Rate: 2/5
Medium: Audiobook
Overview (No Spoilers):
Despite not being typically drawn to the romance genre, after the first three Bridgerton books and Netflix show I’ve been actively recommending this series. Moreover, I’ve been deliberately spacing out the series in my reading queue for a delightful break from fantasy to look forward to. My feelings regarding this series only compounded with how incredibly fun Benedict’s book was. That said, I had lofty expectations for Collin’s love story due to how much Netflix is hyping his and Penelope’s romance. Personally, I find mind blowing the Netflix hivemind would choose to skip Benedict and Sophie’s fairytale romance. That said, after finishing Romancing Mister Bridgerton I’m utterly confused as to why people are shipping Collin and Penelope. Collin is seriously the worst and treated sweet, brilliant Penelope just terrible. The romance aspect of Romancing Mister Bridgerton is almost nonexistent as Collin spent much of this novel in a jealous rage that seems rather out of character. And as for how very smart Penelope is, she allowed herself to be demeaned and insulted continually by Collin, even after they were married. With all the strong females in this series, I couldn’t believe the abuse that Penelope complacently absorbed from Collin. I’m not sure how Netflix will rectify Collin in the show, but as much as they’ve hyped him they have to amend his story somehow. I’m still baffled Netflix was willing to bypass Benedict over a story centered around a jealous male threatened by his significant other’s skill and talent.
Overall, Penelope deserves so much more than Collin’s short temper and insecurities.
Additional Insight (Spoilers Abound):
- How will Quinn now tell Eloise’s story?
- What about Franchesca’s story? It feels like she has totally been skipped.
- In the epilogue of Daphne’s story, Collin and Penelope have children and Lady Whistledown is still a mystery. Is that a continuity issue?
The Critiquing Chemist 