A review by erinrc
Mr. Spencer by TL Swan

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

3.5

If there’s anything I’ll give Tee credit for, it’s some originality with Mr. Spencer (the titles of the Mr series confuse the fuck out of me: why is it that Julian and Sebastian’s last names are used, but Spencer’s first name is used? Maybe Jones wasn't the right surname for him if it wasn't going to be used); it showed its differences from her other books. Some things still annoyed me, but there weren’t as many of the same issues for Mr. Masters. 

  1.  I saw positive comments about Charlotte’s character, strength, independence, and growth; honestly, I don’t entirely agree with those opinions. Her development happened because of Spencer, no matter how much he said it was all her. Her ability to be so easily swayed by a woman with a history of lying and breaking up a family and accept Penelope/Stephanie’s words over Spencer’s disappointed me. Yes, his playboy past was a factor, and I understood that it was something in the back of her mind. I even understood that her brother was important, but, in the end, I was more disappointed in her actions than Spencer’s. I wished that the book went for a little long just to make her grovel, which shocked me because I thought Spencer would be the one to fuck things up, not Charlotte. 
  2. Why, oh, why does Tee always feel a need to bring internalised misogyny into her stories? Every time. That, or she seems to overly sexualise the women in her books, especially the side characters. Sarah felt over-the-top and exceptionally unprofessional. Sheridan, though I’m glad (and shocked) that she didn’t turn out to be a much larger problem, just <i>had</i> to be a boundary-pushing, sexualised, “other woman” villain. 
  3. The way Spencer handled the Sheridan issue made me annoyed and uncomfortable. Yes, he didn’t kiss her (Ergo, he was telling the truth), but was he open about the fact that Sheridan kissed him twice and he did jack shit about it? No. That angered me so much, which only worsened when the rest of the book wasn’t dedicated to working on that. 
  4. Why the fuck was the death of Mrs. Prescott suspensefully brought up if it was never actually going to be examined?
  5. Why would Alexander York be as lightly involved as he was if there was no decent wrap-up for him?
  6. And Lara and Edward... come on, Tee.
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