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A review by guiltlesspleasures
The Worst Woman in London by Julia Bennet
challenging
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I hardly have any reading notes in my StoryGraph because I was so absorbed in this book. I just… I loved it so much.
Why? First, the writing was beautiful.
Second, the plotline Bennet chose (our FMC desires a divorce from her cold, philandering husband, a fraught prospect in the Victorian era) allowed her to create characters that were, or became, open minded without seeming anachronistically modern.
Third, the growing affection between Francesca and James (who adorably call each other Fran and Jemmy) felt natural and believable. And hot.
And most importantly, there were no Good or Evil characters in this book; only human ones in various shades of gray. The mistress wasn’t a grasping harridan, Francesca wasn’t a lilywhite victim, and even the “villain” gets something of a happy ending (probably a controversial choice but one I really liked).
This is a very character-driven romance, so if you prefer heavy plot, lots of tropes and swoony dramatics, this probably isn’t for you. Read it if you like cerebral but sexy stories of emotional growth in a historical setting that isn’t wallpaper.
Why? First, the writing was beautiful.
Second, the plotline Bennet chose (our FMC desires a divorce from her cold, philandering husband, a fraught prospect in the Victorian era) allowed her to create characters that were, or became, open minded without seeming anachronistically modern.
Third, the growing affection between Francesca and James (who adorably call each other Fran and Jemmy) felt natural and believable. And hot.
And most importantly, there were no Good or Evil characters in this book; only human ones in various shades of gray. The mistress wasn’t a grasping harridan, Francesca wasn’t a lilywhite victim, and even the “villain” gets something of a happy ending (probably a controversial choice but one I really liked).
This is a very character-driven romance, so if you prefer heavy plot, lots of tropes and swoony dramatics, this probably isn’t for you. Read it if you like cerebral but sexy stories of emotional growth in a historical setting that isn’t wallpaper.