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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
https://cdnbookworm.blogspot.com/2025/07/sex-lies-and-sensibility.html
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a good story. If you like HGTV and fixer uppers, and add some slow burn IR, you’ll like this. You can tell the author did her research on the Abenaki. Yan was hilarious. This really delves into doing things just to meet expectations. At the end, I just didn’t understand why Bear and Nora just couldn’t get married instead and so what needed to be done. Lu was so trash! This was promoted as steam romance which I disagree.
I liked Kaci’s narration but Phil’s was just okay. He didn’t even sing “Return of the Mack” right. I think I would’ve enjoyed this more and rated it higher had I read it instead of listening.
I have enjoyed retellings before, but this retelling of Jane Austen was amazing. The author stayed close to Austen's story while also bringing it to the modern time. I loved the characters a lot and greatly enjoyed the book overall. I was screaming at the pages a few times, for example, spoiler alert:
Spoiler
Bear not realizing he could just marry Nora, but I understand because of the link to Sense and Sensibility.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.5/5
Having never read the Jane Austen book, I appreciate that I don’t have anything to compare this to. This was a really good read and definitely held my attention. This wasn’t as spicy as some claim it to be.
Having never read the Jane Austen book, I appreciate that I don’t have anything to compare this to. This was a really good read and definitely held my attention. This wasn’t as spicy as some claim it to be.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
The writing on its own was good, but the plot and dialogue became convoluted and confusing. The pacing was confusing and it somehow had too much and too little going on all at once.
I’m not sure this book had an editor despite getting physically published. A fast, flirty romance doesn’t so much end as the character disappears for 100 pages with no explanation or drama. They are renovating the inn for weeks and when it finally opens there is no mention of customers, just saying business is great in passing. Conversations that don’t really make sense. Maybe it’s trying too hard to stick to major plot points of Sense & Sensibilities to its own detriment.