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As a young girl, Miranda Cheever is insulted at her best friend Olivia’s birthday party by a vicious girl who calls her ugly and poor. Olivia sticks up for her friend, but it isn’t until Olivia’s dreamy older brother, Turner, tells Miranda that one day she’ll grow into her looks and be a truly remarkable woman that Miranda feels better about herself. Though Turner is nine years Miranda’s senior, these kind words are enough to make her fall helplessly in love with him.
A decade later, Turner is burying his vicious, cheating wife after a not-so-unfortunate accident. A widower before the age of 30 and jaded from years of abuse by his hateful wife, he vows to never marry again. Miranda, meanwhile, has blossomed into a Lizzie Bennet-esque heroine with wit, intelligence, and a plain sort of beauty that cannot compare to Olivia’s but isn’t anything to scoff at. It’s the girls’ first (and likely only) season in London, and while Olivia is surrounded by gaggles of smitten men, Miranda can’t help but swoon over her best friend’s older brother as her best friend gets all the attention.
Turner and Miranda are often in each other’s company and get along swimmingly, in a teasing, flirty way. With quick tempers and mood swings, though, it’s hard to tell if they’ll ever be able to open up to each other at the same time. Will Turner be able to put aside his bad feelings about marriage left over from his late wife and be the hero Miranda has always thought he was? Or will Miranda be able to put her girlish fantasies behind her and attract a decent member of the ton?
I always feel odd when rating guilty pleasures. Are they comparable to the great works of literature? No, and for that reason, I often feel like I can’t give them a 5-star rating. This book was thoroughly entertaining and absorbing, and at a time when I seem to be reading 4 books at once, I actually sat down to finish this in one sitting.
In terms of chick lit and comfort reading, this book was a definite 5/5. The blurb on the back of its cover reads: “Jane Austen meets Bridget Jones in Julia Quinn’s delightful Regency-set romantic comedies." I would agree with this statement, recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good Regency novel with humor, wit, and passion, and I look forward to picking up another of Quinn’s books in the future.
A decade later, Turner is burying his vicious, cheating wife after a not-so-unfortunate accident. A widower before the age of 30 and jaded from years of abuse by his hateful wife, he vows to never marry again. Miranda, meanwhile, has blossomed into a Lizzie Bennet-esque heroine with wit, intelligence, and a plain sort of beauty that cannot compare to Olivia’s but isn’t anything to scoff at. It’s the girls’ first (and likely only) season in London, and while Olivia is surrounded by gaggles of smitten men, Miranda can’t help but swoon over her best friend’s older brother as her best friend gets all the attention.
Turner and Miranda are often in each other’s company and get along swimmingly, in a teasing, flirty way. With quick tempers and mood swings, though, it’s hard to tell if they’ll ever be able to open up to each other at the same time. Will Turner be able to put aside his bad feelings about marriage left over from his late wife and be the hero Miranda has always thought he was? Or will Miranda be able to put her girlish fantasies behind her and attract a decent member of the ton?
I always feel odd when rating guilty pleasures. Are they comparable to the great works of literature? No, and for that reason, I often feel like I can’t give them a 5-star rating. This book was thoroughly entertaining and absorbing, and at a time when I seem to be reading 4 books at once, I actually sat down to finish this in one sitting.
In terms of chick lit and comfort reading, this book was a definite 5/5. The blurb on the back of its cover reads: “Jane Austen meets Bridget Jones in Julia Quinn’s delightful Regency-set romantic comedies." I would agree with this statement, recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good Regency novel with humor, wit, and passion, and I look forward to picking up another of Quinn’s books in the future.
I think Julia Quinn is great and creates such a vivid beautiful world. However, Turner is such a gross man I did not like him. I didn’t like this story because I didn’t like the dynamic and how Turner treated her. This went beyond grumpy sunshine, to me he was cruel more than once. But it was well written and the audible narrator, Jenny Sterlin, was really great. I just didn’t care for the story.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Miranda blev kär i bästa vännen Olivias storebror när hon var 10. Och nu, nio år senare, är hon fortfarande kär i honom.
Visserligen tycker Olivia att hennes tvillingbror Winston är en perfekt match för Miranda (så blir de systrar på riktigt!) och visserligen har Turner deklarerat att han INTE kommer att gifta om sig - då hans nu döda fru krossat hans hjärta totalt genom att lura och bedra honom.
Men ett regnväder under en skattjakt slutar på ett sätt som ändå kan tvinga Turner till äktenskap...
***
Ännu en härlig romance från Julia Quinn. Den har alla delar: en ung oförstörd huvudperson, en man som inte tror på kärleken längre, förförelse och en plötslig insikt om den stora kärleken. Perfekt, helt enkelt!
Visserligen tycker Olivia att hennes tvillingbror Winston är en perfekt match för Miranda (så blir de systrar på riktigt!) och visserligen har Turner deklarerat att han INTE kommer att gifta om sig - då hans nu döda fru krossat hans hjärta totalt genom att lura och bedra honom.
Men ett regnväder under en skattjakt slutar på ett sätt som ändå kan tvinga Turner till äktenskap...
***
Ännu en härlig romance från Julia Quinn. Den har alla delar: en ung oförstörd huvudperson, en man som inte tror på kärleken längre, förförelse och en plötslig insikt om den stora kärleken. Perfekt, helt enkelt!
Some have said they didn’t like this pairing...
...but I very much liked Miranda and rooted for her all along. There are only a few bridgerton books that I liked better from this author in fact (& I’ve read the entire series, and prequel series). I love the subtle tie in of characters from the last smythe-smith book to this first in the bevelstoke stories.
...but I very much liked Miranda and rooted for her all along. There are only a few bridgerton books that I liked better from this author in fact (& I’ve read the entire series, and prequel series). I love the subtle tie in of characters from the last smythe-smith book to this first in the bevelstoke stories.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Turner gives Anthony Bridgerton a run for his money as a menace to society.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexism, Toxic relationship, Alcohol
Minor: Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent
There was a line in this book ---
"Society is capricious and rewards the bad as often as the good. But it never rewards the quiet."
I know how accurate this quote is and had known for quite a long time.
"Society is capricious and rewards the bad as often as the good. But it never rewards the quiet."
I know how accurate this quote is and had known for quite a long time.
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Miranda, who had been close friends with the twins Olivia and Winston since childhood, often spent her time at Haverbreaks because she didn’t find enough love in her own home. Her father often forgot about her existence and was absorbed in his Greek manuscripts. It was there that Miranda first met Turner, who was nine years older than her.
For nine years, she harbored feelings for Turner, even though he ended up marrying Leticia.
However, everything changed after Leticia’s death. Turner stopped believing in love and had no desire to marry again, while Miranda didn’t hesitate to express her love for him. Determined, Miranda set out to heal Turner’s heart.
For nine years, she harbored feelings for Turner, even though he ended up marrying Leticia.
However, everything changed after Leticia’s death. Turner stopped believing in love and had no desire to marry again, while Miranda didn’t hesitate to express her love for him. Determined, Miranda set out to heal Turner’s heart.