Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn

154 reviews

caffinatedslug's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad tense 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, and Sexual content

Minor: Sexual harassment

meghanm404's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Medical content, and Grief

Minor: Child death, Miscarriage, Blood, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

bookish_kori's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad medium-paced

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

3.5

Loved the book! Bridgerton has become my go to “escape the world for a bit” romance series and it definitely works for that! I’ve gotten a little frustrated that all the Bridgerton sisters (and female love interests with the exception of Penelope so far… sorry Kate) seem to assume the same personality once it’s their turn to be the main character. They all have different personalities within the family dynamics and it just would’ve been cool to see a lot of those play out more in their interactions away from their family. Same with the Bridgerton men, all originally having different personalities but turning fierce and slightly aggressive when it’s their turn to be the POV character. 

Not a reason at all to skip the series, in fact I’d still recommend it, just be prepared/trigger-warned for some Womanizer Lite behavior from the men and some personality shifts from all characters book-to-book. Seems to be smoothed over well in the show so far :) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Child death, Death, Infertility, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Terminal illness and Blood

Male behavior towards their partners throughout the series is aggressive bordering on coercion/non-consent at times in intimate scenes before basically yelling “DO YOU CONSENT?” to which the woman agrees. This book had some straight up coercion

(out of wedlock that could ruin the woman and not the man)

that I would NOT consider “clear and enthusiastic” consent despite Francesca agreeing/participating later on. And he is NOT admonished for it. Francesca seems to be the one criticized by the book for being hesitant. This coercion happens with

Sophia and Benedict

in their book too. I understand the timing for the books release is far earlier than the show, but still it gave me the ick. Most of the women are painfully and weirdly portrayed as innocent and uninformed with regards to steamy scenes (even in this book when she had been married before) and the men get off on that. Women are 99.9% of the time enthusiastic participants but completely uniformed (or in this book, she’s informed but “it was never like this” with her first husband so she has to relearn everything a new way). Despite their lack of knowledge, which I guess makes sense given the period it’s set (*cough cough* EVERY single male character is considered super experienced and not shamed for it in the slightest), the women ALL suddenly and randomly become “temptresses” who take control of the situation. Books praise the men as being exemplary because they care about the pleasure of their partners and not just themselves and appreciate the woman taking control. LOW BAR. Idk it’s just happened enough by now that I feel the need to comment on it all. It’s weird. So TW sexual coercion and sexual exploitation I guess. Though some of the women do it too.

geminisoul's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Sexual content

mrsmishler's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Sexual content

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: Death of parent

bzliz's review

emotional medium-paced

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

3.75

This installment is so different from the previous five. The majority of the action takes place outside of London and the rest of the Bridgerton clan play very small parts, if they’re mentioned at all. The only one who really gets supporting role credit is Colin and his appearance is more like a fairy godmother (or fairy of common sense). 

I loved that because of her status as a widow, Francesca is afforded a pinch more freedom than the previous FMCs have been given. She also doesn’t have the same level of ignorance going into sex with Michael that creates such a power imbalance in the other books. (It also happens to be the steamiest of them, by a lot.) In addition, Francesca has bigger hurdles to clear: miscarriage, grief over her husband’s death, her own infertility, guilt over having feelings for someone else. The simultaneous timeline between Colin, Eloise & Francesca’s stories was fun. A lot less ‘okay, that’s done so now we can focus on the next child’ feeling. 

There was still some ick around some of the scenes that honestly just feels inevitable for historical romances. And these men just can’t control themselves! (The creep in the garden, the creeps at the club, and even Michael as he’s trying to coerce Francesca into marriage.) I enjoyed it but I still prefer Colin’s story to this one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Grief

Minor: Sexual harassment

nicollette_13's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing sad slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Grief

chrissandrapherlv's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Grief

Moderate: Alcohol

abby_can_read's review against another edition

emotional 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

3.0

October 2023-⭐️⭐️⭐️
After re-reading this book and the series so far, I have to say that this book is rather dull. I liked the characters. The story just went on too long. 

March 2022-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I enjoyed this book. It's not my favorite in the series  I went back and further in trying to rate this one. Michael Stirling was the best character - and probably one of my favorites from the series. 

This was another enjoyable book in the Bridgerton series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, and Sexual content

Moderate: Infertility and Grief

Minor: Misogyny and Sexism

terrywho's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad 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? Yes

3.75

The streak continues and we’re going 3 for 3 on the bridgerton books read in as many days! . 

There are sone aspects of this novel that I truly loved. Francesca is a wonderful main character and I do love a jealous (fictional) man and reformed scoundrel, however, it didn’t quite make it up there with “an offer from a gentleman” and “romancing Mr. Bridgerton”. 

(mind spoilers ahead)

Michel changing his mind after the 2nd conversation with Colin felt a bit too sudden and I didn’t love how the topic of John wanting what was best for the two people he loved most in life only came up towards the end. The whole baby trapping plotline also felt a bit icky… you know?

That being said, I did love the discourse around grief, and Francesca’s conversations with her mother on what it feels like to lose the person you love were truly beautiful. I also like the way I fertility was tackled and how other people never made Francesca feel ashamed for not being able to become pregnant. I know a lot of readers don’t like pregnancy plot lines but I’m not one of them, and I did really appreciate this one a lot. 

Anyways, all this being said: this was still fun as all of the other bridgerton books, just maybe not in my top 3.

On to the next sibling!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Grief

Moderate: Pregnancy