Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

28 reviews

annahamburger's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Classism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Abandonment, and Body shaming

Minor: Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Rape, Alcohol, Violence, and Pregnancy

lexnicole's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Misogyny, and Classism

Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Fatphobia

cleotheo's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

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

1.0

"Sie hören sich an, wie die Heldin aus einem sehr schlechten Roman." Das war sicher von der Autorin nicht so beabsichtigt, aber es stimmt leider weitestgehend.
Ich habe dieses Buch gelesen, nachdem ich die Netflix Serie gesehen habe. Die Figur des Benedict ist nicht wiederzuerkennen. Die Dynamik der Figuren in der Familie Bridgerton ist vergleichbar: unterhaltsam. Leider hat dieses Buch aber Hauptfiguren.
Es handelt sich hier um eine Aschenputtel Geschichte. Das Machtungleichgewicht zwischen "Aschenputtel" und dem "Prinz" ist sehr prominent, allerdings wird sich nicht kritisch damit ausseinandergesetzt. Wem das in romantischen Beziehungen gefällt, wird hier sicher auf seine Kosten kommen. Andernfalls wird man wohl, wie ich, hoffen, dass "Aschenputtel" den "Prinzen" sitzen lässt und weit, weit wegrennt. Zusätzlich wären Konsequenzen für die Handlungen unseres "Prinzen" sehr willkommen. Aber das wäre wohl der Stoff für ein besseres Buch.
Am Schreibstil besonders störend fand ich die ständigen Wiederholungen, nichts wird nur angedeutet. Der Leser selbst muss keinerlei Verbindungen herstellen, man muss sich nichts merken, alles wird wiedergekäut.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Bullying, Cursing, Classism, Grief, Kidnapping, Sexism, Sexual content, Death, Medical content, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Rape, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Excrement

Minor: Deportation

prashiie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted sad fast-paced

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

4.0

“It was strange, to find a woman who could make him happy just with her mere presence. He didn't even have to see her, or hear her voice, or even smell her scent. He just had to know that she was there. If that wasn't love, he didn't know what was.”

Very much like Cinderella, Sophie grows up with her stepmother and stepsisters who treat her very badly. Luckily, she gets the chance to go to a masked ball and takes it. This is where she meets Benedict and they fall in love. While she knew exactly who Benedict was, he didn’t know who the masked lady was who stole his heart. Years fly by and unexpectedly they meet again but under different circumstances. 

Unlike the lords and ladies, servants have no freedom to do as they please. This story shows how badly they get treated by some people. From rape to becoming a gentleman’s mistress. It’s not easy, especially if you’re a woman on your own.

I loved Benedict and Sophie’s story! Even though Sophie experienced many hardships in life, her heart remains pure and I was so happy that she met some good people through Benedict. Again Violet was such a pleasant character. The way she loves her children and supports them is amazing. Also Eloise is a lovely character. She stands up for herself and demands to be treated equally.

“Just because we of the female gender are not allowed to study at places like Eton and Cambridge doesn't mean our educations are any less precious,” Eloise ranted, completely ignoring her brother's weak “I know.”

“I am of the opinion that the reason we are not allowed access is that if we were, we would trounce you men in all subjects!”

Overall, an easy read. There were moments where Julia Quinn’s writing puts me off, for example when she writes: “He seized the moment, tasting her, drinking her, breathing her.” Okay, calm down…

Spoiler

I did enjoy the last part of the story where Benedict and Violet get Sophie out of jail. Violet goes against Araminta and the entire time I was cheering her on! Don’t mess with Violet Bridgerton. Then Sophie and Posy stand united against Araminta, ugh so wholesome. I do think Araminta got off too easy. I could never understand how one can be so cruel towards children. Araminta does explain why she hated Sophie so much, but I didn’t find that a satisfying reason.

 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Classism, Death, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Misogyny, Bullying, Abandonment, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Alcohol and Rape

meliemelo's review

funny lighthearted medium-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

3.25

 A very fun overall, once you leave aside all the ways Benedict can be infuriating (hopefully that'll be smoothed over in the adaptation) and that whole "you've known each other for FIVE MINUTES" debacle at the end of the first act. It does help that I'm a sucker for the Cinderella trope. Also Violet Bridgerton deserves her own spin-off (and her intervention is definitely the one thing I hope to see in the adaptation). Finally, having never read any other Bridgerton book, I really enjoyed the way Lady Whistledown's publications frame the story, giving it context we couldn't get from the main characters' points of view alone. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Abandonment

caitlindutton's review

adventurous emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

LOVED this book. Devoured it in a day. Thought the story was unique, loved the characters (although Ben kinda sucked, still loved him) and touched on some topics of substance and importance.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Abandonment, Classism, Sexual harassment, Bullying, and Child abuse

Minor: Rape, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

jodiexmae's review

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? It's complicated

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Classism, and Confinement

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Pregnancy

dandymandyreads's review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Classism

Moderate: Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Child abuse, and Abandonment

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Infertility, and Vomit

gabyhat's review

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Minor: Death of parent and Pregnancy

billi3louise's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

The Cinderella-like retelling made it a touch cliché but after a while I forgot that it started like that because the story had a different twist than the Cinderella stories do. 
There was a point sometime in the middle where it got slow and I just felt like it needed to hurry up but then the entire last chapter I was wishing went forever. 
All in all, I ended up loving it. I’m a sucker for clichés. 
I’ve found a new favourite character in Posy. I want her to have her own book. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Body shaming, and Death

Minor: Rape