Scan barcode
annahamburger's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, and Classism
Moderate: Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Blood, Stalking, and Sexual content
Minor: Eating disorder, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, Death of parent, and Xenophobia
prashiie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
“Can one appreciate perfection when it is a constant in one’s life?”
A 3.5 out of 5 stars mainly because of Penelope!
Penelope has always been a wallflower and this was her moment to shine, to show the world what she was really like. A clever and funny girl. I loved that for her! Too bad that even her own mother couldn’t see how amazing Penelope actually is.
We already knew from an epilogue that Colin and Penelope would end up together. She has been in love with him (well okay, a perfect version of him) for many years now. Their story started off cute where they slowly go from being good friends to being romantically interested in each other. But there were so many red flags along the way. Colin was generally perceived as the perfect gentleman and of course it turns out that he isn’t perfect at all. That’s alright, everyone has some kind of flaw and red flags are not surprising in the Bridgerton series. But I found it difficult to accept that he had anger issues. It gets out of hand when he hurts Penelope, even if it was just by squeezing her arms very hard or yanking her arm. There are better ways to blow off steam so I don’t think that you should accept that from your partner. But that is what Penelope did.
“And if having to endure his anger and disdain at a time like this was to be part of marriage as well, then that would be worth it, too.”
It did get better of course. He does become a better and supportive partner and finds his purpose in life. But I hoped for a simpler story, one where I could still like Colin.
There are also some secrets revealed in this story, but unfortunately it was no surprise to me as I’ve already seen the TV show. IYKYK.
As usual, Eloise has some great remarks which are generally not accepted in that time period and therefore she is one of my favourite characters in this series.
“I hope he asks Felicity as well,” Eloise said. “I’ve often thought it foolish that a man asks a woman’s father for her hand before he asks her. The father doesn’t have to live with him.”
Well said, Eloise! She was acting very suspicious in this story and I suppose we shall find out why in the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, and Bullying
Minor: Death of parent and Physical abuse
saliwali's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny
Minor: Classism
saeruh's review against another edition
4.5
A Bridgerton book I actually really liked? I’m as shocked as anyone else. After the mess that was Benedict’s book, I was going to drop this entire series but then I remembered how much I was interested in Colin and Penelope’s story beginning in the previous book. There is just to warn you a LOT of fatphobia which was quite uncomfortable to read as a fat woman in our fat-people-hating society. However I also thought there was some good parts with how Quinn dealt with Penelope learning to love and appreciate herself even if it was through Colin’s eyes/love. Overall, I thought this one was adorable. I actually really liked Colin and I completely understood his motives and actions unlike some of the other Bridgerton brothers featured. I loved the theme of them both being writers and bonding on that. It felt like this was the first couple in the series that actually had things in common to talk about to each other everyday. I also thought it was a pretty accurate representation of an emotional abusive mother/daughter relationship. At one Penelope basically says that “she loves her mother but didn’t always like her” and whew boy do I get that.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the second epilogue, it felt like much of Eloise’s story than Colin/Penelope’s.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the second epilogue, it felt like much of Eloise’s story than Colin/Penelope’s.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Fatphobia
booksbyantheia's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Sorprendentemente, me gustó. Recordaba haberlo empezado con pocas ganas. Sigo sosteniendo que es la proeza de la traductora el hecho de que pueda leer tan rápido esta serie.
Penelope es...Penelope. Pero no en el sentido idiota que le dió Colin por tanto tiempo. Sino que es un personaje muy bien planteado. Yo diría incluso que ella y Sophie son los personajes mejor logrados en lo que va de la saga. Simon y Kate son buenísimas creaciones, pero Sophia y Penelope simplemente se sienten más reales.
Probablemente porque se sienten mujeres reales, fuera del "wit" que Julia Quinn piensa que tienen las "mujeres feministas".
El orgullo de Penelope por su escritura también se siente muy bien. Es casi un mimo al alma para los que amamos el oficio.
La trama me gustó bastante.
¿Por qué entonces, las tres estrellas, en vez de cuatro?
Fácil. Colin Bridgerton. No voy a mentir, todos los protagonistas masculinos de esta serie son insoportablemente machistas, pero perdí la cuenta en la cantidad de veces mencionó ponerse "violento", la cantidad de veces que hizo referencia a lastimar a Penelope, o la cantidad de veces que incluso estuvo a un pelo de hacerlo. Fue como si hubieran puesto la violencia de Simon, el machismo de Anthony y la superioridad de Benedict en un cóctel del desastre. Sí, se marca un par de frases buenas, es romántico, bla, bla. Pero incluso Benedict, con su insistencia, es más superable que Colin.
Porque ni siquiera su búsqueda de un "sueño" se siente orgánica. A diferencia de Penelope, se siente como si Julia hubiera dicho "ah, necesita un problema personal. Hagamos la estupidez más sencilla, demos MIL VECES la solución".
Espacio para decir que el show no le hace justicia a Penélope, y sí a Colin. De hecho, lo deja mejor parado de lo que realmente es ese ZOQUETE.
En fin.
Odio que hayan arruinado a Penelope. La queremos.
En fin, parte dos.
Es un buen libro para pasar el rato. Creo innecesario decir que la serie Bridgerton no es una obra de arte, es más de aquellas obras que son buenas para ser malas.
A excepción de la primera novela, todas se sienten muy cozy hasta el momento.
Penelope es...Penelope. Pero no en el sentido idiota que le dió Colin por tanto tiempo. Sino que es un personaje muy bien planteado. Yo diría incluso que ella y Sophie son los personajes mejor logrados en lo que va de la saga. Simon y Kate son buenísimas creaciones, pero Sophia y Penelope simplemente se sienten más reales.
Probablemente porque se sienten mujeres reales, fuera del "wit" que Julia Quinn piensa que tienen las "mujeres feministas".
El orgullo de Penelope por su escritura también se siente muy bien. Es casi un mimo al alma para los que amamos el oficio.
La trama me gustó bastante.
¿Por qué entonces, las tres estrellas, en vez de cuatro?
Fácil. Colin Bridgerton. No voy a mentir, todos los protagonistas masculinos de esta serie son insoportablemente machistas, pero perdí la cuenta en la cantidad de veces mencionó ponerse "violento", la cantidad de veces que hizo referencia a lastimar a Penelope, o la cantidad de veces que incluso estuvo a un pelo de hacerlo. Fue como si hubieran puesto la violencia de Simon, el machismo de Anthony y la superioridad de Benedict en un cóctel del desastre. Sí, se marca un par de frases buenas, es romántico, bla, bla. Pero incluso Benedict, con su insistencia, es más superable que Colin.
Porque ni siquiera su búsqueda de un "sueño" se siente orgánica. A diferencia de Penelope, se siente como si Julia hubiera dicho "ah, necesita un problema personal. Hagamos la estupidez más sencilla, demos MIL VECES la solución".
Espacio para decir que el show no le hace justicia a Penélope, y sí a Colin. De hecho, lo deja mejor parado de lo que realmente es ese ZOQUETE.
En fin.
Odio que hayan arruinado a Penelope. La queremos.
En fin, parte dos.
Es un buen libro para pasar el rato. Creo innecesario decir que la serie Bridgerton no es una obra de arte, es más de aquellas obras que son buenas para ser malas.
A excepción de la primera novela, todas se sienten muy cozy hasta el momento.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, Cursing, Sexual content, Violence, Gaslighting, and Sexism
atkinsruby's review against another edition
lighthearted
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? Yes
1.5
Honestly I love a rom com it's probably my favourite genre. But I cannot stand this book Colin is unironicly abusive the whisledown revail fell falt and the pacing was all over the place. Wish I had never bothered.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Classism, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
jpbacik's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Classism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Death of parent
inke410's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Violence, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Fatphobia
erikalv97's review against another edition
fast-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
4.5
This book has definitely been one of my favorites in this series so far, tied up with The Viscount Who Loved Me.
I really like Penelope as a character, and although Colin was immature at times and with a bad temper, I’m fond of him, he did make me frustrated at times, but the love he has for Penelope was really sweet
I really like Penelope as a character, and although Colin was immature at times and with a bad temper, I’m fond of him, he did make me frustrated at times, but the love he has for Penelope was really sweet
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy
mxreader1's review against another edition
I hate Colin Bridgerton so much that I can't finish this book and I'm going to do my best to ignore him in the following books. The scenes of him squeezing Penelope's arm so hard that he's going to leave a bruise is very disturbing. Especially because I suspect the author doesn't see anything wrong with that since he's using physical violence to stop himself from blowing up about his concern for her "self-destructive behavior". A loving sex scene follows a scene with a terrified Penelope that's upset Colin at their engagement party. He hurts her and tells her to smile for their guests as they have their first dance. The air of you're going to get it the moment when we step away made my stomach hurt. And he leads her to a place she knows no one will hear or find them. But instead of following the tension of the scene to its conclusion her thoughts transition over to how much she loves him and is willing to take whatever she must. It's sick and made the sex scene unbearable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
More...