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safa9706's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Suicide
Minor: Child abuse
beckyyreadss's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I wanted to read this book because of the Netflix show that hit two Christmases ago and now Netflix have announced that we are getting Polin’s story so I'm hoping it gets renewed, so we get to see Eloise be happy. I wanted to get ahead and know what is going to happen so of course I bought all nine books. I enjoyed the first two books in this series. I really struggled with Benedict’s story, and I didn’t mind Colin’s story. So, I was trying to know put my hopes up for Eloise’s story, but I know how sassy she’s been in the other books. I enjoyed this book and I'm glad we got to see more of Eloise for more than her sass.
This novel follows two main characters. The first character is Eloise Bridgerton. She is the fifth born in the Bridgerton household. She thought her and her best friend Penelope would be spinster together, so when Penelope marries her older brother, she is lonelier than ever. She has been sending letters to Sir Phillip Crane for a while after he lost his wife, Marina – who is Eloise’s cousin. They have quite a friendship until one night, Eloise receives a letter with a marriage proposal. The second character is Sir Phillip Crane, he knew that Eloise Bridgerton was a spinster so he had proposed, figuring that she’d be homely and unassuming and more than a little desperate for an offer of marriage. Except she wasn’t. The beautiful woman on his doorstep was anything but quiet, and when she stopped talking long enough to close her mouth, all he wanted to do was kiss her. Eloise couldn’t marry a man she had never met! But then she started thinking . . . and wondering . . . and before she knew it, she was in a carriage in the middle of the night, on her way to meet the man she hoped might be her perfect match. Except he wasn’t. Her perfect husband wouldn’t be so moody and ill-mannered, and while Phillip was certainly handsome, he was a large brute of a man, rough and rugged and totally unlike the London gentleman vying for her hand. But when he smiled and when he kissed her, the rest of the world simply fell away.
Okay, it kills me that I rated this book three stars, because I love Eloise Bridgerton. However, Sir Phillip can go and jump off a bridge. He didn’t deserve Eloise. He wears her down and uses his children as a tool to get Eloise to fall for him. He was jealous of his children having a relationship with Eloise and that’s only because Eloise tries to build a relationship with them, but he doesn’t try to build a relationship with both his children and Eloise. I wanted outspoken and brave Eloise who we got for the first quarter of the book, and I get that in the regency’s period a woman’s reputation is everything and marriage is everything, but I would have loved for her to stand up for herself a bit. From Sir Phillip’s point of view, I get that it’s hard raising two young mischievous kids and that again, in the regency’s period, men don’t raise their children, but he just didn’t care until he saw them being abused. Like do better.
However, I didn’t rate it any lower due to the appearances of the Bridgerton brothers. I didn’t think I could love Anthony, Benedict and Colin anymore until they all flew to Eloise and getting ready to kill Sir Phillip, especially when they saw her bruised. Gregory being twenty-one as well made me feel old, but I loved seeing his personality start to shine through. I loved that Phillip was terrified but also wanting to prove his worth. He didn’t to me, but he managed to prove it to his brothers.
I’m worried for the rest of the series and Francesa hasn’t had many appearances in the series. Hopefully it gets better, and I still love the Bridgerton family.
P.S I would like Violet to adopt me please.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Mental illness and Toxic relationship
cocopeia's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship
hayleyvem's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Vomit and Grief
erikalv97's review against another edition
fast-paced
3.0
I really didn’t like the romance in this book, nor did I like the love interest Sir Phillip, the only reason I’m giving this book 3 stars is because of the rest of the Bridgertons made a brief appearance, also, I really liked Oliver and Amanda
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Suicide, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Rape
bookedinsideout's review against another edition
1.0
If nothing else, there are extremely harmful attitudes in this book about what is probably post-partum depression/depression in general. Take care of yourself and consider looking more into some of the content warnings if that might be a trigger for you.
If this whole book isn’t a great case against marriage, I don’t know what it is. First off, the Bridgerton brothers. I was never completely charmed by them, but at least you might dream that after their weddings they might be a little less rake-ish and at the very least respectful of their wives. (And all women, but apparently not.) But they came bounding in, three of them married, giddy over the breasts of a woman at the local tavern. One of them, in front of Eloise, asks her near-fiancé whether he’s ever tupped her. No, he says, because they were both married. Wow! That’s the measure of a great man, that he could avoid temptation and not tumble with a married lady with breasts that big! Lovesick Benedict? He can’t keep his mouth closed when she walks by! Was Anthony ever tempted? “Of course not! Kate would slit my throat.” I swoon! (But really, he wasn’t tempted, but don’t tell anyone — he doesn’t want to ruin his rakish reputation.) Later he gives some insight into his marriage, in which he’s always right, sometimes Kate has a different opinion, and he lets her think he’s considering her point because it’s easier that way.
Before the Bridgertons arrived, I was feeling optimistic for Eloise. Despite Sir Phillip’s amusingly direct invitation to visit him and “after a suitable period of time, we might decide that we will suit, and you will consent to be my wife,” they had been writing for a year… surely this is a man who knows how to communicate, who is interested in knowing this woman’s mind and isn’t going to rush into another of these hasty marriages. But then she gets there and finds out he has children he never told her about!
Okay, but he seems kind of shy and has been through some trauma, so maybe they’ll get to know each other and Eloise won’t settle, that’s for sure. But this guy isn’t open to communicating at all, and he doesn’t get better throughout the book… in the last chapter maybe there’s a glimmer of hope, but the bar is low. Essentially he sees no need for conversation — he’s looking for someone to manage his children, have regular sex with him after an 8-year drought (try being a woman in that age, sir!), and, mostly, “take over all the annoying little tasks in his life, to free him up for the things that really mattered.” He’s really selling this marriage thing!
When Eloise wants to talk to him, he tries to avoid conversation by kissing her. His answer to whether they would suit — I believe what she was concerned about was whether he saw love in their future and wasn’t just marrying her because her brothers said he had to and he needed a mother for his children — he pulled her aside to give her an orgasm and that was the end of that. “Well, if you must know, yes, I did intend to kiss you. You were yapping on about the marriage and asking me all sorts of ridiculous questions.” Cute.
“You’re always trying to talk with me,” he pointed out. “That’s all you ever do. Talk talk talk.” Charming. And when he can’t kiss her quiet, he decides to dismiss her concerns about their relationship and his lack of communication by saying it could be a lot worse, so she should be thrilled with what she has. “You said we have a problem,’ he repeated, his voice so low and forceful she didn’t think he’d hear another interruption even if she tried. “But until you live through what I lived through,” he continued, “until you’ve been trapped in a hopeless marriage, to a hopeless spouse, until you’ve gone to bed alone for years wishing for nothing more than the touch of another human being…” He turned around, stepped toward her, his eyes alight with a fire that humbled her. “Until you’ve lived through all that,” he said, “don’t you ever complain about what we have. Because to me…to me…” He choked on the words, but he barely paused before he continued. “This—us—is heaven. And I can’t bear to hear you say otherwise.” Her “problem” is that she wants to spend time with him other than when they have sex. The nerve.
But further, while the misogyny has been both blatant and simmering throughout these books (I’m just so intrigued for the stories of the siblings mostly because of the show!), I don’t think I’ve been so angry since the first book when Daphne sexually assaulted her husband and it wasn’t countered by the book. Why? The mental illness representation in this book was abysmal. Absolutely Phillip deserves a right to his feelings, and I can’t imagine how difficult it is to love someone, a partner, through their depression and to witness their attempt to take their own life. But the book went so far past that line to the point that perpetuated some extremely harmful ideas. I suffer from depression and I’m feeling pretty emotional stable right now, but I can’t imagine picking up this book to read in a dark time, thinking it would be a fairly light romance novel and then to read things like this (content warning for ableism and minimizing mental illness):
If this whole book isn’t a great case against marriage, I don’t know what it is. First off, the Bridgerton brothers. I was never completely charmed by them, but at least you might dream that after their weddings they might be a little less rake-ish and at the very least respectful of their wives. (And all women, but apparently not.) But they came bounding in, three of them married, giddy over the breasts of a woman at the local tavern. One of them, in front of Eloise, asks her near-fiancé whether he’s ever tupped her. No, he says, because they were both married. Wow! That’s the measure of a great man, that he could avoid temptation and not tumble with a married lady with breasts that big! Lovesick Benedict? He can’t keep his mouth closed when she walks by! Was Anthony ever tempted? “Of course not! Kate would slit my throat.” I swoon! (But really, he wasn’t tempted, but don’t tell anyone — he doesn’t want to ruin his rakish reputation.) Later he gives some insight into his marriage, in which he’s always right, sometimes Kate has a different opinion, and he lets her think he’s considering her point because it’s easier that way.
Before the Bridgertons arrived, I was feeling optimistic for Eloise. Despite Sir Phillip’s amusingly direct invitation to visit him and “after a suitable period of time, we might decide that we will suit, and you will consent to be my wife,” they had been writing for a year… surely this is a man who knows how to communicate, who is interested in knowing this woman’s mind and isn’t going to rush into another of these hasty marriages. But then she gets there and finds out he has children he never told her about!
Okay, but he seems kind of shy and has been through some trauma, so maybe they’ll get to know each other and Eloise won’t settle, that’s for sure. But this guy isn’t open to communicating at all, and he doesn’t get better throughout the book… in the last chapter maybe there’s a glimmer of hope, but the bar is low. Essentially he sees no need for conversation — he’s looking for someone to manage his children, have regular sex with him after an 8-year drought (try being a woman in that age, sir!), and, mostly, “take over all the annoying little tasks in his life, to free him up for the things that really mattered.” He’s really selling this marriage thing!
When Eloise wants to talk to him, he tries to avoid conversation by kissing her. His answer to whether they would suit — I believe what she was concerned about was whether he saw love in their future and wasn’t just marrying her because her brothers said he had to and he needed a mother for his children — he pulled her aside to give her an orgasm and that was the end of that. “Well, if you must know, yes, I did intend to kiss you. You were yapping on about the marriage and asking me all sorts of ridiculous questions.” Cute.
“You’re always trying to talk with me,” he pointed out. “That’s all you ever do. Talk talk talk.” Charming. And when he can’t kiss her quiet, he decides to dismiss her concerns about their relationship and his lack of communication by saying it could be a lot worse, so she should be thrilled with what she has. “You said we have a problem,’ he repeated, his voice so low and forceful she didn’t think he’d hear another interruption even if she tried. “But until you live through what I lived through,” he continued, “until you’ve been trapped in a hopeless marriage, to a hopeless spouse, until you’ve gone to bed alone for years wishing for nothing more than the touch of another human being…” He turned around, stepped toward her, his eyes alight with a fire that humbled her. “Until you’ve lived through all that,” he said, “don’t you ever complain about what we have. Because to me…to me…” He choked on the words, but he barely paused before he continued. “This—us—is heaven. And I can’t bear to hear you say otherwise.” Her “problem” is that she wants to spend time with him other than when they have sex. The nerve.
But further, while the misogyny has been both blatant and simmering throughout these books (I’m just so intrigued for the stories of the siblings mostly because of the show!), I don’t think I’ve been so angry since the first book when Daphne sexually assaulted her husband and it wasn’t countered by the book. Why? The mental illness representation in this book was abysmal. Absolutely Phillip deserves a right to his feelings, and I can’t imagine how difficult it is to love someone, a partner, through their depression and to witness their attempt to take their own life. But the book went so far past that line to the point that perpetuated some extremely harmful ideas. I suffer from depression and I’m feeling pretty emotional stable right now, but I can’t imagine picking up this book to read in a dark time, thinking it would be a fairly light romance novel and then to read things like this (content warning for ableism and minimizing mental illness):
- “His burdens had always been his alone, even when Marina had been alive. Marina herself had been a burden, and he was still wrestling with the guilt he felt at his relief she was gone.” People are not a burden.
- Calling her hopeless. A dreadful parent.
She is a person. Suffering from a disease. - Repeatedly comparing Eloise’s sunniness to Marina’s melancholy and how Eloise is strong. “Eloise was different. She wasn’t going to cry at the drop of a hat or shut herself in her room, picking at her food and crying into her pillow. Eloise had spirit. Backbone. Eloise was happy.”
- “She couldn’t even kill herself properly” (She was saved from drowning but died later from influenza)
- “She didn’t fight it at all, didn’t use even an ounce of energy to fight the illness.”
- Fine, he didn’t love his wife, the mother of his children, but he says he didn’t even like her?
- Covering over Marina’s life and death, not even a conversation with the children about now calling Eloise “mother”
She was suffering from postpartum depression, you douchecanoe, and probably pre-existing depression. You’re allowed to feel lonely and helpless and whatever you want, but don’t you dare judge a person for their illness or their feelings.
The 2nd Epilogue, written 6 years later in 2009(!) takes the same approach, with this thought from Marina’s daughter:
The 2nd Epilogue, written 6 years later in 2009(!) takes the same approach, with this thought from Marina’s daughter:
“I can’t help but think that if she was going to kill herself, she might as well have done it earlier. Perhaps when I was a toddler. Or better yet, an infant. It certainly would have made my life easier.”
Depression is a sickness, not a weakness. It surely affects the families of those who have it, but it also affects the person who lives with it inside them. And while depression may be a part of them, they are more than their depression.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Gaslighting
Poor mental illness representationwrittenbydnicole's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Pregnancy
readwithde's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I wasn't expecting this book, but I think it was worth the read.
First, Phillip spends the majority of the book dealing with undue weight of responsibility on him -- things he neither expected or wanted, but dealt with as needed.Primarily his brother's death leading to his marriage to Marina and her attempted suicide, which leads to her death.
Eloise is obviously an escape for him -- both a chance to be seen and heard, but more practically someone to ease his load and shoulder some responsibility for his home and children. And Eloise does not appreciate the seeming bait-and-switch effect this causes.
The primary conflict stems from this: Phillip has no example of a good father and no practice being a good husband. He is lonely, desperate, and traumatized. Eloise doesn't automatically fix everything, but her ability to listen, love, and take charge give him just enough breathing room to manage his own issues, though other events help him along.
There's quite a lot of kissing and passion, more so than the other books, as Phillip uses that to avoid emotions and words. It is honestly more Phillip's story than Eloise's, as her undergoes the most changes and self-discovery.
Emotional, but good story; would have loved more of Eloise's spunk, as her character was often drown out due to others' needs.
First, Phillip spends the majority of the book dealing with undue weight of responsibility on him -- things he neither expected or wanted, but dealt with as needed.
Eloise is obviously an escape for him -- both a chance to be seen and heard, but more practically someone to ease his load and shoulder some responsibility for his home and children. And Eloise does not appreciate the seeming bait-and-switch effect this causes.
The primary conflict stems from this: Phillip has no example of a good father and no practice being a good husband. He is lonely, desperate, and traumatized. Eloise doesn't automatically fix everything, but her ability to listen, love, and take charge give him just enough breathing room to manage his own issues, though other events help him along.
There's quite a lot of kissing and passion, more so than the other books, as Phillip uses that to avoid emotions and words. It is honestly more Phillip's story than Eloise's, as her undergoes the most changes and self-discovery.
Emotional, but good story; would have loved more of Eloise's spunk, as her character was often drown out due to others' needs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
just_klaudia's review against another edition
medium-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
1.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape and Toxic relationship
josefineojda's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Rape, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Emotional abuse