''My Beautiful Enemy'' is a

historical romance Historical romance is a broad category of mass-market fiction focusing on romantic relationships in historical periods, which Walter Scott helped popularize in the early 19th century. Varieties Viking These books feature Vikings during the Da ...

Sherry Thomas Sherry M. Thomas (born 1975) is an American novelist of young adult fantasy, historical romance, and contemporary romance. She has won multiple awards including the Romance Writers of America RITA Award for Best Historical Romance for '' Not Qui ...

set in imperial China. Thomas, in describing the novel said she "intended tto be an English version of a Chinese ''

wuxia ( ), which literally means "martial heroes", is a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Although is traditionally a form of historical fiction, its popularity has caused it to be adapted f ...

'' novel, with a heroic female spin."

Literary reception

NPR called it "...a bold new direction for Thomas, yet maintains the emotional intensity she is celebrated for."

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

felt its villain was "a cartoonish and unconvincing opponent," but that " s 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." 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." 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."

Awards

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

References

2014 American novels Historical romance novels Novels set in China American romance novels Berkley Books books {{2010s-romance-novel-stub