Did not.care for either of the MC’s.

I have read/listened to several of this author’s stories and usually really enjoy them. Unfortunately,, I disliked this publication. I found both of the MC’s to be self-involved, arrogant and shallow which made it difficult to invest any interest in their outcome. I found I had to restart the story several times because my attention had drifted. This inability to engage in a novel is a rare occurrence for me but I finally gave up @ Chapter 7.

Overall the narrator’s voice was fine until she vocalized the main male MC’s voice (can’t remember his name at present). While the voice of Gigi was fine, the male’s voice sounded too effeminate and stuffy to me. The fact that I did not care for the tale may have influenced my perception of the quality of the narrator. I find that if I am engrossed in a writing I often can overlook most shortcomings of the narration.

In conclusion, although I did not care for this particular writing I am sure I look forward to other works by this author.

3 people found this helpful

Witty, Poignant...

After listening to Delicious, I was looking forward to this other book by Sherry Thomas, and hoping for another enjoyable book! In this, I was not disappointed.

Ms. Thomas' use of flashbacks is very well incoporated into the story line and her characters have depth. The descriptions are vividly portrayed and the characters, with all their foibles, are truly brought to life.

6 people found this helpful

So Good You Don't Notice Plot Holes

This little romance is so much fun that I didn't mind the plot holes and irrational choices the characters make. Gigi and Camden are delightful as a warring couple whom we know really do love each other. The writing is lush and lovely.

2 people found this helpful

original plot well narrated

This author is an absolute delight...the topnotch narration adds much to a well crafted plot delivered with humour...laughed out loud. Great phrasing and language, steamy love scenes and super character development puts this author in a superior class of romance writers...tough to put down!

5 people found this helpful

Too wordy without action!

Disappointing to say the least. Most historical romances have a cat /mouse chase elements with a mystery written within the story. It dragged and there was no dramatic connection between the characters. I say skip this one.

1 person found this helpful

Facinating, if complicated, love story.

Be aware that I'm breaking with my usual No Spoilers Rule, and revealing a bit of the plot. I'm doing it because I believe that some of the less than stellar reviews that this book has been given are unfair. The characters are not unlikeable, as some infer. They are emotionally complex, and at times sad and resentful. Just because this isn't a simple love story, doesn't mean it's not a good one.

Private Arrangements is about two very stubborn A type personalities, who meet and fall deeply in love when they're too young and inexperienced to handle the emotion. It doesn't help that they are hampered both by pride and insecurity.

Gigi has passion, brains and a sharp mind to match -- and she's incredibly rich. Used to getting what she wants, she's also accustomed to fending off fortune hunters. She's 19 years old and inexperienced.

Camden is a newly minted heir to a neighboring Dukedom, one that didn't come with any money. He's used to that. He's lived most of his life in other peoples houses because his aristocratic, but poor parents, couldn't afford a home of their own. Sweet and idealistic, he has always taken care of his family. He has a bit of a savior complex.

One day the idealistic boy and the cynical girl meet and fall in love, hard.

There's only one sticky wicket: another girl. Camden has, at least in his mind, given himself to a girl who has had as hard and unsettled a life as he has. Even though he doesn't love her, he intends to marry her, save her, and give her a home. Gigi has met the girl, and she knows if he marries her, he will be miserable. Falling hard for the first time in her life, Gigi can't let him go, and instead she does something awful to break them up. When Camden finds out what she did, he feels betrayed and manipulated, and it drives them apart for years.

Sherry Thomas is smart, and she's given us a very intriguing trail of bread crumbs to follow through the more difficult parts of the story. Each chapter illuminates events, moving from 1882, the year they meet and marry, to 1893, the year he comes back into her life. Point and counter-point, we see how they got into the mess they are in, and how it has made them who they are.

Camden's anger is a big pill, however, as he refuses to acknowledge his part in the tragedy, and by the end of Part 1, I wanted to stop reading because of him. The 4 star rating is because of how close I came to giving up. It all seemed such a waste. But I'd already invested 5 hours of my life in this story and I had to keep going. Fortunately, almost from the beginning of Part 2, the whole plot came together in a satisfying and lovely way. I almost want to give that 5th star back!

This is not an easy, or light read. This one will make you feel things, push some buttons, make you sad or angry. (I haven't seen protagonists like this since Scarlett and Rhett). However, the payoff at the end makes it more than worth the journey. In the end, it all makes sense, and what more can you ask for in a story like this?

I am amazed I'd never read anything by Sherry Thomas before, but after finishing this book, I bought two more read by Kate Reading.

Speaking of 'read by,' Virginia Leishman is incredible here. This is a very, very nuanced book, with emotions running rampant. In the hands of a more ham fisted reader, this could have been a hot mess. Ms. Leishman is a master craftswoman, and she plays the material like a violin. I will happily seek out more books read by her. She's a marvel.

Highly Recommended, at least for those who don't mind having to work a little for the HEA.

9 people found this helpful

Well Developed Plot And Characters

At first I just thought there's nothing new in the plot, but still I gave it a try and I surprised how the story amazed me till the end. My first with the author and the narrator I love them both. I'll venture another title from both of them.

3 people found this helpful

Heart wrenching and beautifully written

The more I read of sherry Thomas, the more I like her. I read these books in the wrong order starting with his at night, then the luckiest lady in London and now this book. I’ve liked each read more than the previous one. I also heard not quite a husband and loved that one too - although there are some bits that are hard to accept on that book. I really loved this book - strong and devious heroine and a well matched hero. I love books where the lady is not a frail miss needing to be saved and sherry Thomas seems to do a great job writing about strong women :)

2 people found this helpful

Highly Enjoyable

For someone who mostly reads the "heavy" stuff, this was an extremely nice break. Lots of fun and nicely nararated.

3 people found this helpful

Private Arrangement

When author can make me dislike her characters in the beginning but bring me around by the end to root for their hea, I say well done. The book was a bit complicated with the flash backs but dang if I didn’t listen the much more closely to keep up, I didn’t want to miss a thing. I couldn’t stop listening and I loved that even the Gigi’s got an hea.

I also thought Virginia Leishman did a wonderful job narrating this book.