Dab’s review of A Lady Would Know Better > Likes and Comments

That cover is heinous. I mean…damn. The modern cartoon covers are reaching new lows.

Sarah Mac wrote: "That cover is heinous. I mean…damn. The modern cartoon covers are reaching new lows."

The book is even worse 😅

My kingdom for new HRs with a shred of knowledge about their time period

Lol, a corporate icebreaker team. 🤭 But seriously. That kind of nonexistent worldbuilding drives me batty. Even if the earl/duke/duchess/whoever in question was considered “an eccentric” & for some reason called servants by their first name, the servants would NEVER do that. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. 🙄

Agreed re: widowers & their past wives being good people. I like those too, but it’s considered anathema nowadays. So childish & unrealistic & shortsighted. At least the book had that much going for it—shame about the rest.

mikaela wrote: "My kingdom for new HRs with a shred of knowledge about their time period"

I knooooow😩

Sarah Mac wrote: "Lol, a corporate icebreaker team. 🤭 But seriously. That kind of nonexistent worldbuilding drives me batty. Even if the earl/duke/duchess/whoever in question was considered “an eccentric” & for some..."

He lost me when he asked his valet to call him Jasper. The valet was obviously perfectly fine with that and wasn’t even surprised🙄

Exactly! I don’t understand how is that a bad thing?! I mean unless it’s NA or YA, but I would expect a man in his late twenties/thirties to have some experience. The worst are those who have been married, or in a serious relationship before, but saying shit like “I’ve never been in love until now”. That’s a red flag for me, what was he doing in that relationship then?

That’s just a fundamentally bad understanding of old fashioned behavior. 🙄 The only exception might be someone who’s been in the family umbrella their entire lives, or known the titled person since they were a baby…like if you were their old Nanny or a trusted older valet you might be able to get away with something affectionate in private tete-a-tetes, like calling him “Young Master” as when he was a kid, but even such privileged servants would never ever call him Jasper. Wtf.

I might let the Never Been In Love comment slide in HR if it was a marriage of convenience on both sides, but in a contemporary? That’s just stupid. As you say, I’d be MORE concerned that he married someone without loving her. I mean, hellooo! Why’d you marry, then?!

Sarah Mac wrote: "That’s just a fundamentally bad understanding of old fashioned behavior. 🙄 The only exception might be someone who’s been in the family umbrella their entire lives, or known the titled person since..."

The funny thing is, these characters were all about Jane Austen, but if you’ve read her books, you know that first names were considered intimate and were not used by just anyone.

Bummer. HF can be quite a letdown when not done properly. Sounds like The Author Should've Known Better. Honest review Dab! Hope the next one nails it :)

Federico wrote: "Bummer. HF can be quite a letdown when not done properly. Sounds like The Author Should've Known Better. Honest review Dab! Hope the next one nails it :)"

Thanks Federico! Heh yep, she def should’ve done her homework.

I never understand why authors set their stories in specific eras but then not play by their rules. I mean, just set it in modern times, when you want people swearing!

Mira wrote: "I never understand why authors set their stories in specific eras but then not play by their rules. I mean, just set it in modern times, when you want people swearing!"

Yep, same, otherwise it has the historical accuracy of the Flintstones…

Onto better books bb

Thanks SK💗

I was hesitant, but curious about this one… I think I’ll pass.