave me the most serious case of "book hangover" I've ever had!

I got to read an early copy of this book and when I finished it, I legitimately missed the characters and their world. I was hooked from the first page. Vicky is the kind of heroine I really rooted for and could relate to, which can be hard to come by in some YA books. AND THE LOVE INTERESTS are swoonworthy. I won't spoil anything, but if you love everything Jane Austen (and even if you've never read a single one of her ...more

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May 19, 2018 Jason B rated it it was amazing

Was lucky enough to read a pre-released copy and I was thoroughly delighted. I found all of the characters to be witty and charming, thought that the story was engaging, very historically accurate, and it all still seemed to reflect modern themes that I dealt with when I was younger. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Austen, historical intrigue, or anyone who just likes an enjoyable read. :)

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Nov 30, 2019 Eileen (BookCatPin) rated it really liked it

The moment I saw the cover and read the synopsis of Dangerous Alliance I knew it would be a book for me. At just over 400 pages it's a fast read with plenty of Jane Austen references as it promises.

I enjoyed Dangerous Alliance a lot. The writing felt within the time period with appropriate dialogues and believable events. What I found lacking was the mystery. It kept me absorbed until the big reveal which turned out to be so simple it shouldn't have taken 400 pages to discover. I had hoped it ...more

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Oct 10, 2019 Fanna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: hauled-in-2019, young-adult, digital-review-copy, 2019-releases, arc, historical-fiction, cover-love, own-a-digital-copy, romance, female-author

Dangerous Alliance brings together social conflicts and romantic storyline to a table of Georgian countryside English settings. It weaves a young female's life to her duty as a daughter and the love for her sister, with an emotionally affected male love interest—who is a well-developed character himself—own anticipations and tops it all with a hint of mystery and awkward romance.

Consider reading this review on my blog! Also, enter the giveaway to win one of two copies of Dangerous Alliance

...more

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Aug 04, 2018 Cindy ✩☽ Savage Queen ♔ marked it as to-read

I presume this book will contain a lot of witty banter, therefore, I am in lol

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Oct 29, 2019 Sage Knightly rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, netgalley-and-edelweiss

"Your pride is one thing, Victoria, but when you give it more weight than your health, you do yourself no favors." (6%)

Dangerous Alliance is a fun, entertaining read full of raw emotions and terrible situations. Easy to fall into and hard to put down, this is a book I will not soon forget.

Victoria (or Vicky as she prefers) is attacked within the first few pages, which is just the beginning of a series of attacks and attempted kidnappings that play out every few chapters. Left confused, ...more

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Nov 28, 2019 Nikole Clow rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019-20-books-to-read

When it comes to historical romance books, Jane Austen is one of my go-to authors. Pride & Prejudice is one of my all-time favorite books, so when I heard of Dangerous Alliance and that it’s filled with Jane Austen references, I knew I had to read this book. And this story did not disappoint.

Dangerous Alliance is filled with beautiful prose, witty banter, and charming characters. There were scenes where I was laughing and scenes where I was gasping, not expecting certain things to happen. When it comes to historical romance books, Jane Austen is one of my go-to authors. Pride & Prejudice is one of my all-time favorite books, so when I heard of Dangerous Alliance and that it’s filled with Jane Austen references, I knew I had to read this book. And this story did not disappoint.

Dangerous Alliance is filled with beautiful prose, witty banter, and charming characters. There were scenes where I was laughing and scenes where I was gasping, not expecting certain things to happen. The characters, especially the male love interests, were delightful and made Vicky’s interactions entertaining and enjoyable.

Even though, at heart, this story is a romance story, I loved the dash of mystery. Mix mystery into a romance story, and you have a captivating storyline with irresistible characters. And that’s exactly what you get here. Dangerous Alliance kept me on the edge of my seat; I was so curious as to what would happen next that I didn’t want to put this book down. I loved the characters and Vicky and the setting is beyond gorgeous – the historical beauty is captivating, and I loved every second of this book.

“Your pride is one thing, Victoria, but when you give it more weight than your health, you do yourself no favors.”

Victoria is a fun and engaging main character who gets herself into quite the predicament. How exactly do you handle multiple men vying for your hand in marriage? And also try to solve a mystery that could potentially put her and her family in harm’s way? It’s not easy for Vicky, that’s for sure, but watching her navigate the world of society’s season was fun and humorous at times. Her reliability on Jane Austen’s words is a delight to read; it’s the right mixture of Jane Austen’s work with Cohen’s story. Vicky is also strong and fiercely independent, which I absolutely loved; she does not want to settle down and lose her freedom, but to save her family, she’ll do anything.

“Of the countless embarrassing moments in all her seventeen years, this one secured the prize for most ghastly.”

Cohen’s writing was spectacular; I mainly loved the witty banter between the characters and Vicky’s interactions with those inside and outside of books. Cohen brings this historical romance book to life. There’s just enough romance and mystery to keep the readers on their toes, which made this book even more enjoyable. Overall, this book was a wonderful read and perfect for fans of Jane Austen! ...more

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Dec 01, 2019 gwendalyn _books_ rated it really liked it

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own

Seventeen year old, Lady Victoria Aston leads an unconventional life on her family’s country estate, and with her older sister well married, she enjoys a considerable amount of freedom. She is very a independent helping to manage the family’s English estate, studying animal husbandry.

She adores Jane Austen novels and rereads them

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own

Seventeen year old, Lady Victoria Aston leads an unconventional life on her family’s country estate, and with her older sister well married, she enjoys a considerable amount of freedom. She is very a independent helping to manage the family’s English estate, studying animal husbandry.

She adores Jane Austen novels and rereads them meticulously, all the while making comparison of her life with that of characters with pages of those lovely books.

When her life takes a sudden turn she comes to understand that her life is not like a storybook novel. Her sister unexpectedly arrives home, distraught and hurt, fleeing an abusive husband. It becomes clear that Victoria, {Vicky} must take on the the burden of saving family’s reputation before the scandal breaks over her sisters separation from her husband public knowledge. Along with the fact that if her father should pass before her sisters Althea marriage is legally dissolved, the family’s estate would fall into the hands of Althea cruel handof her brother in law Viscount Dain.

Lady Victoria needs to find a husband and marry quickly, before the end of the season. If that isn’t enough a series of unexplained suspicious attack, along with the return Tom Sherborne, her old friend and neighbor returned from years in exile after succeeding to his father’s title, keeps the reader fully engaged in marvelous coming of age tale.

Georgian England, comes to life and is richly drawn out. Wonderful dialogue and the plot line is perfectly paced creating an enjoyable historical fiction.

Cohen adds an historical note chapter at the end of the book explaining the research she did to write the novel and the various Jane Austen quotes.

Dangerous Alliance was paced perfectly and the intriguing well developed characters are stunningly fleshed out. Creative multiple POV’s along with intriguing element of adventure and mystery keep me fully immersed all the through to the end.

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