Not Quite a Husband
Written by Sherry Thomas
Narrated by Anne Flosnik
4/5
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About this audiobook
Leo has no reason to think Bryony could ever forgive him for the way he treated her, but he won't rest until he's delivered an urgent message from her sister-and fulfilled his duty by escorting her safely back to England. But as they risk their lives for each other on the journey home, will the biggest danger be the treacherous war around them-or their rekindling passion?
Sherry Thomas
Sherry Thomas is the author of The Burning Sky and The Perilous Sea, the first two books in the Elemental Trilogy. Sherry immigrated to the United States from China when she was thirteen and taught herself English in part by devouring science fiction and romance novels. She is the author of several acclaimed romance novels and is the recipient of two RITA Awards. Sherry lives with her family in Austin, Texas.
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Reviews for Not Quite a Husband
225 ratings17 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wonderful story, wonderful historical details.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5OK story. little long.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Note: Maybe don’t read this review if you’ve not read the book? Complicated, lots of quotes. Maybe spoiler. I dunno.
well hell.
A kiss that felt oddly like falling, and oddly like flying.
Despite this being one of the favorites of my book soulmate's: “Give me Bryony and Leo and I cry like a baby,” I waited to read it. I waited almost a full two years after the first historical I enjoyed. Why? Because I was scared.
And I should’ve been. Look, this book is problematic. There is undoubtedly a consent issue I would consider that issue spousal rape . It is painful and disturbing, and yet, I kept reading. Because there was all this groundwork. It hurt like a motherfucker. It shredded me-in both ways-and eventually an understanding dawned. No, no. Not an excuse. But a pathology. Beneath it, a painful etiology of their marital issues and all their fears-and the only way they (yes THEY) found to exorcise them. God, that was a risk. How could I want to keep reading? Why would you WANT to read?
Because it’s complex. Because it was a risk, and because somehow, Thomas made you give a damn for these characters by the time this is all revealed.
And their relationship, to this point is built on failed expectations, lack of communication, pain-so much pain-but also…and clearly, mutual respect and love. And it’s that last part that makes this book something you can believe in.
“You were the moon of my existence; your moods dictated the tides of my heart.”
The tides of her own heart surged at his words, even though his words were nothing but lies.
…”And the times of my heart only rose ever higher to crash against the levee of my self-possession. For I loved you most intemperately,”
Bryony thought he was lying, but never for a moment did the reader see it that way.
And that’s why this achingly beautiful yet painful book works. Over and over. For Leo is rejected over and over, with no understanding or knowledge of why, and he starts to believe her cold and unfeeling-every hint along the way makes it so obvious to him.
He’d gone into their marriage determined that she would never be alone again. In the end, she’d made him as alone in the world as she.
Meanwhile, Bryony is just protecting herself. She discovers him having an affair just before their wedding.
In the acknowledgments, Thomas mentions Duran’s Globe Scene (yes, it needs capitalization) from the Duke of Shadows inspiring her—and that she did it without a globe. And my goodness in heaven.
He scorned himself for giving a damn, when she didn’t give a damn about him. But it didn’t matter. He had choices, and each time he chose to accept the one invitation that placed him in the same country as her, so that help, should she need it, didn’t have to be summoned across oceans.
…
You were the moon of my existence; your moods dictated the tides of my heart.
It might have been hyperbole, but it wasn’t fiction.
They begin to know each other in earnest, yet based on the foundation of love they had from their younger, more clueless years.
There were shadows under his eyes, and the beginning of crow’s feet at the corners. And even though all about them it was green, voluptuous summer, there was a solemness to him, a quiet that made her think of snow-blanketed winter.
He’d never been further from the gilded, angel-kissed youth. And never more beautiful
Tales of relationships with baggage and forgiveness, these second chances aren’t always done to great effect. This one, this one however, shredded me. I never for once doubted Leo & Bryony’s love for one another, their fragility, their mistakes, the harm they caused each other, or their forgiveness.
“Just that I have loved you, even when I was nothing and no one to you when you didn’t know my name and barely knew my face.”
Sigh. I’ve not once read a review of this book. Now I look forward to doing just that. I’m glad I finally found the courage to see how it lived up to expectation. And I'm also relieved that I ditched the library copy on the hunch I'd need to keep these quotes and this book forever. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5My favorite Sherry Thomas (so far!). For romance, her books are generally my first pick. Thomas writes about marriage after the wedding, with real hurts. The romance genre is filled with obstacles that often seem contrived. Sherry Thomas makes them real, and hard and painful, and apparently I like that. Sigh.
Not Quite a Husband features Leo and Bryony as the couple. In addition to the difficult relationship plot, NQAH features the late 19th century India on the eve of rebellion, an interesting backdrop. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is my first Sherry Thomas book and is a keeper. She's able to develop quite complex and believable conflict between the hero and heroine in a way I haven't seen before.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5One of the better novels in this genre. The characters were fairly well developed overall. Once again the story fizzled towards the end. Or was wrapped up a bit too neatly. And there was way too much reliance on "miscommunication" as a plot device.
SPOILER ALERT
It was difficult to believe the heroine NEVER confronted the hero on his pre-maritial/post-engagement infidelity that she personally witnessed, until he literally pushed her to tell him years later, after a long separation.
Other than that, one of the better offerings. - Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I could not get into this book. Too many details. Gave up after 50 pages
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5What a deep and complicated love story -- very satisfying as of course there's an HEA. I didn't understand the heroine and her refusal to even try to make a go of marriage. That's because the hero is simply perfect -- beautifully handsome, brilliant, kind, etc. Yes, he did a bad thing, but not THAT bad. And then after years (months? not sure how long they were married) of not even trying to enjoy his lovemaking, she meets him in India and is suddenly all hot for him.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is the first book I've read by Sherry Thomas, and I now realize what I've been missing! I really enjoyed this book. Without giving too much away, I'll say that it had suspense, heartache, excitement and love. I can't wait to read another of her books.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A well-written story with engaging characters and an interesting setting. I particularly liked Bryony's career and how it was so much a part of how she saw the world. I didn't entirely buy the romance, for reasons I'm not sure on, and there was one scene at the end that made me scratch my head as to what it was doing in this book, but overall it was a good read.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I loved this book! You really have to get past the cover though, because it is soooo much more than the cover makes it appear. (I read the e-book, so I didn't have to see that cover every time I picked it up--thank goodness! ) It is very character-driven, as most of the story is told internally, through flashbacks and through the thoughts of the two main characters. Basically it's about two people who loved each other once, though they never admitted it either to each other or to themselves who have allowed circumstances and misunderstandings to separate them. Yep, a whole lot of drama. But it's good drama...the good kind of angst, that eventually leads to something positive and that comes from a source that (once you know what it is) actually makes sense, unlike the annoying whining of say, Harry Potter in book five (the thought still makes me want to smack him--get over it already! Argh!). Had a hard time putting this one down.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Here's why I picked up NOT QUITE A HUSBAND: (1) It won the RITA award for Best Historical Romance of 2010 (2) It now appears on All About Romance's Top 100 Romances of ALL TIME list (3) Meredith Duran lists it as one of HER top 10 favorite romances of all time.
Having said that, I avoided buying this book for quite a while because of the publisher's blurb. It gave me totally the wrong idea about NOT QUITE A HUSBAND, and it took a series of really insanely laudatory accolades to make me believe the blurb must be misleading. First I read: female surgeon. That made me think: the heroine is going to be a sensible, no-nonsense sort of gal. Not so. Bryony is an intensely emotional woman - she's actually just generally, all around intense - the human equivalent of a shaken champagne bottle.
Because I'd assumed Bryony would be the practical type, the prospect of a road trip depressed me. I figured it would also be practical, dry and annoying. Again, not so. Every stop on Bryony & Leo's journey to the coast is described in the most gorgeous, vivid prose. The atmosphere itself drenches the couple in romance, like the mountains themselves are conspiring to reunite the couple.
Then I went on to read: scheming sister tries to reunite Bryony with her ex-husband. When I read "scheming sister" I think...hijinks. I imagine I'll be reading a book full of ridiculous contrivances and forced hilarity. Cues like "scheming sister" are more likely to make me avoid a book than pick it up. Well, there is a scheming sister but she has a very small role to play. There are no hijinks and no ridiculous contrivances and no forced hilarity. This book would be better described by words like...well, "intense," "epic," "sweeping" "heartwrenching" and "gorgeous."
And then there's the fact that this couple was previously married, which made me worry that I'd have to read about the hero groveling a lot, and I don't enjoy that. But no, there's no groveling in this book at all.
I just figure, if I am the kind of person who will LOVE love love love this book, why is the blurb designed to make me think I will hate it? Am I crazy or is this a total failure of marketing? By the time I was done reading I was feeling...well, mostly I was feeling like my heart had melted like a ball of wax, because this is a fantastically romantic book, but I was also feeling FURIOUS with the blurb. Because I might have missed out on this absolutely fabulous book because of it.
As a final note - if the first paragraph of this review, with its insanely laudatory accolades, isn't enough to make you think NOT QUITE A HUSBAND is an amazing book, here's one last pitch. If you like Loretta Chase or Judith Ivory, if you thought the RAVEN/LEOPARD/SERPENT PRINCE trilogy was fantastic, were over the moon about THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE, or call DUKE OF SHADOWS by Meredith Duran a Desert Island Keeper...you will probably LOVE love love NOT QUITE A HUSBAND by Sherry Thomas. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Up. Down. Sideways. No, I'm not talking sex here. I'm talking the emotional ride on this book. First I didn't like the heroine. Then I didn't like the hero. Then they both annoyed me. In the end, I almost weeped. Almost. It wasn't due to the happy ending, it was the whole disastrous events of the relationship were so sad.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book had a profound emotional impact on me. It is a deep psychological study as well as an interesting story. I loved how brilliant they both were. They were true equals in intellect and lifestyle. The ending makes me cry every time I read it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sherry Thomas is a new author but she writes with such maturity it is impossible to tell. Her heroine Byrony is a doctor in a time where most women were unable to obtain jobs like that. Sherry explains the history behind her occupation without beating the reader over the head with boring information. I found the love story to be unique. I was invested in the main characters as a couple and thier history. Byrony was portrayed as stiff and Leo as bitter but overtime you see them both melt and undertsand how thier love went wrong and cheer for them when they finally get back together. Thomas writes steamy loves scenes and shows two adults who fall in love without being mushy or corny. She writes historical romance in a way that I've never seen before. I look forward to her next book.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I've been slogging through the "Smart Bitches, Trashy Books" list of good things to read. Until now, it's been relatively disappointing...the magic (hoo-hoo) lacking.This book, however, is a true "smart bitch" book. Both main characters are highly-educated, unconventional people who fumble through a poorly conceived marriage and annulment and are thrown together again (with the usual results). Snippy one-liners, hot sex scenes and no swooning.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A little more worldly than Sherry's first 2 books, and it had a more serious undertone with the war in India. Like her other books, Sherry has a way to draw readers into her venus flytrap and keep us there, wanting to know where the relationship went wrong - and praying that it goes right eventually. I believe this is the first woman doctor who has graced the historical romance genre - and frankly, I really appreciated this unique aspect of Byrony where her first husband is her medical profession and Leo must play a second fiddle.