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aqtbenz's review against another edition
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction and Death of parent
nicolecurlsuptoread's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ • 🌶️
📌 You’ll dig this if you like
» Regency romance
» Pride and Prejudice retellings
» Clean, slow burns
» Opposites attract
» Enemies to lovers
It took me a minute to recognise this was a P&P retelling but as soon as I did, I was happy to see the similarities but also how the story departed from the original with some imaginative twists.
Kitty plays the part of Lizzy and Mrs. Bennet brilliantly. She is clever and witty like Lizzy, while employing the same laser focus as Mrs. Bennet toward securing a wealthy match. She’s more mindful than Mrs. Bennet, taking great pains to avoid missteps and faux pas.
Kitty’s parents died in quick succession, leaving her and her four younger sisters in significant debt, with nothing but their home as inheritance. Unfortunately, it won’t be enough and there’s no way out except through securing an advantageous marriage.
Radcliffe is an excellent Darcy, with a keen eye to recognise Kitty’s aim immediately. She gets under his skin, and they slowly become more to each other than either are ready to accept.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this and loved Eleanor Tomlinson’s narration. She voiced multiple characters well and it was easy to understand who was speaking.
Highly recommended for a lighthearted, feel-good read! ♡
📌 What stood out
» Kitty quickly reads what people want and need from her and adapts her behaviour and responses to suit. In some cases, with brilliant accuracy! There were several cases when I thought, “Well played, Kitty.” 👏
» I liked Kitty’s resourcefulness by roping Radcliffe into her scheme with as few f*cks given as possible to propriety.
📌 Moments
» Radcliffe doesn’t tell her anything most ardently, but his declaration is still totally Darcy-level swoon-worthy.
🚫 Contains mentions of war and death, death of parents by illness, gambling addiction. Please check warnings.
📌 You’ll dig this if you like
» Regency romance
» Pride and Prejudice retellings
» Clean, slow burns
» Opposites attract
» Enemies to lovers
It took me a minute to recognise this was a P&P retelling but as soon as I did, I was happy to see the similarities but also how the story departed from the original with some imaginative twists.
Kitty plays the part of Lizzy and Mrs. Bennet brilliantly. She is clever and witty like Lizzy, while employing the same laser focus as Mrs. Bennet toward securing a wealthy match. She’s more mindful than Mrs. Bennet, taking great pains to avoid missteps and faux pas.
Kitty’s parents died in quick succession, leaving her and her four younger sisters in significant debt, with nothing but their home as inheritance. Unfortunately, it won’t be enough and there’s no way out except through securing an advantageous marriage.
Radcliffe is an excellent Darcy, with a keen eye to recognise Kitty’s aim immediately. She gets under his skin, and they slowly become more to each other than either are ready to accept.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this and loved Eleanor Tomlinson’s narration. She voiced multiple characters well and it was easy to understand who was speaking.
Highly recommended for a lighthearted, feel-good read! ♡
📌 What stood out
» Kitty quickly reads what people want and need from her and adapts her behaviour and responses to suit. In some cases, with brilliant accuracy! There were several cases when I thought, “Well played, Kitty.” 👏
» I liked Kitty’s resourcefulness by roping Radcliffe into her scheme with as few f*cks given as possible to propriety.
📌 Moments
» Radcliffe doesn’t tell her anything most ardently, but his declaration is still totally Darcy-level swoon-worthy.
🚫 Contains mentions of war and death, death of parents by illness, gambling addiction. Please check warnings.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and War
atamano's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Death of parent, War, and Sexism
Minor: Death
amy_in_the_city's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
The plot for this was interesting and there were so many funny lines throughout. Unfortunately, I thought the character and relationship development fell short. There were some interesting aspects of the characters that the book never go to really explore. The main plot, where the FMC has to spend a lot of time with various other suitors to try to secure a proposal, took up so much time that it didn't allow much room for the actual romance to be developed. I found the abrupt changes in POV, sometimes in mid-paragraph, to be quite jarring and strange. The characters in this book are in their mid-20s but for some reason, they read as late teens or early 20s to me. I still enjoyed the book overall, but I wish I could have felt more strongly about the main relationship.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Classism, Misogyny, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, War, and Drug use
Minor: Sexual assault
sh543's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Deadnaming, Addiction, and Death of parent
elliefardell's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
cassiealexandra's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
“What?” you’re saying in surprise. So am I. If you know me or have followed my reading in the last couple of years, you know that modern regency romance is not my genre of choice. I admit I haven’t given it much of a chance, feeling protective over my love of Jane Austen and the like. (But I enjoy period dramas on television, so why my hesitation about historical romance?)
In any case, this is my second regency romance written in the modern age. The first didn’t hit for me, but instead of giving up, I asked for recommendations. This one delivered!
The bottom line: This was a lighthearted romance full of humor and hi-jinks, restrained desire, and a look at social status.
Here’s what I enjoyed: the interactions between Kitty and Radcliffe/James were humorous and made me smile and chuckle. They could see right through each other and somehow felt seen because of it. The painful backstories of K and J fleshed out their characters but were not presented with extreme heaviness. This stands at the airy end of my fluffy to dense scale, but that’s exactly what I need sometimes. I’m not sure if “matchmaker/dating coach” is a trope, but if it is, I’m in. This had a Pygmalion/My Fair Lady aspect where James helps (even if he’s blackmailed and coerced into doing so) Kitty pass in society as above her class. I loved that it was only with each other that they could drop the mask. Both of them are changed in the process.
The restrained desire was PERFECT when it came to stolen glances, gazes across ballrooms, that scene when Kitty is so flustered she can’t get her gloves off and James slowly unbuttons them for her! (equivalent of the 2005 P&P Darcy hand flex imho), and the final waltz.
My frustration, and it’s a tiny one, is that this same restraint applied also to the characters’ third-person thoughts. Kitty and James wouldn’t trifle with the idea of catching feelings, so I was left wanting more admission and less denial on page. Because so little was expressed, not to each other but to themselves, about their developing feelings, the ending felt a little abrupt to me.
When my main complaint has to do with wanting more from the ending/epilogue, I know it was a book I overall enjoyed.
— NOTES —
Genres: regency/historical romance
POV: third-person
Content: past war; past death of parents
Romance: kissing
— MY RATING CONSIDERATIONS —
(all out of 5)
Pace: 4
Enjoyment: 5
Craft: 4
My Gut Feeling: 5
Total Stars: 4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and War
audc's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I might not remember these characters a few weeks from now but I loved the feel good vibes.
Loved the plot. Great characters. It was all it promised.
Though towards the end it was ringing Pride and Prejudice
Loved the plot. Great characters. It was all it promised.
Though towards the end it was ringing Pride and Prejudice
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Ableism, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
samchase112's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I had an absolute BLAST reading this entertaining romp of a romance! The plot was fast-paced and so much fun, I was rooting for the characters as they found themselves in delightful scrapes all the way to the last page, and just ultimately had the best time. Despite the page-turning plot, I never felt I didn't know the characters, or that they weren't sufficiently fleshed out. Honestly, this might be one of my favorite historical romances? It had all the things I love, with an extra dose of historical correctness and fun, flirty banter. A good time all around, and I'm looking forward to more from this author!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Gun violence, and Grief
Moderate: War, Alcoholism, Death, and Drug abuse
bessadams's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Gun violence, and Classism
Minor: Sexual harassment