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geekxgirl's review against another edition
3.0
2.5/3 Stars
I'll admit I felt odd skipping book two but at the time I had read book one but only vaguely remembered it and book three sounded far more interesting to me so I didn't want to slog through book two to get to it. I did have every intention of going back to read it later but honestly after reading book three and learning about the characters and the events of book two I don't think I'm interested anymore.
I can say I did enjoy this. Perhaps not as much as I had hoped when I began. The premise and plot was everything I expected but the MCs sorta left me wanting more.
The heroine Penelope was an okay heroine. I wasn't her biggest fan and I only truly began to like her around 65-70% tbh. Despite being twenty-one she acted quite childishly in the first half of the story. She was also reckless and impulsive. Yes, she was loyal and a great friend but I also feel she even took that too far at times. If you read the book you'll understand why. Point is, I felt she was immature at times with her decisions and her often made up dislike of the hero. She honestly had no true reason to dislike him. But she did on the grounds she grew to have a crush on him in the previous book when he courted her sister and he never noticed her or chose to marry her so she was quite butt hurt over it. Despite how much she loved her older sister Abigail she appeared to have insecurities surrounding how her sister made her feel that go unexplored.
Penelope did begin to show signs of the intelligence I knew she had after her and Benedict were married. It took weeks into the marriage but it did happen, thank God. So it was nice to see the heroine grow and become the more mature as we read. It didn't negate how utterly frustrating she was in the first half though.
As for the hero Benedict, Lord Atherton. Well, he was okay too. He wasn't all that special nor did he stand out. Yes, he had a terrible father which resulted in a terribly strict childhood with beatings and deprivations and so forth. I felt for him in that regard but otherwise he was average. He didn't wow me with his wanting of Penelope. He simply okay to me.
Penelope and Ben had decent chemistry. Not as much as I had hoped when I began. They did work well together from what we got to see of their marriage. I did find Penelope silly and manipulative early on in her relationship with Ben. She did try to seduce him to ask for money which he accused her of and she had the nerve to be offended when he did. Though the next day she did admit to herself she HAD attempted to do just that but it all got out of control and realized she shouldn't have done it in the first place. Did she admit that to him? I don't believe so. Plus the day after their wedding night she began making ridiculous ideas and assumptions. She was already wondering if she could survive a marriage with only passion between them and thought no, she couldn't. She would go crazy and might take a lover. Which is why she set out to make him fall in love with her. See? Silly! It was only the day after their wedding. My god, woman.
In the end I still never cared much for Penelope. I did like Ben more than her. They were cute together. This book just wasn't what I was hoping for but it was still an entertaining read.
I'll admit I felt odd skipping book two but at the time I had read book one but only vaguely remembered it and book three sounded far more interesting to me so I didn't want to slog through book two to get to it. I did have every intention of going back to read it later but honestly after reading book three and learning about the characters and the events of book two I don't think I'm interested anymore.
I can say I did enjoy this. Perhaps not as much as I had hoped when I began. The premise and plot was everything I expected but the MCs sorta left me wanting more.
The heroine Penelope was an okay heroine. I wasn't her biggest fan and I only truly began to like her around 65-70% tbh. Despite being twenty-one she acted quite childishly in the first half of the story. She was also reckless and impulsive. Yes, she was loyal and a great friend but I also feel she even took that too far at times. If you read the book you'll understand why. Point is, I felt she was immature at times with her decisions and her often made up dislike of the hero. She honestly had no true reason to dislike him. But she did on the grounds she grew to have a crush on him in the previous book when he courted her sister and he never noticed her or chose to marry her so she was quite butt hurt over it. Despite how much she loved her older sister Abigail she appeared to have insecurities surrounding how her sister made her feel that go unexplored.
Penelope did begin to show signs of the intelligence I knew she had after her and Benedict were married. It took weeks into the marriage but it did happen, thank God. So it was nice to see the heroine grow and become the more mature as we read. It didn't negate how utterly frustrating she was in the first half though.
As for the hero Benedict, Lord Atherton. Well, he was okay too. He wasn't all that special nor did he stand out. Yes, he had a terrible father which resulted in a terribly strict childhood with beatings and deprivations and so forth. I felt for him in that regard but otherwise he was average. He didn't wow me with his wanting of Penelope. He simply okay to me.
Penelope and Ben had decent chemistry. Not as much as I had hoped when I began. They did work well together from what we got to see of their marriage. I did find Penelope silly and manipulative early on in her relationship with Ben. She did try to seduce him to ask for money which he accused her of and she had the nerve to be offended when he did. Though the next day she did admit to herself she HAD attempted to do just that but it all got out of control and realized she shouldn't have done it in the first place. Did she admit that to him? I don't believe so. Plus the day after their wedding night she began making ridiculous ideas and assumptions. She was already wondering if she could survive a marriage with only passion between them and thought no, she couldn't. She would go crazy and might take a lover. Which is why she set out to make him fall in love with her. See? Silly! It was only the day after their wedding. My god, woman.
In the end I still never cared much for Penelope. I did like Ben more than her. They were cute together. This book just wasn't what I was hoping for but it was still an entertaining read.
winterreader40's review against another edition
4.5
Penelope can't stand Benedict after how he tried courting her sister when he felt nothing for her and when his next possible intended is a friend of hers she unintentionally ruins his chances there as well. Benedict is furious with Penelope and her interfering ways but when he stumbles upon the lord Clary trying to r*pe her he hits and threatens the man and then takes care of her. Unfortunately for both Clary starts vile rumors about Pen and she and Benedict wind up married to protect her.
I love every book in this series, the characters are fun, intelligent, willing to learn from their mistakes and the steam is top notch.
I love every book in this series, the characters are fun, intelligent, willing to learn from their mistakes and the steam is top notch.
migema's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
somasunshine's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't read Abigail's book (because I want to avoid love triangles at any cost) and so I didn't have any bias towards Benedict. I think he was a bit of a fool for overlooking Penelope but he did redeem himself especially when he jumped after her into the Thames. I was sobbing at that point. May Lord Clary hang!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
aqtbenz's review
adventurous
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent
jacq_benoit's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.75
aeblack's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
4.5
This is my favorite installment in Caroline Linden's Scandals series so far, which is a feat, given how much I loathed this male main character in the previous book! This accomplished everything I look for in a marriage of convenience, where our main characters are reluctant but optimistic and infatuated, and have to traverse physical and emotional intimacy in tandem following the wedding. I also love the micro trope of he proposed to her sister/family member first. This is a bit rivals to lovers as well, but rivals solely because her heart is bruised and she resents him - he never truly dislikes her.
I thought this was well-paced, with our marriage occurring around the halfway point and a steady build into the third act crisis. We have clear villains in this story, and I appreciated the continuation of the Earl's story arc from the previous book. I was also grateful that we didn't fully resolve our mystery, as it sets up the next book, but still achieved a secure happily ever after for the main characters.
I would also note that this is the hottest book so far, with a lot more on page intimacy inspired by our infamous Lady Constance. I was anxious through the entire wedding night, as I don't enjoy alcohol use during initial intimacy, particularly with an inexperienced female main character, but ultimately felt they were not intoxicated to a point that they were unable to consent - I note this, though, because this could cause similar anxiety for other readers and others may feel differently/come to a different conclusion than I did in this scene.
I really struggled with book two's narrator and was so relieved to have a different narrator for this installment (Beverly Crick).
I thought this was well-paced, with our marriage occurring around the halfway point and a steady build into the third act crisis. We have clear villains in this story, and I appreciated the continuation of the Earl's story arc from the previous book. I was also grateful that we didn't fully resolve our mystery, as it sets up the next book, but still achieved a secure happily ever after for the main characters.
I would also note that this is the hottest book so far, with a lot more on page intimacy inspired by our infamous Lady Constance. I was anxious through the entire wedding night, as I don't enjoy alcohol use during initial intimacy, particularly with an inexperienced female main character, but ultimately felt they were not intoxicated to a point that they were unable to consent - I note this, though, because this could cause similar anxiety for other readers and others may feel differently/come to a different conclusion than I did in this scene.
I really struggled with book two's narrator and was so relieved to have a different narrator for this installment (Beverly Crick).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Pregnancy
Attempted sexual assault by a side character against the FMC - MMC intervenes. Domestic abuse (physical and emotional) in the MMC's backstory and present story - abusive father.booketofbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.5