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blissofalife's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Vomit, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Sexism, Blood, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
isabelgrace18's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Grief and War
Moderate: Gun violence
leontyna's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death and Grief
natfoster's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
jackiepreston's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Medical content, and Grief
savage_book_review's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
This one does revert to type and feels a bit more formulaic and trope-heavy than the previous books. It's just as chilled reading-wise, but somehow comes across as having had less thought put into the overall story. Amnesia, fake marriage, one bed and miscommunication abounds, but the overall plot feels based on quite thin foundations. I therefore didn't find myself enjoying this one nearly as much as book 1.
Similarly, the characters don't feel as developed. Our leading lady, Cecilia, starts off with a promising backstory and a familiar streak of modernity, but this is quickly diminished. While she is not simple subservient housewife material, she does lose her sparkiness and transforms into a more conventional period character. And her decisions to not impart certain information just drives me mad. Edward Rokesby is a little more rounded out and I generally liked his soft-in-the-centre character, but again there just isn't enough depth to them for me.
To me, the most impressive part of this is actually the backstory - set during the American War of Independence, it gives the reader something of an idea of the conditions and geography of the place, and an insight into what the soldiers' experiences might have been like. It's not overly detailed, and it does only explore one small corner of the conflict, but it's a decent introduction for someone who knows pretty much nothing about that era.
There is certainly nothing "wrong" with this book and it is an enjoyable read, but nor is there anything that really hooked me this time around.
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Grief, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Alcohol
haley49's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, Blood, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
littlewishling's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, War, and Injury/Injury detail
cepbreed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
5/18/23 reread:
I didnt think it was possible for me to reread a book this soon after my initial read but somehow the universe told me to pick this up again. Against all odds it wasn’t only just as good, it was better. I was never once bored rehashing the same details between Cecelia and Edward in fact I was literally clenching my teeth in stress over the lies and miscommunication. All of that anxiety over a story I knew had a happy ending.
Song:
- All My Love - Noah Kahan
- False God - Taylor Swift
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Moderate: War
Minor: Mental illness, Medical content, and Pregnancy
co_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Instead, her brother died, the mystery as to where Edward was when he lost his memory was that he got clobbered over the head by a fisherman (that is never really explained) and both characters lie to each other repeatedly over and over again. They mystery seemed to be building up to something much more exciting and then everything just fizzled out.
Even the ending left me cold - she runs away and he follows abandoning his spot in the British army (although he does give notice, it is out character). Then they get married on the ship. That's it. He even lies to her during the reconciliation scene.
The only reason I kept writing is because I love Julia Quinn's writing style (but even in this book found some anachronisms extremely distracting which is not usual for me at all). I don't imagine I will ever reread this one but I will still try out some others.
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Slavery, Violence, Blood, and Vomit
Minor: Racism