Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

A Sir Phillip, con amore by Julia Quinn

14 reviews

mariskyjy's review against another edition

Thought I would grow to like Eloise's love interest after hearing more of his back story, but I can't stand him.

Tw: noncon, child abuse, mention of post partum depression below

• said he hadn't had sex in a long time and went to visit wife marina. "She didn't say no," (I think the implication was PPD) but seemed disinterested. He felt awful afterwards, which is a *great* excuse (sarcasm)

• the kids are terrified of him. "His" son asks, upon getting in trouble, "are you going to hit us?" And Philip is a menacing presence to them, and doesn't know how to parent them. Like even if you have never hit your kid(s) (which Eloise is convinced that she's *such* a good judge of character, despite only meeting this guy within the last week, that Phillip could *never* abuse his kids), they shouldn't be terrified that you're going to. End of sentence. No, wait: fuck this guy. Now end of sentence.

• spoiler, the "reasoning" for this is eventually that his father was horribly abusive towards him, and Phillip is trying not to be like him. Cool reason, bro. I get that therapy was not a huge thing back then (assuming) but my god. Work on yourself to not be like your father.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Sexual content, Death, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse

Minor: War

marbrihern's review against another edition

sad slow-paced

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

0.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Death, Grief, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death of parent and Child abuse

Minor: Mental illness

callmemartiall's review against another edition

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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Child abuse, and Suicide attempt

gerlinen's review against another edition

dark hopeful medium-paced

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

2.75

much darker than its predecessors which I'd loved but is too steeped in the gender politics of its era for me to fully enjoy it. I just constantly found myself rolling my eyes every time the whole 'women are mystical, impossible creatures to understand' spiel was used. plus I don't think they really resolved Phillip's view of Eloise as a surrogate mother for his kids than truly seeing her as his wife.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Abandonment

annahamburger's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Mental illness, Abandonment, and Child abuse

Moderate: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Grief, and Misogyny

Minor: Ableism, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Violence, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Blood

ehamlett's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Suicide, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Mental illness

Minor: Child abuse and Abandonment

cleotheo's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Rape, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Death, Violence, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Grief, Mental illness, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Medical content, Death of parent, and Physical abuse

isabellarob73's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Suicide, Abandonment, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

booksalacarte's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

3.75

3.75⭐️ 3.25🌶️

Book 5 covers the marriage of convenience/love letters/single father side of romance tropes. I have to say that this is one of the top 3 in the series for me. 

Julia Quinn gets some things very right, but also some things very wrong. I didn’t like the snapshot into common Edwardian marriages, but to ignore expectation would be even more unrealistic. And for what it was I think it was handled well.

The trauma on top of trauma that Phillip had to work through was not delt with as well as I would have liked. His character had ostrich tendencies, which needs to be worked through with more than the time that was given. 

Elouise’s character was consistent from the first books and great. She is opinionated, brash, and she got a complicated relationship, but anything less wouldn’t have forced her to grow.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Suicide

Moderate: Death, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse

thaliareads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful 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

While this book is very good, compared to some of the other sibling's stories I typically find it falls a bit flat for me. Sometimes I struggle to see the Eloise from the previous books and even the Eloise in this book settling down with someone like Philip. However, their story is well put together and I adore the twins. So, if I put these preconceived notions of Eloise away and just focus on this book as a standalone I do really enjoy the general story it weaves.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Child abuse

Moderate: Death and Abandonment

Minor: War and Death of parent

As with the other Bridgerton books, this one is also spicy, so be aware that there will be graphic sexual content as the book progresses. The suicide attempt warning is for the very beginning of the book. I will put it under a spoiler tag if you are concerned:

The book starts when Philip is still married to his first wife. It is implied that she has struggled with depression for her entire life, and that it got worse after she gave birth to her children. This leads to her attempting to drown herself. While she was saved by Philip she did die from the cold she caught while wet from the pond.

. Childhood abuse is a theme that comes up quite frequently during the book:

It is discussed how Philip's father was physically abusive. They do discuss both the techniques visible and invisible his father would use to discipline him. Later in the book, it is also discovered that the twin's nanny was abusing them as well, ensuring it was done without leaving a mark to remain hidden

. For the minor mentions, Philip wouldn't be in his social position without the death of his older brother in the war and the death of his father, who previously held the title he now holds.