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Friday Dreaming
Shattered dreams and broken promises. Caught between love and loyalty.
Friday is bookish and plain, but she has secretly loved her childhood friend for years. The impossible happens when gorgeous Nick proposes, making her dreams come true. Only he isn’t behaving like a man in love.
Disaster strikes when Friday learns Nick was forced into offering for her to save him from an unsuitable liaison. Her happiness in tatters, she breaks off the engagement. Can Friday’s true worth oust the attraction of her rival’s incomparable beauty? And will Nick learn to value what he’s lost before it’s too late?
Friday is bookish and plain, but she has secretly loved her childhood friend for years. The impossible happens when gorgeous Nick proposes, making her dreams come true. Only he isn’t behaving like a man in love.
Disaster strikes when Friday learns Nick was forced into offering for her to save him from an unsuitable liaison. Her happiness in tatters, she breaks off the engagement. Can Friday’s true worth oust the attraction of her rival’s incomparable beauty? And will Nick learn to value what he’s lost before it’s too late?
205 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1994
67 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Bailey
95 books304 followersAn avid reader from an early age, Elizabeth Bailey grew up in colonial Africa under unconventional parentage and with theatre in the blood. Back in England, she trod the boards until discovering her true métier as a writer in her thirties, when she fulfilled an early addiction to Georgette Heyer by launching into historical romance. Eight years and eight books later, Elizabeth joined the Harlequin Mills & Boon stable, fuelling her writing with a secondary career teaching and directing drama, and writing plays into the bargain.
With 18 historicals published, Elizabeth turned to other genres, producing two titles (Fly the Wild Echoes and For One More Tomorrow) in the cross-genre literary/paranormal field as well as a suspense novella (Silence of a Stranger). She has several short stories available too and a guide for writers on editing.
Continuing her foray into other genres, but returning to her favourite historical period, Elizabeth turned to mystery. She placed her female sleuth in the late Georgian world of intrigue, elegance, aristocrats and rogues, where privilege rubbed shoulders with the harsh realities of making ends meet. While Ottilia moves in the upper echelon of Society, she is thoroughly at ease in the lower, which allows Elizabeth to cross boundaries with impunity. These novels are now published with Sapere Books and the list continues to grow.
Sapere also publish her Brides by Chance Regency Adventures, a series dedicated to the countless women who could not ordinarily hope for romance and marriage: poor relations, dowerless females, those who did not "take", orphans. In a word, the classic Cinderella heroine.
Now retired from teaching, Elizabeth concentrates on writing and promotion, with a sideline in running an assessment critique service for writers.
With 18 historicals published, Elizabeth turned to other genres, producing two titles (Fly the Wild Echoes and For One More Tomorrow) in the cross-genre literary/paranormal field as well as a suspense novella (Silence of a Stranger). She has several short stories available too and a guide for writers on editing.
Continuing her foray into other genres, but returning to her favourite historical period, Elizabeth turned to mystery. She placed her female sleuth in the late Georgian world of intrigue, elegance, aristocrats and rogues, where privilege rubbed shoulders with the harsh realities of making ends meet. While Ottilia moves in the upper echelon of Society, she is thoroughly at ease in the lower, which allows Elizabeth to cross boundaries with impunity. These novels are now published with Sapere Books and the list continues to grow.
Sapere also publish her Brides by Chance Regency Adventures, a series dedicated to the countless women who could not ordinarily hope for romance and marriage: poor relations, dowerless females, those who did not "take", orphans. In a word, the classic Cinderella heroine.
Now retired from teaching, Elizabeth concentrates on writing and promotion, with a sideline in running an assessment critique service for writers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 27, 2019
2.5 stars
This book contains two plot elements I find particularly irritating:
1. A girl who has silently pined after her best friend for years (a sort of 'girl next door trope') and
2. A girl who reads Greek and Latin and accordingly is, for some reason, down with talking about sex. It baffles me why historical authors (particularly set in the Regency era) think that an 'enlightened' heroine with an unusual education must be obsessed with sex. Why shouldn't she be obsessed with battle strategy or honor or the state of the soul? One is led to believe the Greek playwrights wrote like Nora Roberts. (Granted, Aristophanes is pretty vulgar, but there is nothing sexy about him!)
I found it further distracting that Friday constantly contrasts herself and the hero with Paris and Helen. WHY would anyone want to be them?! Especially someone obsessed with The Iliad? Paris is a coward and hardly a character on which to model a lover.
But anyway, adding to these tropes, the heroine of Friday Dreaming is blind as a bat and needs to wear giant spectacles which somehow mask her face. It is an important character trait and one I found confusing.
My final criticism (while I'm listing them) is that one reads an ugly duckling plot like this for the eventual transformation. We want to see owlish Friday turn into a swan. But the actual transformation gets underplayed and almost discarded as the story goes on. So that failed to satisfy.
Overall though, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was well-written and I did not find any grammar issues. The characters didn't bog me down too much with their angst. There were good friendships and some amusing lines. The plot kept me interested and I kept rooting for the couple. Plus, it stayed generally clean.
Not one I plan to return to, but still...not bad for a freebie.
This book contains two plot elements I find particularly irritating:
1. A girl who has silently pined after her best friend for years (a sort of 'girl next door trope') and
2. A girl who reads Greek and Latin and accordingly is, for some reason, down with talking about sex. It baffles me why historical authors (particularly set in the Regency era) think that an 'enlightened' heroine with an unusual education must be obsessed with sex. Why shouldn't she be obsessed with battle strategy or honor or the state of the soul? One is led to believe the Greek playwrights wrote like Nora Roberts. (Granted, Aristophanes is pretty vulgar, but there is nothing sexy about him!)
I found it further distracting that Friday constantly contrasts herself and the hero with Paris and Helen. WHY would anyone want to be them?! Especially someone obsessed with The Iliad? Paris is a coward and hardly a character on which to model a lover.
But anyway, adding to these tropes, the heroine of Friday Dreaming is blind as a bat and needs to wear giant spectacles which somehow mask her face. It is an important character trait and one I found confusing.
My final criticism (while I'm listing them) is that one reads an ugly duckling plot like this for the eventual transformation. We want to see owlish Friday turn into a swan. But the actual transformation gets underplayed and almost discarded as the story goes on. So that failed to satisfy.
Overall though, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was well-written and I did not find any grammar issues. The characters didn't bog me down too much with their angst. There were good friendships and some amusing lines. The plot kept me interested and I kept rooting for the couple. Plus, it stayed generally clean.
Not one I plan to return to, but still...not bad for a freebie.
May 31, 2021
This book has all the promise of a traditional Georgian/Regency and a great concept, and I was charmed ... but also annoyed and bored.
March 16, 2016
This was a mediocre read. In fairness to the author it was well written (ish) and had characters that were on the cusp of becoming interesting, but for me the story never came together. Two stars actually seems a bit harsh, but I couldn't bring myself to say I liked it.
It starts off in a predictable Regency plot line- the bookish, plain heroine (Friday) has been secretly in love with the stunningly handsome boy (Nick) who often visits her next door neighbor. Friday's father, learning of her interest, mentions to Nick's father that there might be a very nice dowry involved if Nick were to offer for Friday. As Nick is currently infatuated with a girl the family considers "ineligible" Nick's father blackmails him into proposing to Friday. He does so, Friday accepts, to his surprise, and the farce begins.
The story is...fine? There is fun dialogue, some good set pieces, Nick and Friday have something approaching banter, but it never gels. There is a "makeover" section I know a lot of people like, but this one didn't work for me, mostly as the main character didn't seem to want any part of it, so the "self-confidence" aspect of the makeover never came into play.
Friday has two "ticks" used to establish her character. She really enjoys Greek myths, which honestly felt shoehorned into the plot to prove that she was "bookish", and she wears spectacles. The amount of dialogue action that revolved around her putting on/ taking off/hiding her glasses made me think the author knew of no other way to denote "distress/ pluck". Accept for clutching at trees while crying, which she does twice.
All of this is an improvement over Nick, who seems to have no personality. He is very pretty, and, he, uh, values Friday's friendship? So much so that he makes an insincere proposal without explaining the situation to her, and takes every opportunity to never explain himself.
There is a third "main" character, Hermione, the ineligible lover. This is obviously a character the reader is supposed to hate, with all of her manipulations, and "greed", but this could have been a much more interesting story, had she been a sympathetic character.
**** spoilers****
As the climax involves Hermione pushing Friday into a River, this is supposed to then prove what a low, terrible person Hermione is. But then, Nick does the same thing to her. And it's supposed to be heroic- an act of valor. Bleh. Between that and Friday's sexual awaking after a kiss (!) at the age of 21 I did not find this to be an enjoyable story. The hero was boring, the heroine a boilerplate bluestocking with a cardboard villain and a tired plot. Friday dreaming
It starts off in a predictable Regency plot line- the bookish, plain heroine (Friday) has been secretly in love with the stunningly handsome boy (Nick) who often visits her next door neighbor. Friday's father, learning of her interest, mentions to Nick's father that there might be a very nice dowry involved if Nick were to offer for Friday. As Nick is currently infatuated with a girl the family considers "ineligible" Nick's father blackmails him into proposing to Friday. He does so, Friday accepts, to his surprise, and the farce begins.
The story is...fine? There is fun dialogue, some good set pieces, Nick and Friday have something approaching banter, but it never gels. There is a "makeover" section I know a lot of people like, but this one didn't work for me, mostly as the main character didn't seem to want any part of it, so the "self-confidence" aspect of the makeover never came into play.
Friday has two "ticks" used to establish her character. She really enjoys Greek myths, which honestly felt shoehorned into the plot to prove that she was "bookish", and she wears spectacles. The amount of dialogue action that revolved around her putting on/ taking off/hiding her glasses made me think the author knew of no other way to denote "distress/ pluck". Accept for clutching at trees while crying, which she does twice.
All of this is an improvement over Nick, who seems to have no personality. He is very pretty, and, he, uh, values Friday's friendship? So much so that he makes an insincere proposal without explaining the situation to her, and takes every opportunity to never explain himself.
There is a third "main" character, Hermione, the ineligible lover. This is obviously a character the reader is supposed to hate, with all of her manipulations, and "greed", but this could have been a much more interesting story, had she been a sympathetic character.
**** spoilers****
As the climax involves Hermione pushing Friday into a River, this is supposed to then prove what a low, terrible person Hermione is. But then, Nick does the same thing to her. And it's supposed to be heroic- an act of valor. Bleh. Between that and Friday's sexual awaking after a kiss (!) at the age of 21 I did not find this to be an enjoyable story. The hero was boring, the heroine a boilerplate bluestocking with a cardboard villain and a tired plot. Friday dreaming
June 30, 2013
Very cute, sweet Regency romance. The characters are a bit young--heroine is 19? 21? and hero is only about 23. I would definitely recommend this for any teenage historical romance lovers--the dialogue and emotions seemed very YA to me, in a funny and sweet way.
October 14, 2024
Solid 3 🌟 An OK read.
Friends to lovers with unrequited love on FMC's part.
The angst and pining was pretty good but
I feel annoyed that the ow drama came back near 90% of the book. Towards the end there was too many characters and too much drama that I wasn't really invested in.
Friends to lovers with unrequited love on FMC's part.
The angst and pining was pretty good but
I feel annoyed that the ow drama came back near 90% of the book. Towards the end there was too many characters and too much drama that I wasn't really invested in.
December 12, 2020
Wonderful
Poignant, funny, emotional and witty, Friday’s love story really matters to the reader. Though the plot is simple, the execution is brilliant, as Friday and Nick are tempered into a mature love by the manipulations, benign and malignant, of others.
Poignant, funny, emotional and witty, Friday’s love story really matters to the reader. Though the plot is simple, the execution is brilliant, as Friday and Nick are tempered into a mature love by the manipulations, benign and malignant, of others.
August 12, 2014
3.5 stars
This was pleasantly well written and well paced considering my expectations of a Mills and Boon book. It shows the growth of love and infatuation between two friends in Regency England complete with scheming beauties and misunderstandings.
Friday has long held an unrequited love for Nick. Nick has had several infatuations and currently fancies himself in love with an unsuitable woman. Meanwhile bluestocking Friday is coming up on 21 and her dad decides she needs marriage - he deduces Fridays feelings regarding Nick and arranges for Nick to be forced into the alliance....albeit while he is "in love" with another and without divulging the arrangement to Friday.
In some ways they both begin with infatuation - Friday is young and inexperienced - though she believes herself in love she's never attempted to make her feelings known or had them confronted in any way with any true form of reality - no confidences to friends or attempts to socialise with her peers. She's been comfy with her daydreams and ancient myths and unrequited desires.
Nick on the other hand has circulated freely, and like many young men has been fickle with his attractions. Though he has a stronger sense of honour than some and thus colours his most recent affections through a screen of nobility and pooh-poohs the idea of anything less than marriage. Yet even at this early point we can see inklings of his true regard for Friday but blinkered by his callow youth.
The first half of the book with the sham betrothal reflects the transient nature of infatuation - following the big denouement we see how love differs from shallower feelings and reality is more confusing than daydreams.
All in all it was actually a lovely little read. But I forgot that Mills & Boon's just sort of end with decisions to marry (like that fixes the universe...though in historicals it was sort of the only option!)
This was pleasantly well written and well paced considering my expectations of a Mills and Boon book. It shows the growth of love and infatuation between two friends in Regency England complete with scheming beauties and misunderstandings.
Friday has long held an unrequited love for Nick. Nick has had several infatuations and currently fancies himself in love with an unsuitable woman. Meanwhile bluestocking Friday is coming up on 21 and her dad decides she needs marriage - he deduces Fridays feelings regarding Nick and arranges for Nick to be forced into the alliance....albeit while he is "in love" with another and without divulging the arrangement to Friday.
In some ways they both begin with infatuation - Friday is young and inexperienced - though she believes herself in love she's never attempted to make her feelings known or had them confronted in any way with any true form of reality - no confidences to friends or attempts to socialise with her peers. She's been comfy with her daydreams and ancient myths and unrequited desires.
Nick on the other hand has circulated freely, and like many young men has been fickle with his attractions. Though he has a stronger sense of honour than some and thus colours his most recent affections through a screen of nobility and pooh-poohs the idea of anything less than marriage. Yet even at this early point we can see inklings of his true regard for Friday but blinkered by his callow youth.
The first half of the book with the sham betrothal reflects the transient nature of infatuation - following the big denouement we see how love differs from shallower feelings and reality is more confusing than daydreams.
All in all it was actually a lovely little read. But I forgot that Mills & Boon's just sort of end with decisions to marry (like that fixes the universe...though in historicals it was sort of the only option!)
January 4, 2023
Such brilliant angst! Landing on the recurring reads shelf immediately. This NAILS so many of my favorite tropes! I’m off to pour over the rest of Bailey’s catalog in hope of more!
Did Not Finish
December 31, 2024DNFed at page 106.
Sad to end the year on a DNF, but I don't think it would've been a good book either way.
The characters are so one-dimensional and stereotypical. Heroine who's bookish and "ugly", hero who's handsome, popular, and ofc emotionally clueless, and the other woman who's nothing but a manipulative gold-digger. Sometimes I like a cliché romance, but at least make the characters have depth. Friday loves Greek mythology and wears glasses, which makes her feel self-conscious (obvs when she takes them off all of a sudden she's more attractive... can we not do this anymore? I happen to like how I look with AND without glasses), and she pines after Nick. What else is there to her story? And what's so swoon-worthy about Nick that makes Friday so in love? Halfway through and everyone seems so superficial to me.
Plot-wise, at first it was going well. Then once it hit the 90-page mark, it became so tiring and obnoxious. So much back and forth and angsty inner monologue it felt like watching a handful of middle schoolers. I wanted desperately for a 'she-fell-first-but-he-fell-harder' romance, but I couldn't be bothered to continue.
I think the thing that bugged me the most was the writing. There were so many odd word choices, like 'inamorata' when 'lover' would have sufficed. Or when those words get repeated multiple times in a weird attempt to mimic late 18th-early 19th century (?) speech, like 'affianced' (why not just 'engaged'?). The term 'female' was used 70 TIMES in the span of 250-ish pages!! I know from Jane Austen books that the word was used frequently back then, but even in her books, I've never felt inundated by such repetition. They used 'woman' and 'women' back then too, you know? And what's with the random 'ain't'??? At one point a character says: "'No he don't! The girl ain't worth it!'" as if he's a cowboy from the American South instead of a gentleman with a title in Georgian/Regency England.
Overall, I guess I've learned my lesson to not be so hurried with a Reddit recommendation, without properly reading other reviews first. I was just desperate for a romance that resembles my fave of all time, The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Guess I'll just have to keep looking *sighs*.
Sad to end the year on a DNF, but I don't think it would've been a good book either way.
The characters are so one-dimensional and stereotypical. Heroine who's bookish and "ugly", hero who's handsome, popular, and ofc emotionally clueless, and the other woman who's nothing but a manipulative gold-digger. Sometimes I like a cliché romance, but at least make the characters have depth. Friday loves Greek mythology and wears glasses, which makes her feel self-conscious (obvs when she takes them off all of a sudden she's more attractive... can we not do this anymore? I happen to like how I look with AND without glasses), and she pines after Nick. What else is there to her story? And what's so swoon-worthy about Nick that makes Friday so in love? Halfway through and everyone seems so superficial to me.
Plot-wise, at first it was going well. Then once it hit the 90-page mark, it became so tiring and obnoxious. So much back and forth and angsty inner monologue it felt like watching a handful of middle schoolers. I wanted desperately for a 'she-fell-first-but-he-fell-harder' romance, but I couldn't be bothered to continue.
I think the thing that bugged me the most was the writing. There were so many odd word choices, like 'inamorata' when 'lover' would have sufficed. Or when those words get repeated multiple times in a weird attempt to mimic late 18th-early 19th century (?) speech, like 'affianced' (why not just 'engaged'?). The term 'female' was used 70 TIMES in the span of 250-ish pages!! I know from Jane Austen books that the word was used frequently back then, but even in her books, I've never felt inundated by such repetition. They used 'woman' and 'women' back then too, you know? And what's with the random 'ain't'??? At one point a character says: "'No he don't! The girl ain't worth it!'" as if he's a cowboy from the American South instead of a gentleman with a title in Georgian/Regency England.
Overall, I guess I've learned my lesson to not be so hurried with a Reddit recommendation, without properly reading other reviews first. I was just desperate for a romance that resembles my fave of all time, The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Guess I'll just have to keep looking *sighs*.
October 17, 2024
What an absolute mess. This book was nothing but petty, immature drama. Every single character was so thoroughly unlikeable and annoying.
Nick is the most pathetic male lead I’ve ever read. He’s stupid and a coward, an overall loser. Friday was just sad. She has no conviction and is so easily manipulated.
I only kept reading because it seemed so promising. Just when I thought Friday would finally stand up for herself or Nick would show any kind of genuine remorse, it would completely flip. It was infuriating how he gaslit her into thinking she was the one in the wrong. He never felt any real consequences of his own stupidity and Friday never had the chance to grow without him.
And it ended so abruptly! After they spent the whole book at odds with each other. The romance took up like two pages and the reconciliation was unearned. It just made me so angry that I wasted my time on this.
Nick is the most pathetic male lead I’ve ever read. He’s stupid and a coward, an overall loser. Friday was just sad. She has no conviction and is so easily manipulated.
I only kept reading because it seemed so promising. Just when I thought Friday would finally stand up for herself or Nick would show any kind of genuine remorse, it would completely flip. It was infuriating how he gaslit her into thinking she was the one in the wrong. He never felt any real consequences of his own stupidity and Friday never had the chance to grow without him.
And it ended so abruptly! After they spent the whole book at odds with each other. The romance took up like two pages and the reconciliation was unearned. It just made me so angry that I wasted my time on this.
April 4, 2019
Plain and book-loving Friday (short for Frideswid) has long been in love with Nick, the friend of her neighbor. She is overjoyed when he proposes but soon is disillusioned when she realizes he'd been compelled to offer for her with no real feeling for her. What follows is a complicated journey to true love.
It took me a while to warm up to Nick. I found him to be a young, arrogant, and thoughtless boy, and I couldn't see any reason to want him to win the girl. Friday is slightly more likable, although she is also young and immature.
Still, there were some very enjoyable moments throughout. The plot does lag in places, but it kept me interested enough to finish.
Although not an immediate favorite, I still would recommend it for readers looking for a read about two young people finding love.
It took me a while to warm up to Nick. I found him to be a young, arrogant, and thoughtless boy, and I couldn't see any reason to want him to win the girl. Friday is slightly more likable, although she is also young and immature.
Still, there were some very enjoyable moments throughout. The plot does lag in places, but it kept me interested enough to finish.
Although not an immediate favorite, I still would recommend it for readers looking for a read about two young people finding love.
November 20, 2017
on my keeper shelf :) Friday (or frideswid as her bluestocking mother insisted on calling her) is in love with Nicholas weare. they've been friends forever, but its not until his father forces Nicholas to propose that Friday believes there's truly a chance, but then she finds out about the beautiful, grasping Hermione who has Nick at her feet...
This is a coming of age story in a lot of ways, but learning to know and love the characters, you can see how all the misunderstandings happen and why and that makes Nick's realization all the sweeter, and finally he truly is the man who deserves Friday.
This is a coming of age story in a lot of ways, but learning to know and love the characters, you can see how all the misunderstandings happen and why and that makes Nick's realization all the sweeter, and finally he truly is the man who deserves Friday.
January 10, 2022
Great characterisation and emotional purpose however one dimensional on plot lines.... Austen and Heyer still own the top spot in surrounding their romances with second and third story lines that do not directly impact the relationship yet enhance the suspense...
There was just a little too much... yes he does, no he doesn't, yes he does, no he doesn't... which might have been unnecessary with a little more meat to the worlds of Friday and Nick separately. Maybe a one off so I will be trying another of Bailey's stories as I did enjoy her style of dialogue. Wit almost reminiscent of Heyer's.
There was just a little too much... yes he does, no he doesn't, yes he does, no he doesn't... which might have been unnecessary with a little more meat to the worlds of Friday and Nick separately. Maybe a one off so I will be trying another of Bailey's stories as I did enjoy her style of dialogue. Wit almost reminiscent of Heyer's.
July 13, 2019
Clean enjoyable read
This was well written and clean. The story was well developed in general and a great plot, but my only criticism is the misunderstanding between the h and H went on far too long. I was exasperated. The resolution should have come much sooner. The things they said repeatedly to each other would have normally created an unresolvable rift. So it became unbelievable that the could get together in the end. So that made it 4 stars instead of 5.
Otherwise a great read. I was so happy it was clean.
This was well written and clean. The story was well developed in general and a great plot, but my only criticism is the misunderstanding between the h and H went on far too long. I was exasperated. The resolution should have come much sooner. The things they said repeatedly to each other would have normally created an unresolvable rift. So it became unbelievable that the could get together in the end. So that made it 4 stars instead of 5.
Otherwise a great read. I was so happy it was clean.
August 10, 2022
OK -ish
A lovely rollercoaster tale of secret love, deep friendship, wicked conniving, betrayal, and all points in between, loses stars because far too much time was spent regurgitating their emotions and confusion.
Equally, Friday needed a good shake, and a serious talking to. Letting Mick get away with that bad behaviour? No!
Nick needed a good slap or two, while having it pointed out that not everything is all about him, his hurt feelings, his so-called heartbreak.
Skim read over the mithering to enjoy this story.
A lovely rollercoaster tale of secret love, deep friendship, wicked conniving, betrayal, and all points in between, loses stars because far too much time was spent regurgitating their emotions and confusion.
Equally, Friday needed a good shake, and a serious talking to. Letting Mick get away with that bad behaviour? No!
Nick needed a good slap or two, while having it pointed out that not everything is all about him, his hurt feelings, his so-called heartbreak.
Skim read over the mithering to enjoy this story.
March 28, 2023
I DNF'ed this book somewhere around pg200 because of the underlying fatphobia prevalent in the book and the unsettling feeling that the author, for all intents and purposes, has some unresolved feelings of hatred towards women and sexuality in general. And frankly, I like my heroines likeable and my heroes accountable. Women aren't only little, fragile, spineless virgins or immoral, exploitative, shameless whores and men aren't going about their lives innocently blameless in a society they've created.
April 3, 2019
Ehh
The plot itself was good but I truly disliked the characters of the story. Friday was weak with no backbone. She allowed herself to bullied, manipulated, insulted and then forgave way too easily. Caro was shrill, overbearing and manipulative. Nick was entirely too arrogant, selfish, self-absorbed and wishy-washy. I won't say more on the rest of the characters.
The narration was what made it tolerable to finish the book.
The plot itself was good but I truly disliked the characters of the story. Friday was weak with no backbone. She allowed herself to bullied, manipulated, insulted and then forgave way too easily. Caro was shrill, overbearing and manipulative. Nick was entirely too arrogant, selfish, self-absorbed and wishy-washy. I won't say more on the rest of the characters.
The narration was what made it tolerable to finish the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2022
My first by this author
I really enjoyed this book by Elizabeth Bailey. Too much, actually... I stayed up very late. A clean romance with a pretty villain. I will definitely look up more from this author.
I really enjoyed this book by Elizabeth Bailey. Too much, actually... I stayed up very late. A clean romance with a pretty villain. I will definitely look up more from this author.
January 9, 2021
1.Heroine is such ninny
2.hero meh
3.other characters were so annoying
4.I just had a headache from reading this
2.hero meh
3.other characters were so annoying
4.I just had a headache from reading this
December 29, 2021
Really good.
August 13, 2022
Quick read
This is a very quick but fun read. The ending is a little abrupt but we got what we needed.
This is a very quick but fun read. The ending is a little abrupt but we got what we needed.
July 3, 2023
O protagonista é um dos piores que eu já li e a trama é confusa demais. O conflito é de uma tolice irritante. Pode ser a tradução, mas os personagens não são exatamente atraentes para o leitor.
July 18, 2024
Two best friends who are fools in love, repeatedly. One thing that I really liked was the juxtaposition of Nick's affront at Hermione's easy surrender to his kiss and his pleasure at Friday's initiation of a kiss herself, and that was before he even realized he liked her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2025
Dnf. The writing was abhorent. The pseudo-posh phrases took me out of the story and so much telling. Felt like a chore.
February 2, 2025
3.5 *bespectacled bluestocking* stars!!! Nick and Friday were so cuteee together. My heart hurt for them!! Just wished there was an epilogue 😭
March 23, 2025
The plot was silly and the characters lacked depth. The writing was good but not enough for more than 2 stars.
August 1, 2020
Wonderful Story
I have owned this book for some years and have read it before but never left a review.
Elizabeth Bailey is one of my favourite authors, her writing and story telling is so well crafted. Her characters are so well thought out and in this book Friday is a delight, she is so naive and so in love with Nick, she really didn't stand much of a chance, I could have shook her mother as she was no support at all. Friday had moments of having a 'back bone' but not too many or else she wouldn't have gone along with the ridiculous plans forced on her by Nick's sister Caro, in particular removing her spectacles, was so annoying to me, as it in effect removed her security and left her vulnerable. The 3 witches were vicious and I felt a need to cheer when Friday stuck up for herself, as her sponsors were rarely about when she needed their support against them. 'Sweet' Hermione and her mother were utter 'trollops' how they were entertained by the beau monde, and how Nick initially and Lord Aymestrey latterly were so drawn in, is beyond me, it just goes to prove (if we are to believe authors) that many men of the Regency period could see no further than a pretty face, and they deserved everything they got.
Friday finally got her Happy Ever After which was a pleasure to see.
As may be apparent by my review I really got into this story, and I would thoroughly recommend this book, and Elizabeth's work.
I have owned this book for some years and have read it before but never left a review.
Elizabeth Bailey is one of my favourite authors, her writing and story telling is so well crafted. Her characters are so well thought out and in this book Friday is a delight, she is so naive and so in love with Nick, she really didn't stand much of a chance, I could have shook her mother as she was no support at all. Friday had moments of having a 'back bone' but not too many or else she wouldn't have gone along with the ridiculous plans forced on her by Nick's sister Caro, in particular removing her spectacles, was so annoying to me, as it in effect removed her security and left her vulnerable. The 3 witches were vicious and I felt a need to cheer when Friday stuck up for herself, as her sponsors were rarely about when she needed their support against them. 'Sweet' Hermione and her mother were utter 'trollops' how they were entertained by the beau monde, and how Nick initially and Lord Aymestrey latterly were so drawn in, is beyond me, it just goes to prove (if we are to believe authors) that many men of the Regency period could see no further than a pretty face, and they deserved everything they got.
Friday finally got her Happy Ever After which was a pleasure to see.
As may be apparent by my review I really got into this story, and I would thoroughly recommend this book, and Elizabeth's work.
November 23, 2024
Era para ser o clássico romance do patinho feio, moça considerada feia ou ‘simplória’ nutre uma paixão secreta pelo seu melhor amigo, que desconhece ser o objeto de tamanha afeição, mas esse livro conseguiu fazer ser uma salada tão confusa de personagens, quando não insípidos, totalmente irritantes, que eu nem sei como eu tive coragem para ler até o fim.
Partindo de Nick, ele é um herói sem basicamente nenhuma qualidade tirando um rostinho bonito, a autora escreve várias vezes sobre a amizade dos dois, mas em nenhum momento eu consegui ler uma interação onde os dois estivessem a vontade ou confortáveis um com o outro, nem no início do livro. Além do mais, Nick é ingênuo e manipulável, não que todo o herói precise se enquadrar no padrão ‘macho alfa’, mas também ter a personalidade de um adolescente mimado de 14 anos não dá.
Friday é extremamente sem sal, o problema não é a aparência, é a personalidade, tirando gostar dos clássicos, ela não tem personalidade nenhuma, é facilmente manipulável e muito passiva, quando você acha que ela vai despertar para vida, ela vai lá e vira pau mandado de novo.
Os personagens secundários são muito muito muito irritantes, com destaque especial para Caro, que quanto mais tenta ajudar, mais atrapalha. A única qualidade que vi nesse livro é ser uma leitura rápida, mas de resto, totalmente esquecível.
Partindo de Nick, ele é um herói sem basicamente nenhuma qualidade tirando um rostinho bonito, a autora escreve várias vezes sobre a amizade dos dois, mas em nenhum momento eu consegui ler uma interação onde os dois estivessem a vontade ou confortáveis um com o outro, nem no início do livro. Além do mais, Nick é ingênuo e manipulável, não que todo o herói precise se enquadrar no padrão ‘macho alfa’, mas também ter a personalidade de um adolescente mimado de 14 anos não dá.
Friday é extremamente sem sal, o problema não é a aparência, é a personalidade, tirando gostar dos clássicos, ela não tem personalidade nenhuma, é facilmente manipulável e muito passiva, quando você acha que ela vai despertar para vida, ela vai lá e vira pau mandado de novo.
Os personagens secundários são muito muito muito irritantes, com destaque especial para Caro, que quanto mais tenta ajudar, mais atrapalha. A única qualidade que vi nesse livro é ser uma leitura rápida, mas de resto, totalmente esquecível.
April 7, 2019
Di solito mi piacciono i romance, soprattutto se sono passionali al punto giusto. Elizabeth mi ha raccontato la storia di un amore non corrisposto e di un matrimonio combinato, storia durante la quale i protagonisti si scambiano giusto un paio di baci e pure dati male, eppure… Non fanno che incespicare di continuo l’uno nell’altra, arrendersi, convincersi, deludersi e irritarsi, ma quanto è delizioso assistere alle loro vicende e capirne le motivazioni! L’autrice è una vera maestra dei sentimenti. Cercherò altro di suo.
rilettura (giudizio confermato). è carino e scritto molto bene, ma letto due volte basta. perfetto per una rappresentazione teatrale, con mille personaggi e continui colpi di scena. in genere trame simili mi infastidiscono, ma questo - nel suo genere - è perfetto. libero con onore.
rilettura (giudizio confermato). è carino e scritto molto bene, ma letto due volte basta. perfetto per una rappresentazione teatrale, con mille personaggi e continui colpi di scena. in genere trame simili mi infastidiscono, ma questo - nel suo genere - è perfetto. libero con onore.
August 2, 2010
Cute regency romance, lots of classical allusions and miscommunications, and surprisingly enough, cat-fights!
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