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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Cute romance but as with all the Bridgerton books, it's nothing amazing. Eloise is one of my fav characters in the series so I really liked following her story. She's so stubborn and snarky so it's a lot of fun to follow her as she gets to know Phillip and his unruly children. The fact that she just turned up at his house unannounced was a very Eloise thing to do.
Whilst I liked both Eloise and Philip, I felt like they weren't very compatible together - Philip seemed to want a mother for his children above anything else. I don't know if I felt like that because a lot of them getting to know eachother took place through letters before the book even started so we didn't really see them at the beginning stages of thier friendship. They did have some cute moments together though and Eloise was really good with the kids.
Overall not my favourite Bridgerton book but definitely not the worst!
Whilst I liked both Eloise and Philip, I felt like they weren't very compatible together - Philip seemed to want a mother for his children above anything else. I don't know if I felt like that because a lot of them getting to know eachother took place through letters before the book even started so we didn't really see them at the beginning stages of thier friendship. They did have some cute moments together though and Eloise was really good with the kids.
Overall not my favourite Bridgerton book but definitely not the worst!
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
challenging
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I thought I knew what I was getting into since this was the fifth book. So far it's been 2000s-esque rom-coms disguised as wannabe historical romance. I was wrong. This was worse. This only gets one star because the Bridgerton family scenes were the only thing worth reading.
I don't generally DNF books. I can usually come away with something even if it's a hate read. The only thing I could come away with from this read is that I need to rethink my DNF policy.
This book is at best, a first draft. The first half could probably be condensed into two chapters. Despite the premise being writing letters back and forth, we get maybe two? Not even a chapter's worth. Nothing really happens for the first part of the book and then the subplots that could be interesting (child abuse and potentially a child's death ) get maybe 20 pages combined?
The fact that the plot moves along at such a slow pace (if you consider nothing happening "moving") despite the book only taking place over 2 weeks isn't even its greatest sin. It's that Phillip Crane is not worthy of being the leading man of a historical romance. I spent the majority of the book hoping that his dead brother was going to show up and marry Eloise. Or that actually he stole some other Phillip cranes identity and that guy was going to come and sweep out Eloise off her feet. By the end of the book, I was hoping she was going to put arsenic in his food.
There is no character development until 90% of the way in. Instead what you get is that Eloise gaslights herself into thinking that running away with a man that she's never met is actually a good thing despite the fact that she continually tells herself that it's a bad thing but tries to spin it. Phillip is only interested in a warm body that he can have intimate relations with, will take over the complete mothering of his children, and basically run everything so he can skedaddle to his greenhouse with no responsibilities. He's a manchild who thinks he deserves brownie points because he didn't cheat on his wife despite the fact that she clearly had postpartum depression and he didn't force her to have relations with him. Don't worry if you don't catch it the first 27 times Eloise and Phillip mention their personal struggles; you'll have at least 20 more times to verbatim read it again. Technically this will be resolved because Phillip remembers his children exist and like doesn't want to be a total dick to them anymore and also he realizes Eloise is a real person and not just a sex doll that talks too much for him. No wait. Actually he doesn't. Eloise just decides to soften herself to make this work because apparently they're perfect together. she's gaslit herself so hard.
We know nothing about Eloise aside from how she relates to Phillip. It's supposed to be her book and I don't know anything about her. I don't really know anything about Phillip either but his misogynistic, dumb views mean he can go kick rocks.
This is supposed to be a historical romance. Philip feels too much like a modern man who thinks that he deserves everything because he is a man and he's perfect and you need to change yourself for him. Instead, this is like historical fiction where at least your husband doesn't beat you. so I guess this means you have a successful marriage.
My hope for the show when they adapt this book is that they don't try to force this trad wife propaganda down Eloise's throat and instead just throw the book away and start over.
I don't generally DNF books. I can usually come away with something even if it's a hate read. The only thing I could come away with from this read is that I need to rethink my DNF policy.
This book is at best, a first draft. The first half could probably be condensed into two chapters. Despite the premise being writing letters back and forth, we get maybe two? Not even a chapter's worth. Nothing really happens for the first part of the book and then the subplots that could be interesting (
The fact that the plot moves along at such a slow pace (if you consider nothing happening "moving") despite the book only taking place over 2 weeks isn't even its greatest sin. It's that Phillip Crane is not worthy of being the leading man of a historical romance. I spent the majority of the book hoping that his dead brother was going to show up and marry Eloise. Or that actually he stole some other Phillip cranes identity and that guy was going to come and sweep out Eloise off her feet. By the end of the book, I was hoping she was going to put arsenic in his food.
There is no character development until 90% of the way in. Instead what you get is that Eloise gaslights herself into thinking that running away with a man that she's never met is actually a good thing despite the fact that she continually tells herself that it's a bad thing but tries to spin it. Phillip is only interested in a warm body that he can have intimate relations with, will take over the complete mothering of his children, and basically run everything so he can skedaddle to his greenhouse with no responsibilities. He's a manchild who thinks he deserves brownie points because he didn't cheat on his wife despite the fact that she clearly had postpartum depression and he didn't force her to have relations with him. Don't worry if you don't catch it the first 27 times Eloise and Phillip mention their personal struggles; you'll have at least 20 more times to verbatim read it again. Technically this will be resolved because Phillip remembers his children exist and like doesn't want to be a total dick to them anymore and also he realizes Eloise is a real person and not just a sex doll that talks too much for him. No wait. Actually he doesn't. Eloise just decides to soften herself to make this work because apparently they're perfect together. she's gaslit herself so hard.
We know nothing about Eloise aside from how she relates to Phillip. It's supposed to be her book and I don't know anything about her. I don't really know anything about Phillip either but his misogynistic, dumb views mean he can go kick rocks.
This is supposed to be a historical romance. Philip feels too much like a modern man who thinks that he deserves everything because he is a man and he's perfect and you need to change yourself for him. Instead, this is like historical fiction where at least your husband doesn't beat you. so I guess this means you have a successful marriage.
My hope for the show when they adapt this book is that they don't try to force this trad wife propaganda down Eloise's throat and instead just throw the book away and start over.
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
Only redeeming quality about this book is the last 15 pages and epilogue. 1.5 stars
Phillip Crane sucks as a character and all the BEST qualities of Eloise felt lost.
Disappointment central over here...
Phillip Crane sucks as a character and all the BEST qualities of Eloise felt lost.
Disappointment central over here...
Kinda hated Phillip’s POV, just very sexist male which I know was accurate to the time, but was also disgusting to listen to at times xD otherwise good.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Self harm, Grief