Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - The Viscount Who Loved Me

Maybe the star rating is harsh but I found this so misogynistic and Antony's actions completely loathsome in places.

pros:
- Quinn does write with aplomb, the book rolls along and meets the romance and emotional beats, with Antony and Kate's personal fears and baggage being dealt with.
- and she is creative in assigning their reasons for not getting together/being in love/past traumas, it's not the usual love triangle or a misunderstanding they could just talk through, they do have deep seated reasons to hold back.
- we saw a bit more of side characters, in Edwina and Mary, but not much.

cons:
- my main issue is Antony's actions and how the story validates them.

He refuses Kate her 'reprieve' when she's terrified of having sex for the first time and is so beastly in his "desire" for her that he's basically willing to rape her. Rape fantasy is common, but it's the way this is set in an otherwise cutesy and romantic story, as if pushing a scared virgin woman, who he has total power over as her husband (which he reminds her of with the "marriage debt"!!), is a normal and okay thing to do. Its gross.

- Kate is also supposed to be this spunky, defiant woman who defends her sister and stands up for herself, but she's often quiet and 'hesitant' around Antony, because he's a brute with anger issues. I couldnt stand him, and Kate's inner narrative basically blames herself for whatever he does, which was uncomfortable.
- also the narrative repeatedly says how 'good and kind and strong' he is (hes not) and how she brings out the best in him. where does he bring out the best in her? why does she have to "improve" and fix him of his anger issues whereas her only issue is believing she's not pretty.
- the spice scenes feel pretty bland and flowery.
- unlike the show, the cast of characters is very restricted, which brings it down.

overall, Antony's actions made him thoroughly unlikeable and, like the first book, the author waves it away as romantic because the characters cant act with respect as they're so driven by love that they cant think straight or ask consent, apparently. anyway, I wont be reading any more Bridgerton books.

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maevesheehan's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-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

3.0

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britwalsh16's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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

3.5

I love when the book is better! Just so many more details then a tv show or movie. But this book idk if I’d say it’s better or not. There are ALOT more details, & I loved reading them. & the storyline was different then the show, & I still loved the storyline. But what I do not like is Anthony’s personality in the first half of the book. He was very much an asshole. He shows very little respect for any women who he might make his wife, planning to have a mistress & all; I really was not a fan of his personality, I’m glad they died it down in the show, I mean he could be an ass at first, especially to Kate, but he wasn’t an asshole. I’m glad I only have 2 books to compare to the show, hopefully I’ll read the rest of the series before their seasons come out, & I won’t be comparing them to eachother anymore. 🤞🏻

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sophes282's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.5

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llorona's review against another edition

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fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

My perspective as a lesbian: as far as romance novels go, this is pretty okay! I enjoyed my time giggling and kicking my fit. A handful of misogynistic moments, as much as you might expect in a novel set in the 19th century with all British people. There was a few too many times where the male protagonist weird behaviors were excused or never addressed. Insulting words or gaslighting in the middle of arguments were never resolved and mostly never apologized for which was kind of annoying. I guess the inner monologue at the time was supposed to let us know he didn’t really mean them I guess? He also got angry so fast! He was kinda toxic not gonna lie and they tried to soften him up throughout the entire book. And he was wayyyyyyy too horny like all the time. And personally it teetered the line of “oh this isn’t right…” more than once.

I did enjoy both main characters backstories and the overarching theme of overcoming your demons and accepting that which you cannot control. Read it after watching the Netflix season and can’t say if one is a better story than the other but if I pieced bits from both I’d create something much better. Though, the diversity in the show made for a much richer story and they cut out a lot of the terrible bits of the main male lead.

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thedruid333's review against another edition

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fast-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? No

2.0

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kelly_e's review against another edition

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funny 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

3.25

Title: The Viscount Who Loved Me
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: Bridgertons #2
Genre: Historical Romance
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: December 5, 2000

T H R E E • W O R D S

Readable • Entertaining • Chauvinistic

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Anthony Bridgerton hasn't just decided to marry—he's even chosen a wife! The only obstacle is his intended's older sister, Kate Sheffield—the most meddlesome woman ever to grace a London ballroom. The spirited schemer is driving Anthony mad with her determination to stop the betrothal, but when he closes his eyes at night, Kate is the woman haunting his increasingly erotic dreams...

Contrary to popular belief, Kate is quite sure that reformed rakes do not make the best husbands—and Anthony Bridgerton is the most wicked rogue of them all. Kate is determined to protect her sister—but she fears her own heart is vulnerable. And when Anthony's lips touch hers, she's suddenly afraid she might not be able to resist the reprehensible rake herself...

💭 T H O U G H T S

Regency era romance isn't a genre I'd typically have an interest in, however, after starting Julia Quinn's hit series, The Bridgertons, in 2022 I was pleasantly surprised and decided to continue with book two.

It's a tad difficult to take these books too seriously. At times they are downright ridiculous, and of course, require the suspension of reality, yet they are highly entertaining. I cannot say I was drawn into Anthony and Kate's story, although I did appreciate Anthony's hesitancy to marriage. There is so much vanity within these pages that eventually it gets redundant. Kate seemed like a likeable enough lady, and I was satisfied with her HEA.

For me, these books are nothing amazing, yet they are highly readable and always provided an entertaining experience. I can definitely understand why the Netflix adaption is so widely loved (even though I've been told it's very different). When I am in need of a quick, lighthearted read I'll likely continue with book three.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of the series
• Regency era enthusiasts

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"You have to live each hour as if it's your last and each day as if you were immortal."

"You can't shun new challenge or hide yourself from love just because you think you might not be here to carry your dreams to completion. In the end, you'll have just as many regrets as did my father."

"It means that love isn't about being afraid that it will all be snatched away. Love's about finding the one person who makes your heart complete, who makes you a better person than you ever dreamed you could be. It's about looking in the eyes of your wife and knowing, all the way to your bones, that she's simply the best person you've ever known."

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annahamburger's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-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

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