Romancing Mister Bridgerton: Bridgerton (Bridgertons, 4)

I think my expectations were too high going into this book. I adored Colin in the previous books, but once we get his story it makes me really dislike him. He's an angry, jealous man who controls Penelope with threats and abuse. I have no idea why she has loved him for so long because I didn't like him. Also, can we talk about the Fatherington family. Worst family ever! Poor Penelope. I loved her, but the rest of this book was one massive disappointment.

I have never been more let down by a book in my life. I picked up this series after seeing the television series and being intrigued by the Colin/Penelope romance, I waded through the previous books and was hopefull this would live up to it's promise, reader, it does not. Not only does Colin lose all personality and mischief, he becomes as boorish and "alpha" as every other male lead of the series. "The big reveal" was ridiculous, we never see the repercussions of being Lady Whistledown and there was simply so much that could have been done with this story line. The author chose the most boring line imaginable. So much could have been done with Penelope too, why does she have to lose a stone to be marriage worthy ? She was perhaps the most interesting character and her whole personality was reduced to nothing. We don't really know why Penelope decides to print her work and we never find out what she felt about her succes or about her "retirement". It's brushed over so quickly, I was left disapointed and I doubt I will read the rest of the series. As always the writing is mediocre at best with the dialogue being especially clunky, disjointed and silly, I can usually get past that if the story and characters are good enough. In this case, they weren't.

The fourth Bridgerton book is an absolute delight as we finally see the lovely Penelope Featherington - who has popped up in all the previous books as a bit of a wallflower, but we soon discover a wallflower with attitude - noticed by the man she has loved for, like, ever.... Colin Bridgerton. This is a friends-to-lovers story to absolutely melt your heart. Colin has been a charming, witty rake in the previous books, the third brother who - behind that charming facade - struggles with his place in life. As a result, he's spent years travelling around the globe to basically avoid confronting the pointlessness - as he see it - of his existence. It was really sweet to see Penelope finally snare Colin - when he FINALLY figures out that the woman he has always considered a trusted friend is actually much more than that. In so doing, Colin also makes Penelope realise how truly fabulous she is. So there's a little bit of the ugly duckling-swan story going on there, too. The ending to this book is particularly fabulous - and chaotic - too as the identity of Mrs Whistledown - the secret society gossip whose wry observations have introduced the other books - is finally revealed.

This book made me despise Colin, who had been one of my favorite characters. This relationship can be labeled as toxic and abusive just from the quotes “due to his remarkable (and here-to fore untapped) self control, ..., his soon to be wife might wake up the next day with a serious bruise on her arm” and a few sentences down this lovely quote of a thought Colin had while continuing to squeeze Penelope’s arm because he was jealous she had a purpose “but he couldn’t let go. He knew he was hurting her, he knew it wasn’t a terribly nice thing that he was hurting her but he was so damned furious at that moment it was either squeeze her arm for all he was worth or lose his temper in front of five hundred of their nearest and dearest acquaintances.” Because physically abusing someone is always the answer according to Colin.