albyatross's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

I had more notes, but they got deleted :/
but anyway: 

1.75 // One True Love
I tried really hard several time not to DNF this story and the whole collection along with it. 

I still ended up DNF'ing around chapter five, after the characters leave the skating party. 

I came around on Anne sort of, but. Halfurst really felt like reading Gaston, but worse because the reader is actually supposed to like him. 

4 // Two Hearts
[ where notes got deleted ]

I think this one is a bit closer to a comedy, in that the reader can tell what's happening but the characters can't at the beginning. Oh, and Liza and Royce actually seem to like /each other as people/, so that helps.

The pet monkey was awkward though, but since the story leans on comedy, I'm letting it slide. 

2.5? // A Dozen Kisses
So the initial impression is "creepy", since it's made fairly clear the LIs are cousins, but given the time period and situation I suppose it's reasonable? If it was brought up at the beginning and then kinda ingored it'd be easier to deal with, but it's pointed out enough that it's a little awkward. 

This one starts at the theater, suggesting a bit of a compressed timeline to the others. 

The writing of this one was stylized in a way I found hard to follow in places, as far as who was who, but that could be a genre convention what with all the titles. The cats had titles too. 

I liked what I read of Linney and Terrace, and I enjoy the idea of a disabled LI, but I just couldn't get over the ick. 

I DNF'd this at chapter 3 when Terrance kisses Linney in the museum. 

I think I could have liked this more than the first short, if the story stopped bringing up the fact the characters are related. 

4 // Thirty Six Valentines
This actually starts before the rest of the stories, via a prologue that explains Susannah being jilted the Season before. 

Her whole thing is trying really hard to save face in front of the ton, while also having to deal with the attentions of the Earl who is the older brother of her previous suitor. She has a bit more complexity and inner conflict going on because of that tension that I feel helps the flow of the story. 

The Earl seems to hit the general 'I don't having feelings but wait maybe I do' sort of trope, but due to the social niceties of the setting, that at makes sense. He's fun, and you come around on his initial stiffness. 

The skating party is still cute, and Susannah's interactions with the Earl there were probably my favorite scene. 

I just kinda hated that the guy's name was David though, I know too many people named David, lol. 

Bonus: Penelope Featherington makes a guest / cameo appearance!

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