My Beautiful Enemy is a historical romance by Sherry Thomas set in imperial China. Thomas, in describing the novel said she "intended [it] to be an English version of a Chinese wuxia novel, with a heroic female spin."[1]

My Beautiful Enemy
First edition cover
AuthorSherry Thomas
LanguageEnglish
GenreHistorical romance
Published2014 (Berkley)
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint
Pages304
ISBN9780425268896

Literary reception

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NPR called it "...a bold new direction for Thomas, yet maintains the emotional intensity she is celebrated for."[2] Kirkus Reviews felt its villain was "a cartoonish and unconvincing opponent," but that "[i]ts strength is the complexity of its main characters. Catherine is graceful and feminine but also deadly with a blade or her bare hands....A thought-provoking exploration of gender roles in the East and West and in the historical romance genre. It’s also a darn good read."[3]

Library Journal named it one of the Top 10 romances of 2014, calling it, "a spellbinding, lyrically composed romantic adventure. Flashbacks to Chinese Turkestan add an exotic, mesmerizing touch."[4] In its original starred review, it said "With incisive character development, deft pacing, and lyrical, nearly poetic prose, Thomas transports readers between remote, breathtaking Chinese Turkestan and teeming late Victorian London. A gripping, mesmerizing romance that is one of Thomas’s most unforgettable yet."[5]

Awards

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  • 2014: All About Romance Reader Award—Best Historical Romance Not Set in the U.K.[6]
  • 2014: All About Romance Reader Award—Biggest Tearjerker[6]
  • 2014: All About Romance Reader Award—Most Kickass Heroine (Honorable Mention)[6]
  • 2014: Library Journal—Starred Review (*)[6]

References

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  1. ^ Dumas, Bobbi. "Sherry Thomas (Interview)". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  2. ^ Dumas, Bobbi. "Halloween Makes Us Think Of ... Diversity In Romance!". NPR. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  3. ^ "My Beautiful Enemy (Review)". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  4. ^ Ramsdell, Kristin. "Best Books 2014: Romance". LibraryJournal. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  5. ^ Ramsdell, Kristin. "Captivating Romance from Jeffries, Phillips, Putney, & Thomas". LibraryJournal. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  6. ^ a b c d "Award Winning Books by Sherry Thomas". Fiction db. Retrieved 2 June 2015.