Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
I'd say this is more of a 3.5 star for me. It was funny, and light, and cute, but I felt like it was lacking a little, especially compared to the author's other books. I bumped it up to 4 stars because of how much I usually like Julia Quinn, and for the fact that this book did make me laugh out loud several times.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Despite a slightly too-neatly wrapped up ending, this couple shines. There's not a ton of sexual tension, but lots of good old fashioned romance - I actually believed these two fell in love. Quinn is also still the best at writing dialogue, whether it's delivered by an adult or a child. Very fun read.
funny
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
I do like this story, especially the parts with the Smythe-Smith Musicale. I loved the forbidden nature of the relationship as well, but I'm having a super hard time recalling anything that happened past the first half of the book, so I guess it wasn't that memorable after all.
Wow. I was so surprised I didn't like this. Just to check if I was merely in a bad or off reading mood, I paused for a bit from reading this and re-read a bit of "The Duke and I". It enchanted me, just as it did before, and reminded me why I loved JQ. Then I went back to this Smythe-Smith book. Blegh. The writing isn't as tight. The dialogue is more like filler chatter than anything particularly witty. The best line of the book was something about having a misunderstanding with an anvil. After that I was going "Blah, blah, blah, get on with it! C'mon, something happen!"
The bad guy felt like a one-dimensional character. And the girl's reactions didn't make sense. After your life gets ruined because of [that spoilerish thing that happened], shouldn't you be a little wary when a similar situation arises, even if it's with the hero of the book? And her young charges weren't delightful, unlike, say, the dynamic among the Bridgertons. Sadly, that series is going to remain my benchmark. And the Smythe-Smiths pale in comparison.
The bad guy felt like a one-dimensional character. And the girl's reactions didn't make sense. After your life gets ruined because of [that spoilerish thing that happened], shouldn't you be a little wary when a similar situation arises, even if it's with the hero of the book? And her young charges weren't delightful, unlike, say, the dynamic among the Bridgertons. Sadly, that series is going to remain my benchmark. And the Smythe-Smiths pale in comparison.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
Another great Julia Quinn. The characters were great and well-developed, with witty banter between them to support their 'love at first sight' romance. (which can often be a bit unbelievable)
The secondary plots were just as thrilling as the romance aspect and led to some great twists and turns. Loved it.
The secondary plots were just as thrilling as the romance aspect and led to some great twists and turns. Loved it.
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced