Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

65 reviews

chaotically_katie's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


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myinvinciblesummer's review against another edition

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slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I am going to have spoilers because I’m going to discuss exactly what scene causes me to say this book needs TW: Rape

I am the one person left who hasn’t seen the show. So this book is my absolute first introduction to the series, except for some still photos of what look to be beautiful costumes in the show. I had no idea what the storyline was beyond the blurb on the back of the book.

This book started off interesting enough. A basic but interesting enough romance story. Was enjoying the book, the pace was both rushed and slow but I was enjoying it well enough. But then(I am now going to discuss TW: Rape)

Then we get to the scene where Daphne rapes the Duke. Absolutely not ok. ABSOLUTELY NOT. And then she dares to be presented as the character that deserves empathy and should be excused because she really wants a kid? Has a tantrum when it’s turns out she’s not pregnant and makes him feel guilty saying why would you care to him? That’s purely manipulative.

The Duke said he didn’t want kids, he was inebriated, but she did it anyways knowing he couldn’t and wouldn’t be able to say no.

The rest of the book, after that deplorable scene, trudges on slowly and is so boring. Daphne is sad. The Duke needs therapy. Daphne’s brothers are all up in her business. Oh but wait suddenly they are ok she raped him. Fine whatever.

The two stars instead of one is because at least the beginning was interesting.

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maaham_51's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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sarahmae531's review against another edition

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

3.0

Love the show and thought I’d give the books a try, but I think I’ll be stopping here…
The changes the show made to both the characters and the plot were far more enjoyable than their book counterparts. If you’re considering reading, I’d recommend just skipping to the show. 

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livbugg's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

wow Netflix made a book better, that’s shocking

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reading_srsly's review against another edition

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dark sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0


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mattiedancer's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Bridgerton: The Duke & I by Julia Quinn

Writing: 3.5⭐️/5 
The writing is manageable and succinct, but nothing outstanding. 

Characters: 3⭐️/5
I think the characters fell short for me. I wanted much more from each of the characters. Several characters felt flat during the course of the book when I feel like small moments could have been used to draw out various characters’ personalities. This might be a result of comparing to the show too much, but I felt like a lot of the characters didn’t have any personality that was deep and meaningful. 

Plot: 3.5⭐️/5 
While the plot was fun to read, parts of it were a bit less fleshed out than I would have hoped. It reads nicely and smoothly, but certain scenes could have been more detailed and thought out. In particular, I would have loved for the plot to explore Daphne and Simon’s connections. 

Post-Reading Rating:  4⭐️/5
Fun read. Easy read. Cute. 

Who Should Read This? 
  • Readers looking for a fun, fluffy read
  • People who love romance novels
  • Those looking for a fake-dating, period novel

CW: Misogyny, emotional abuse, violence, domestic abuse, pregnancy, sexual assault, rape 
 
Final Rating: 3.25⭐️/5


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kelly_e's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Title: The Duke and I
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: Bridgertons #1
Genre: Historical Romance
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: December 1, 2020

T H R E E • W O R D S

Charming • Playful • Entertaining

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Daphne Bridgeton, the fourth of eight siblings, has formed friendships with many of London's finest, yet finds herself unwilling to play their romantic games. Everyone likes her for her kindness yet no one truly desires her.

Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, has recently returned to England and is dead set against marriage. After a difficult childhood, in thanks to his very own father, he has no intentions of fulfilling his royal duties.

After an encounter with Daphne (his best friend's sister), Simon thinks there may be another option, one that could deter the elite from parading their daughters before him. His plan: a fake courtship with Daphne that will in turn help boost her prospects.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Historical romance is a genre I tend to stay away from, yet I decided to see what all the fuss was about with this series. And of course, I was pleasantly surprised with this first installment and was not expecting the witty humour

I have to say it was surprisingly well-written and the Bridgerton family captured my heart from the very first page, their family dynamic felt so genuine and relatable, and the regency setting was enticing. I'm a sucker for books with a real sense of community, and The Duke and I certainly delivers on that front.

During the first half of the book, I appreciated Daphne's character development, but unfortunately for me things kind of fell apart in the second half with some of her questionable choices. When it comes to the romance, I enjoyed the playful banter, which helped make their romance feel genuine.

Overall, I picked this up looking for an escape, and it delivered. I'll definitely be looking forward to the next installment and getting to know each of the Bridgerton siblings' stories.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of Downtown Abbey
• historical romances enthusiasts

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Heartache, Daphne eventually learned, never really went away; it just dulled. The sharp, stabbing pain that one felt with each breath eventually gave way to a blunter, lower ache—the kind that one could almost—but never quite—ignore." 

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helloimjacq's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I’m actually quite surprised at how similar this was to the show. If anything, in some ways the show was a bit more enjoyable since there was more action overall. Not a lot happens, but it was still a decent read. I mean what’s not to like about enemies to lovers that are fake dating (or I guess courting in this case)? 

I would have given it a higher rating, but the clear sexism and manipulative behavior was a huge turn off. I’m not sure if this is how historical romances are supposed to be, but certain aspects definitely didn’t sit well with me. 

All-in-all, if you’re looking for something quick and easy, this is your book. But, if you’re looking for something riveting… well then this probably isn’t your book.

Oh, and just a side note but if you would like to avoid all spoilers, I would highly suggest not reading the second epilogue until you’ve completed the series!

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trs01's review against another edition

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.25


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