The Dickens with Love

The synopsis about a lost Dicken work being discovered paired with an antiquarian that had lost everything due to a scandal (which he had nothing to do with) sounded intriguing and I was interested how it would work out, so I gave the book a try.

Well, let's start with James Winter, our protagonist. He's very likeable and it didn't take many pages before he won my sympathy. Sedgwick Crisparkle on the other hand is about as likeable as his name. There were enough times where all I could do was shake my head in disbelieve at his rude and blunt behavior. Of course James gets pissed off - who wouldn't? -, but all Sedgwick Crisparkle (ugh, his name) offers as an excuse, a really sorry piece of an excuse, is “Oft times I put things more bluntly than I intend.” Well, no shit. But wait, it gets even better! Right after this he says to a pissed off James “Don't you think you're overreacting?” Sounding impatient, I might add. Can someone hit that guy, please?

The most disturbing part though were the sex scenes. No, they weren't horribly written, not at all, the writing style was pretty good compared to many others I've read, certain parts were just...unsettling. Were they supposed to sound Christmassy?

That pump and pull was like a hammer striking the golden frames of angel wings, pounding them into shining, glinting pennons.

Sorry, what?

Not to mention Sedgwick Crisparkle talking during sex

“Like a suede glove grabbing me,stroking me....like a hot, black fist”

Err, should I worry?

Let's leave this here,although there are more than enough images like this, MLE summed that part up pretty much perfectly and I think the ‘what fresh hell is this?' gif describes them better than I ever could.