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3.16 AVERAGE
3.16 AVERAGE
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I did not enjoy this book. The characters were not realistic and acted very odd. The romance felt so random and unfounded that it was distracting. And the dialogue between them always felt clunky and awkward.
I felt like the conflict was so contrived and frustrating that I couldn’t enjoy the plot. It was a struggle to finish this, I just had to zoom through the end.
It was not a great period romance piece, and the historical inaccuracies were just kind of icing on top of the cake :(
I felt like the conflict was so contrived and frustrating that I couldn’t enjoy the plot. It was a struggle to finish this, I just had to zoom through the end.
It was not a great period romance piece, and the historical inaccuracies were just kind of icing on top of the cake :(
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It's a quick, light book if you're looking for a Regency era inspired romance. If you prefer your romance to be spicy though, you may want to skip this series as at most the characters might kiss once, maybe twice. I don't mind the lack but feel it's worth mentioning if you're expecting this to be like the popular Bridgerton series.
I found the dialogue enjoyable even though Malcolm & Julia are assholes. Selina forgives them a little too easily and honestly, I wouldn't have been mad if the author had switched to Mr. Ossory & Selina getting sick of Julia & Malcolm's bullshit and getting together in the end. Now that I write it, I wish that had happened. Still, I enjoyed it enough to read the next books in the series.
I found the dialogue enjoyable even though Malcolm & Julia are assholes. Selina forgives them a little too easily and honestly, I wouldn't have been mad if the author had switched to Mr. Ossory & Selina getting sick of Julia & Malcolm's bullshit and getting together in the end. Now that I write it, I wish that had happened. Still, I enjoyed it enough to read the next books in the series.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a cute Victorian romcom. I wasn't expecting too much but I thought it was light and fun.
I really wanted to like this book more. It just felt fairly bland and simple. The conflict didn’t feel like it resulted in real change. Also a very tame romance.
lighthearted
fast-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
It is March 2024. Back in May 2023, I started reading this book. I got to Chapter Eight and got distracted, lost interest, left it. In January 2024, while waiting on my next book to come in from the library, I decided to pick it up again. Of course, I had forgotten everything but the rough shape of the story, so I restarted the novel. Again, I made it to Chapter Eight (weird coincidence) and lost all interest again. But, again, I had to wait for my next read from the library and one of the prompts for my yearly reading challenge was to finish a book I had DNF'ed. So I decided to push through.
I was fully prepared to give this book 3 stars (average) and move on. The writing isn't exciting; the plot is mundane and thin; the characters are cardboard. But it's fine. Until I got to roughly the middle of the book and the author simply dumped three paragraphs of secondary character motivations into the narrative. It was the very definition of telling and not showing. The book had been third person omniscient up until then, but most of the focus had of course been on the two main characters, Selina and Jeremy. But Julia, a secondary scheming character, had chosen to be duplicitous in anticipation of an upcoming ball. But rather than let Julia scheme, be undoubtedly found out at some point, and then have her motivations be uncovered in the natural course of things, the author chose to spoil the trick far before it happened and explain exactly why she was engaging in the scheme. It felt very much like an author's note ("Here's why Julia does this thing, and I have to remember to explain it later.") that was left in the text and inserted far too early.
After that, things went downhill fast. The secondary romance between supporting characters is tacked on with no explanation except the girl's figure catches the man's attention. From that moment on, he decides all her terrible traits (which never really change) are worth tolerating and/or endeavoring to fix through marriage. The primary romance is fine but nothing special. I was also frustrated by the premise of this. Mr. Jeremy Malcolm has a list of attributes that he wishes to see in a potential bride and he's judged as arrogant for this. But the list, which the author reveals at the end, includes things like "can hold a conversation beyond small talk" and "doesn't lie." How... demanding of him. The worst requirement (on his part) is that his future bride doesn't have any embarrassing relatives. But we all want that in our potential partners and I can guarantee that none of us pass that mark.
All in all, the story is a rushed mess. The characters are, at best, two note. There's nothing especially charming or novel in the book so it's really a matter of judging how well it's all done. It's not done well. (Also, apparently the novel was turned into a movie and the movie was cast with some diversity. The novel doesn't show any of that so... that was an extra disappointment cherry on the top.)
I was fully prepared to give this book 3 stars (average) and move on. The writing isn't exciting; the plot is mundane and thin; the characters are cardboard. But it's fine. Until I got to roughly the middle of the book and the author simply dumped three paragraphs of secondary character motivations into the narrative. It was the very definition of telling and not showing. The book had been third person omniscient up until then, but most of the focus had of course been on the two main characters, Selina and Jeremy. But Julia, a secondary scheming character, had chosen to be duplicitous in anticipation of an upcoming ball. But rather than let Julia scheme, be undoubtedly found out at some point, and then have her motivations be uncovered in the natural course of things, the author chose to spoil the trick far before it happened and explain exactly why she was engaging in the scheme. It felt very much like an author's note ("Here's why Julia does this thing, and I have to remember to explain it later.") that was left in the text and inserted far too early.
After that, things went downhill fast. The secondary romance between supporting characters is tacked on with no explanation except the girl's figure catches the man's attention. From that moment on, he decides all her terrible traits (which never really change) are worth tolerating and/or endeavoring to fix through marriage. The primary romance is fine but nothing special. I was also frustrated by the premise of this. Mr. Jeremy Malcolm has a list of attributes that he wishes to see in a potential bride and he's judged as arrogant for this. But the list, which the author reveals at the end, includes things like "can hold a conversation beyond small talk" and "doesn't lie." How... demanding of him. The worst requirement (on his part) is that his future bride doesn't have any embarrassing relatives. But we all want that in our potential partners and I can guarantee that none of us pass that mark.
All in all, the story is a rushed mess. The characters are, at best, two note. There's nothing especially charming or novel in the book so it's really a matter of judging how well it's all done. It's not done well. (Also, apparently the novel was turned into a movie and the movie was cast with some diversity. The novel doesn't show any of that so... that was an extra disappointment cherry on the top.)
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Literally such a good concept with the most trash execution I’ve ever seen. The writing was just average, and everything after Julia tricks Malcolm into thinking Selina doesn’t like him, INCLUDING that part because it’s ridiculously unrealistic is terrible. The plot goes nowhere and everything is resolved way too cutsey with no reason for any of it. Maybe the movie is better.
It was fine. Literally that’s about the highest praise I can have for it. It was a little too sickly sweet and the characters had no real character development but it was a quick happily ever after if you’re into that sort of thing.
funny
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:
Yes
Delightful regency romance and comedy of errors.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes