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manglitter's review against another edition
3.0
It was a bit funny and I liked Selena's character but Malcolm was acting like a little B***. Julia and Henry's couple was funnier.
bananahhs's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
breesbookmark's review against another edition
2.0
I am more conflicted about this book than any book I've ever read. I chose to read it before seeing the movie that's coming out this summer, and I'm glad that I did.
The story itself was entertaining. I'm sure there are other regency romances out there with similar plots, but I've personally never read one like it, and I enjoyed it! Really! But... that's as far as my praise goes.
Reading this through the lens of "I wonder what the movie will be like", I could almost envision exactly how it will play out, because this book looked like it was written to translate into a screenplay. There was little emotional depth, with everything being told instead of showed. Everything about the characters was told, not expressed through their actions—I knew exactly how pretty Selina was, how arrogant Mr. Malcolm was, how annoying Julia was, and how repulsive Cassie was. All of their characters lacked dimension.
The chemistry between the couples was almost nonexistent. Every time they kissed on-page I had to double-check whether or not I'd missed something, because every time it seemed to happen out of the blue. They spent more time complaining about each other's faults than falling in love.
HOWEVER, I think it will be a delightful movie if the actors have any working chemistry at all. There were funny moments in the story that I think will translate well to screen... which is to say that I think this is going to be one of those situations where the movie is better than the book.
The story itself was entertaining. I'm sure there are other regency romances out there with similar plots, but I've personally never read one like it, and I enjoyed it! Really! But... that's as far as my praise goes.
Reading this through the lens of "I wonder what the movie will be like", I could almost envision exactly how it will play out, because this book looked like it was written to translate into a screenplay. There was little emotional depth, with everything being told instead of showed. Everything about the characters was told, not expressed through their actions—I knew exactly how pretty Selina was, how arrogant Mr. Malcolm was, how annoying Julia was, and how repulsive Cassie was. All of their characters lacked dimension.
The chemistry between the couples was almost nonexistent. Every time they kissed on-page I had to double-check whether or not I'd missed something, because every time it seemed to happen out of the blue. They spent more time complaining about each other's faults than falling in love.
HOWEVER, I think it will be a delightful movie if the actors have any working chemistry at all. There were funny moments in the story that I think will translate well to screen... which is to say that I think this is going to be one of those situations where the movie is better than the book.
kittynovaaaa's review against another edition
3.0
3.0
mr. malcolm's list more like mr. malcolm trust issues god damn
mr. malcolm's list more like mr. malcolm trust issues god damn
deszra's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
so i liked the first half of this well enough, i needed a lighthearted listen on a long drive and it fit for that purpose…then they characters went to the country house and i truly am flabbergasted at why the whole second half even happened. i do not understand any of the motives, it was just shenanigans for shenanigans sake? also i feel like all of malcolm’s character development happened either off page or at the flip of a switch at the end…it wasn’t made clear enough for /me/ to buy his change in perspective anyway. also the side characters thought they were way more endearing than they actually were…i wonder if the movie is any improvement…since i didn’t know until the very end that it was published in 2009.
justgrace's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. I saw the movie and had to read the book. I think I prefer the movie slightly as the plot is a little more straightforward. While the antics of the last portion of the book are fun, I found them a little convoluted, but otherwise, this was pretty much a pretty read for me. Hilarious wonderful characters. I love how we get a little bit of everyone's perspective. The banter was amazing (grab your fans, girlies! get ready to swoon!). And you know it's a strong romance novel when the author makes you care about other relationships like friendships and family-- all of the relationships in this book were delightful. Brava! I can't wait to read more from this author!