Reviews with content warning for Fatphobia - Romancing Mister Bridgerton

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Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

107 reviews

spootilious's review against another edition

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medium-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

2.0

Read: May 22, 2024
Title: Romancing Mister Bridgerton
Author: Julia Quinn

Series: Bridgerton #4

Genre: Period Romance

Rating: 2/5
Review:

I will be completely forth coming in admitting that I have not read the first three books in this series and that I read this book after the first half of season 3 came out on Netflix. That being said, I read a few reviews prior to me reading this book and went into it with the mindset that these are not the characters I am familiar with and the storyline will be completely different and that I should treat this as a completely stand alone book unrelated, in its entirely, to the Netflix series.

For any reader planning to get into the book I recommend doing the same. The only thing these characters have in common with the characters in the show is name.

All that being said here are my thoughts:

I cannot tell you how much I hated this book. I have no words. Over the last five years I have only read a single book that I hated more than this one for entirely different reasons.

So why the two stars? Well, despite my feeling about this novel I have to admit that Quinn is very talented with the pen. The way she writes and captures the beauty of a scene is stunning in and of itself. I would gladly pick up another book in her style and cadence if it were on another subject or plot.

Which brings me to what’s wrong with the novel. Let’s start with the elephant in the room… Colin Bridgerton… The reviews I read prior to the novel were that this book changed Colin and that his temper was outrageous and childish. I tend to take these perspectives with a grain of salt. A character will always change (or rather should change) when an author shifts from an outside perspective to an inside one. I chalked it up to the readers having been stuck on his personality in previous books and did not expect to have the same problem… I was completely wrong.

Colin and Pen’s relationship is toxic through and through, from bruises to emotional manipulation and general (and societal abuse and gaslighting). It honestly makes me a bit sick. In fact, there was a point, at a specific party (which I will not name but I am sure everyone is aware of), that it was completely out of hand. I believe the worst part of it all is that portrayal of Pen suffered because of it. Not in the sense that I thought less of her but simply that she was built up as a strong independent and clever woman in the first half of the novel just to turn into the ‘he’s going to kill me but it’s okay cuz it means that he loves me,’ type of woman by the end. And I understand that this could be because of some of her own trauma but if that was the case it, if it were depicted as such then perhaps I wouldn’t hate it as much, instead she’s just as empty headed as everyone else (there is not ‘cleverness’ about her). Perhaps this is harsh, but I feel it needs to be said.

So, despite Quinn’s poetic talent, her characters are inconsistent and one dimensional. The plot leaves something to be desired and the spicy scenes (at least in this particular novel) are more toxic that alluring.

Still, I will admit I loved every scene with Lady D. Her and Pen’s friendship was a saving grace in this novel. And Daphne’s explanation (and Colin’s realization) of love was refreshingly relatable, especially as a woman’ who has been married to the love of her life for twelve years (not to show my age).

“And that was when he realized that Daphne had been right. His love hadn't been a thunderbolt from the sky. It had started with a smile, a word, a teasing glance. Every second he had spent in her presence it had grown, until he'd reached this moment, and he suddenly knew. He loved her.”

That is perhaps the most realistic portrayal of falling in love that I have ever read (though there is a particular episode of Doctor Who in which Amelia Pond talks about how people’s faces become their personality, and how beautiful they are… which is neither here nor there but is just as true and what I was reminded of when reading this section).

All of these things considered, I couldn’t give the novel more than two stars and the two that I gave it was more for talent and 2 specific characters than anything else in this novel.

QUOTES:

“And that was when he realized that Daphne had been right. His love hadn't been a thunderbolt from the sky. It had started with a smile, a word, a teasing glance. Every second he had spent in her presence it had grown, until he'd reached this moment, and he suddenly knew. He loved her.”

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pauline79's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

4.5

Loved the characters but confused with the book vs film as seems quite different. Was really easy and fun to listen to the audiobook. Can’t wait to continue the series and programme.

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arnold_shelby's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.0

This is a reread of this book, which I initially read in 2022. I love the Bridgerton series, but have to say the creative direction the show took it makes it so much better. However, the inner monologues of the characters and their inner worlds are so rich, it's a shame those things can't be shown on TV. Regardless, this story is sweet. I love the friends to lovers trope. 😍

Content Warnings

book_gremlin42's review against another edition

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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

3.75

Content Warnings

sourcherryyy's review against another edition

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fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.5

okay this was my first julia quinn book so i wasnt expecting much, i do hate the way she sets it up where

they get married halfway through and then there's a big conflict they have to overcome

and i dont like how colin's main characteristic was that he had a bad temper... im very excited for the new season and i hope the season is better than the book

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