This wasn’t a “oh, good book” four stars—it was more like a “through what sorcery is this book getting four stars from me??” four stars.

Because it had some potent (but probably idiosyncratic) pet peeves of mine. It had:
✨ low stakes “enemies” between feuding families
✨ some ‘I love them too much to be with them’ non-drama, and
✨ that couple that is always my least favourite in the series, the antagonistic ‘Anthony Bridgerton and Kate’ couple. Just on a personal level, you couldn’t pay me to go on a double date with a couple this emotionally unintelligent—borderline belligerent—so like… why am I reading their book, you know? 😂

So where’s my one/two star rant review? Even one of these pet peeves would be a DNFable offense.

One part of it is just this author and how much on-page falling in love she writes into her books. The sheer number of scenes where these two interact was almost gratuitous. Flirty-flirty heart eyes, hand touches, and conversations galore. It’s like drugs to me.

And the other part of it was how the story took all my pet peeves and… dealt with them? problematized them?

Lame-o “enemies” because your families are feuding is dumb—and that was the point. “I love you too much to be with you” is such a cop-out—again, the point. And grumpy grump couples need their hearts to grow a few sizes before they can really be together—thank you, lovely character arcs in here.

So yeah, somehow I ended up really enjoying this?