Scan barcode
tarterburn's review against another edition
4.0
I have such conflicted feelings about how to rate this book! To start, I absolutely ADORE this series and all these characters so far. Evie Dunmore’s writing style is so fun and powerful. Her characters all have had such amazing emotional developments and insights that really make you think about yourself and reflect on your own experiences and views. Her stories are also so informative without even realizing it! Having just gotten back into historical fiction, that’s something I’d forgotten. But I love how much information I’m absorbing about real issues and causes from the past through a fun, flirty story! And how each book has built on that underlying history of women’s rights in Britain.
Now for this story in particular I was so excited, because I loved Hattie from the beginning of book one. Her whimsical, carefree, almost childlike interests and passions for art and romance were the most relatable personality wise of the 4 main characters. And Lucien’s character development is definitely my favorite of the 3 men we’ve read about so far. And up until the last 80 or so pages, they were well on their way to being my favorite and this being my favorite book out of the 3 so far.
But the end just bothered me! I understand why it happened and I do feel it was necessary for Hattie’s development, yet the way it happened at the expense of Lucien almost after his complete development. It broke me. When he broke down, I broke down. And especially after Hattie learned of his mother’s and sister’s death, I just don’t know if I can fully get behind her decision to leave based on how she’d been acting up until then. I’m not sure I pictured her actually going through with that. She (and apparently me as well) fell head over heels for him and being with him and learning about him and his walls and developing those feelings were all very significant factors in aiding her own self discovery and how she came to realize her worth. To then say she needed a separation to find herself just doesn’t seem necessary to me! The whole story was a slow burn romance and was well on its way to coming to fruition and then BAM she has to her off and leave Lucian in the lurch? But they each tell each other they really do love each other right before she leaves?
I know they ended up with their own happy ending, but I would have loved them to have addressed their fight and see them move past that together. And then se them work to build up her own confidence and achieve her artistic and personal growth TOGETHER in France. I don’t think what she gained from going there, she couldn't have gained if he would’ve travelled with her. I wanted to experience them coming to terms with and fully embracing this amazing connection they’d built and live as the people they’d become. They could have had an ending somthing like Lucie and Tristan’s compromise on marriage, taking on London and societal pressures as a pair and continuing to grow together rather than growing individually and literally apart from each other then bopping back together real quick to admit how lonely they were without the other. It would have bumped this from a 4-star to a 5-star for me.
Now for this story in particular I was so excited, because I loved Hattie from the beginning of book one. Her whimsical, carefree, almost childlike interests and passions for art and romance were the most relatable personality wise of the 4 main characters. And Lucien’s character development is definitely my favorite of the 3 men we’ve read about so far. And up until the last 80 or so pages, they were well on their way to being my favorite and this being my favorite book out of the 3 so far.
But the end just bothered me! I understand why it happened and I do feel it was necessary for Hattie’s development, yet the way it happened at the expense of Lucien almost after his complete development. It broke me. When he broke down, I broke down. And especially after Hattie learned of his mother’s and sister’s death, I just don’t know if I can fully get behind her decision to leave based on how she’d been acting up until then. I’m not sure I pictured her actually going through with that. She (and apparently me as well) fell head over heels for him and being with him and learning about him and his walls and developing those feelings were all very significant factors in aiding her own self discovery and how she came to realize her worth. To then say she needed a separation to find herself just doesn’t seem necessary to me! The whole story was a slow burn romance and was well on its way to coming to fruition and then BAM she has to her off and leave Lucian in the lurch? But they each tell each other they really do love each other right before she leaves?
I know they ended up with their own happy ending, but I would have loved them to have addressed their fight and see them move past that together. And then se them work to build up her own confidence and achieve her artistic and personal growth TOGETHER in France. I don’t think what she gained from going there, she couldn't have gained if he would’ve travelled with her. I wanted to experience them coming to terms with and fully embracing this amazing connection they’d built and live as the people they’d become. They could have had an ending somthing like Lucie and Tristan’s compromise on marriage, taking on London and societal pressures as a pair and continuing to grow together rather than growing individually and literally apart from each other then bopping back together real quick to admit how lonely they were without the other. It would have bumped this from a 4-star to a 5-star for me.
rachelelizabethlee's review
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
shmoorgs's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
claudiavial's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
chocodev's review
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
mer_dont_care's review against another edition
5.0
we stan an anti-capitalist capitalist & a suffragette
nourez's review against another edition
4.0
This book was set to be a new favourite book of mine until the last 30 pages happened. Without any real warning the story took a hard left and then quickly wrapped up mostly off page. It was in all honesty very jarring.
biareads02's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25