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mgondwe's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
This is a 3.5 stars. I always enjoy reading Julia Quinn books, and appreciate her writing style. This book started off really well for me, but the ending (while I’m happy that the characters received a good ending,) just wasn’t satisfying to me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Death, Grief, and Medical content
Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
zzzuuk's review against another edition
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
3.0
the plot points are getting repetitive at this point, and the emotional aspects continue to be pretty shallow. scotland though!
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief, Pregnancy, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Death
lauryn_with_a_y's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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? It's complicated
2.75
overall: i think i liked it? i love francesca as a character and parts of the romance worked (namely the Yearning on michael's end) but christ alive the casual misogyny and not-so-veiled rape threats got to me. most of the romance didn't work for me for precisely that reason; michael wants to marry francesca, and instead of telling her he's been in love with her for six years and that her late husband would want her to be happy, he decides to seduce her in an attempt to manipulate her into marriage. he threatens to continue having sex with her (implied to be with or without her consent, at one point even threatening to tie her up so she can't get away) until she gets pregnant and is FORCED to marry him. romance!
after all that, i almost didn't finish the book. but then ms quinn hit me with a truly poignant and moving portrayal of grief, trauma, and moving on and allowing yourself to be happy again after the unthinkable has happened. that, combined with the really fun and heartfelt relationship of the bridgerton family, almost made it worth it for me. almost.
after all that, i almost didn't finish the book. but then ms quinn hit me with a truly poignant and moving portrayal of grief, trauma, and moving on and allowing yourself to be happy again after the unthinkable has happened. that, combined with the really fun and heartfelt relationship of the bridgerton family, almost made it worth it for me. almost.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Grief, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Medical content, Misogyny, and Death
Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Rape
Minor: Classism, Colonisation, and War
meghanm404's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Medical content
Minor: Blood, Child death, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Alcohol
bzliz's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This installment is so different from the previous five. The majority of the action takes place outside of London and the rest of the Bridgerton clan play very small parts, if they’re mentioned at all. The only one who really gets supporting role credit is Colin and his appearance is more like a fairy godmother (or fairy of common sense).
I loved that because of her status as a widow, Francesca is afforded a pinch more freedom than the previous FMCs have been given. She also doesn’t have the same level of ignorance going into sex with Michael that creates such a power imbalance in the other books. (It also happens to be the steamiest of them, by a lot.) In addition, Francesca has bigger hurdles to clear: miscarriage, grief over her husband’s death, her own infertility, guilt over having feelings for someone else. The simultaneous timeline between Colin, Eloise & Francesca’s stories was fun. A lot less ‘okay, that’s done so now we can focus on the next child’ feeling.
There was still some ick around some of the scenes that honestly just feels inevitable for historical romances. And these men just can’t control themselves! (The creep in the garden, the creeps at the club, and even Michael as he’s trying to coerce Francesca into marriage.) I enjoyed it but I still prefer Colin’s story to this one.
I loved that because of her status as a widow, Francesca is afforded a pinch more freedom than the previous FMCs have been given. She also doesn’t have the same level of ignorance going into sex with Michael that creates such a power imbalance in the other books. (It also happens to be the steamiest of them, by a lot.) In addition, Francesca has bigger hurdles to clear: miscarriage, grief over her husband’s death, her own infertility, guilt over having feelings for someone else. The simultaneous timeline between Colin, Eloise & Francesca’s stories was fun. A lot less ‘okay, that’s done so now we can focus on the next child’ feeling.
There was still some ick around some of the scenes that honestly just feels inevitable for historical romances. And these men just can’t control themselves! (The creep in the garden, the creeps at the club, and even Michael as he’s trying to coerce Francesca into marriage.) I enjoyed it but I still prefer Colin’s story to this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Grief, Sexual content, and Infertility
Minor: Sexual harassment
nicollette_13's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
slow-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Death, Chronic illness, and Infertility
chrissandrapherlv's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Death, Grief, Sexual content, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Alcohol
sleepy_stacey's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
5.0
My favorite of the series so far! Loved every second!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage, Grief, Infertility, and Death
abby_can_read's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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
3.0
October 2023-⭐️⭐️⭐️
After re-reading this book and the series so far, I have to say that this book is rather dull. I liked the characters. The story just went on too long.
March 2022-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I enjoyed this book. It's not my favorite in the series I went back and further in trying to rate this one. Michael Stirling was the best character - and probably one of my favorites from the series.
This was another enjoyable book in the Bridgerton series.
After re-reading this book and the series so far, I have to say that this book is rather dull. I liked the characters. The story just went on too long.
March 2022-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I enjoyed this book. It's not my favorite in the series I went back and further in trying to rate this one. Michael Stirling was the best character - and probably one of my favorites from the series.
This was another enjoyable book in the Bridgerton series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Infertility and Grief
Minor: Sexism and Misogyny
terrywho's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
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? Yes
3.75
The streak continues and we’re going 3 for 3 on the bridgerton books read in as many days! .
There are sone aspects of this novel that I truly loved. Francesca is a wonderful main character and I do love a jealous (fictional) man and reformed scoundrel, however, it didn’t quite make it up there with “an offer from a gentleman” and “romancing Mr. Bridgerton”.
(mind spoilers ahead)
Michel changing his mind after the 2nd conversation with Colin felt a bit too sudden and I didn’t love how the topic of John wanting what was best for the two people he loved most in life only came up towards the end. The whole baby trapping plotline also felt a bit icky… you know?
That being said, I did love the discourse around grief, and Francesca’s conversations with her mother on what it feels like to lose the person you love were truly beautiful. I also like the way I fertility was tackled and how other people never made Francesca feel ashamed for not being able to become pregnant. I know a lot of readers don’t like pregnancy plot lines but I’m not one of them, and I did really appreciate this one a lot.
Anyways, all this being said: this was still fun as all of the other bridgerton books, just maybe not in my top 3.
On to the next sibling!
There are sone aspects of this novel that I truly loved. Francesca is a wonderful main character and I do love a jealous (fictional) man and reformed scoundrel, however, it didn’t quite make it up there with “an offer from a gentleman” and “romancing Mr. Bridgerton”.
(mind spoilers ahead)
Michel changing his mind after the 2nd conversation with Colin felt a bit too sudden and I didn’t love how the topic of John wanting what was best for the two people he loved most in life only came up towards the end. The whole baby trapping plotline also felt a bit icky… you know?
That being said, I did love the discourse around grief, and Francesca’s conversations with her mother on what it feels like to lose the person you love were truly beautiful. I also like the way I fertility was tackled and how other people never made Francesca feel ashamed for not being able to become pregnant. I know a lot of readers don’t like pregnancy plot lines but I’m not one of them, and I did really appreciate this one a lot.
Anyways, all this being said: this was still fun as all of the other bridgerton books, just maybe not in my top 3.
On to the next sibling!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Pregnancy