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jelkebooks's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This is going to be such a boring review, because I don't really have a whole lot to say about this book. It just felt very okay. I mean, I did enjoy my time reading this book, and it was a quick read, but I don't really feel strongly about this book either way, and I honeslty can see myself forgetting everything about this in like a month's time.
The romance was cute. It's kind of hate to love, and I do really like how it was done throughout the novel. I thought Hugh and Sarah had great banter, and I loved seeing how they slowly caught feelings for each other as they got to know each other better. I thought they were just a really cute match.
I also quite liked Hugh and Sarah as like seperate characters, but I don't feel like we got to know them that well. I feel like they were quite one dimensional, which is a shame because I think if they were developed a bit more, I would have liked this book more as well. I do quite like the cast of side characters. Sarah's sisters are a hoot and a half, and I kind of wish we got more of them.
The only thing I really didn't like about this book was the conflict. I feel like it was just poorly executed. The entire book felt very plotless, and then it came in towards the finale, and it just felt so out of place. It also was extremely over the top, and way too dramatic. I don't know. I just don't think it worked at all. But for the rest I just thought the book was fine. So yeah, that's kind of it.
The romance was cute. It's kind of hate to love, and I do really like how it was done throughout the novel. I thought Hugh and Sarah had great banter, and I loved seeing how they slowly caught feelings for each other as they got to know each other better. I thought they were just a really cute match.
I also quite liked Hugh and Sarah as like seperate characters, but I don't feel like we got to know them that well. I feel like they were quite one dimensional, which is a shame because I think if they were developed a bit more, I would have liked this book more as well. I do quite like the cast of side characters. Sarah's sisters are a hoot and a half, and I kind of wish we got more of them.
The only thing I really didn't like about this book was the conflict. I feel like it was just poorly executed. The entire book felt very plotless, and then it came in towards the finale, and it just felt so out of place. It also was extremely over the top, and way too dramatic. I don't know. I just don't think it worked at all. But for the rest I just thought the book was fine. So yeah, that's kind of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Homophobia and Domestic abuse
Minor: Miscarriage, Rape, and Suicide
abbyschafer's review
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Plot could use some work
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Suicide
Minor: Rape
saeruh's review
2.75
This did entertain while I was reading it (i love these types of books to turn my brain off) but there was so many problems with it that I felt I couldn’t really over look.
Both of the main characters were pretty insufferable, their motivations felt so stupid 75% of the time, and their reasons for hating each other did not work past their very first conversation together so the whole enemies to lovers trope did not pull through on this. It could have been interesting if Sarah was actually made into a huge bitch and Hugh loved her either because of that or in spite of it but instead we got this weird arc where she has to be everyone’s savior and mold herself to what everyone else needs so she can not be “selfish” anymore. Because all this it was hard for me to really root for them ending up together.
The plot also struggled in this. It had a very similar villain plot to the last book in the series, where there’s this totally evil, two-dimensional bad guy who’s hunting the mmc and who inadvertently hurts the fmc doing so, with even a very similar kidnapping third act! The whole younger sisters banter also felt like a copy of the last book. The scenes between Sarah and Hugh often felt forced and unnatural to me, taking me of the reading element. Weird inclusion of Lady Danbury, her scene added absolutely nothing. There was also just a lot of weird bits of sexual assault, domestic violence, and unnecessary quotes about gender that seemed to be glossed over at the end but whateva.
I also wish we could have seen Anne and Daniel’s wedding just like Honoria and Marcus’s!
Both of the main characters were pretty insufferable, their motivations felt so stupid 75% of the time, and their reasons for hating each other did not work past their very first conversation together so the whole enemies to lovers trope did not pull through on this. It could have been interesting if Sarah was actually made into a huge bitch and Hugh loved her either because of that or in spite of it but instead we got this weird arc where she has to be everyone’s savior and mold herself to what everyone else needs so she can not be “selfish” anymore. Because all this it was hard for me to really root for them ending up together.
The plot also struggled in this. It had a very similar villain plot to the last book in the series, where there’s this totally evil, two-dimensional bad guy who’s hunting the mmc and who inadvertently hurts the fmc doing so, with even a very similar kidnapping third act! The whole younger sisters banter also felt like a copy of the last book. The scenes between Sarah and Hugh often felt forced and unnatural to me, taking me of the reading element. Weird inclusion of Lady Danbury, her scene added absolutely nothing. There was also just a lot of weird bits of sexual assault, domestic violence, and unnecessary quotes about gender that seemed to be glossed over at the end but whateva.
I also wish we could have seen Anne and Daniel’s wedding just like Honoria and Marcus’s!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape
not_asha01's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Ableism, Alcohol, Bullying, Classism, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Outing, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Toxic friendship
haley49's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Homophobia, Pregnancy, and Sexual violence
bookishplantmom's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I’ve never read from this author and I can’t say this has given me any inclination to read further. I found Sarah to be a bit of a twit and the characterization of Hugh was gravely lacking. I didn’t at all like how the author handled his disability either. I also found the use of suicide as a plot device unnecessary and insensitive. I found the writing passable though the dialogue felt somewhat unrealistic or too contemporary in its sentence structure and tone for a historical romance. This was an overall underwhelming story despite the over the top dramatics thrown in.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Rape and Suicide
cepbreed's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This book was kind of insane. I love the Bridgerton universe and all but oh my god??? The plot kept jumping around so quickly I couldn't keep up. Obviously I don't read these books in order, I choose them based on the synopsis, so I should have known what I signed up for, yet every turn I was blindsided by another twist. So intense in every way. Is it just me or was the pact to kill himself really not that serious? Like why did everyone freak out so much? I get honor is a huge thing, but it was simple. He's his son and the father to his future heirs, he won't attack Daniel because he wouldn't ever want to lose Hugh. It would just be too much trouble. I liked Sarah a lot, but for some reason I liked Hugh less and less as the book went on. It's not like I hated him in the slightest, he just fell out of my favor. I cannot pinpoint the reason why...
Song:
Song:
- Sparks Fly - Taylor Swift
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Homophobia, and Stalking
Moderate: Suicide, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Death
embla_v's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
4.5
Sara är strandsatt på bröllop som inte är hennes egna och det värsta är att hon måste spendera tiden med Hugh. Hugh som sköt hennes kusin Daniel och sedan fick honom att fly landet.
Hugh och Sara hade inte ett så bra första möte men tiden läcker sår, så kanske kan man bort se från det.
Som vanligt bjuder Julia Quinn på dramatik, underhållning och romans i stora lass. Tredje delen i Smythe-Smith-kvartetten leverar lika mycket underhållning som resten av serien och Brigerton böckerna. Oerhört underhållande, måste läsning för alla Julia Quinn fans.
Hugh och Sara hade inte ett så bra första möte men tiden läcker sår, så kanske kan man bort se från det.
Som vanligt bjuder Julia Quinn på dramatik, underhållning och romans i stora lass. Tredje delen i Smythe-Smith-kvartetten leverar lika mycket underhållning som resten av serien och Brigerton böckerna. Oerhört underhållande, måste läsning för alla Julia Quinn fans.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Ableism, Alcohol, Medical content, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Violence, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism
kmthompson's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
urreadtome's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, and Suicide
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content