Customer Reviews

The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(26)
2 star:		(29)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

I was so excited for this book as Julia Quinn is a favorite of mine; I normally love her work and I also (surprise, surprise) love to see the quiet/shy girl get the guy. Though there was witty dialog and moments that had me laughing out loud, I really have to say I was disappointed and bothered by many aspects of this book.

PRAISE:
(1) Funny moments that will make you laugh
(2) Connection between Turner and Miranda is interesting to watch in about the first half of the book
(3) I liked Olivia and Turner's mother

CRITICISM:
Key: *Semi-spoiler, **Spoiler
(1) Turner (hero) and Miranda (heroine) are not written / portrayed consistently; they seem to (often) do things that are just very out of character
(2) Depiction of Miranda's father was very flat and I know he's supposed to be the absent-minded-doesn't-really-pay-attention type of character, but these type of one-dimensional portrayals bother me
(3) Development of their relationship is very uneven and they have sex at a pretty reasonable point in the book page-wise (halfway or so), but their relationship had definitely not developed fast enough for that; only two other physical scenes before that, both kissing, and one of them doesn't count because it is before Turner is really attracted to Miranda and is done more in anger
* (4) Miranda was really spineless throughout the latter half of the novel. I think that Turner's horrible absence either needed to be kept and her reaction and anger upped or he needed to show up much, much sooner to deserve her easy acquiescence. (I mean she caves in to marrying him after 3 days when she doesn't supposedly want to? Have a backbone!)
** (5) Miranda is not even UPSET by the fact that she miscarries and regardless of the kind-of-explanation that her mother had many miscarriages also, I just found this VERY troubling - you'd think she would somehow be affected
** (6) I didn't like the progression of the book, one example being the fact that we basically skip over the first six months of Miranda's second pregnancy and are just given one of her diary entries as a substitute
** (7) I was annoyed with Miranda (if you couldn't tell, Miranda gets progressively more annoying as you read) when she finally gets her long-awaited declaration of love and she reacts negatively at first because she doesn't want him to have realized his love only because he almost lost her
(8) The ending was very, very corny and yes, I know, I'm reading a romance novel, but the whole journal-revealing moment and Turner's comments ("My God, Miranda," he breathed reverently. "You really love me, don't you?")

CONCLUSION:
Save your money, buy one of Julia Quinn's other books as she has many great masterpieces to offer that will be one of those reread and keep-forever historical romances. Some suggestions include: The Viscount Who Loved Me, An Offer From a Gentleman, and Romancing Mister Bridgerton - these three are amazing.

.....but I didn't. And that is really too bad. It had most of the elements I want when I read a Regency and yet I still didn't love it.

For me, Miranda was just too young. Ms Quinn wrote herself into a corner by establishing the age as 10 years old when Miranda fell in love with Nigel. I'm sure it sounded quite fetching when thinking about it from a promotional standpoint for the book but then she was stuck. Miranda kept saying that she was not a child anymore (Was she 19 or was she 20? I could never figure it out.) and yet she seemed to always act out as a child, with the episode in the bookstore being a prime example. And she didn't even just go there once and act awful, she did it twice! Her rage didn't come across to me as righteous indignation. It seemed like she was just throwing a hissy fit. She and Turner even reverted to childish behavior many times with the "Did not", "Did so" childish type arguments. She constantly told Turner that it didn't matter if he loved her or not, yet she kept trying to make him say that he loved her and punished him in various ways when he didn't say it. From my standpoint, all examples of a girl, young emotionally as well as in age. Not a mature woman ready to truly love a man. Ms Quinn did not do Miranda any favors by having her live such a sheltered, countryfied life completely without any socially maturing experiences before this story takes place.

Turner was "tortured" for way too long and I didn't like him at all. I actually began to wonder why Miranda bothered with him. There was a huge lack of other male characters in this book. Turner needed someone to talk to so that he could verbalize his feelings and have some opportunity to see how awful he was acting. As it was, he only came across as totally self-absorbed and a man who made dreadful decisions when he was drinking too much. I knew early on I would not like him when he was such a pig about people using his given name (Nigel). I didn't think that little insight into his character served any purpose whatsoever unless Ms Quinn wanted us to see how disrespectful and selfish he was going to become.

When the scene at the hunting lodge began to unfold I just thought to myself: No, Ms Quinn, don't do this. Surely she won't do this. Good grief, she did this. It was an awful scene and totally out of character for both these people at this point in the story.

If you love all things written by Julia Quinn, go ahead and buy this book. Everyone else, think if over carefully before you spend your money on it. This is a great candidate for a library check-out or even a used book store. If I could get mine to you, you would be welcomed to it.

I want to start by saying I have read EVERY single one of Julia Quinn's novels and I consider myself a tremendous fan. That said, I will not rate this book more than it deserves.

The Secret Diaries is a horribly contrived story with equally horrid writing.Permit me to quote this gem
"Miranda wasn't sure why that should be the case- an unplanned pregnancy was an unplanned pregnancy was an unplanned pregrancy" (pg 45)

WHAT the hell is THAT phrasing doing in a Regency novel? In many of Julia Quinns previous novels, she uses phrases like 'I'm kidding' that are hopelessly out of the period, but those mishaps are wonderfully ensconsed in a good book. This time I could not let it go!

Another problem with this book is that it is TOO much 'Regency Lite'. Miranda's absent father was too TOO convenient, especially after she became pregnant. The situations she and Turner got into made absolutely no logical sense. After the first couple of times he kisses/gropes her, he makes a point to avoid her since , as he puts it, girls have been RUINED for doing less. He then avoids her like a plague and breaks her heart . Makes sense. But then they meet at a house party a week later AND HAVE SEX! Huh? As I was reading the lead up to the scene, I was thinking that he couldn't possibly take her virginity and she couldn't possibly LET him. *Sigh*

Another aspect of the novel I could not fathom was the relationship between the protagonists. Unrequited love can be wonderful storyline if executed properly. This one wasn't.The prologue, in my opinon was the most awful way to start any romance novel. A 10 year old falling in love with a man, and loving him forever since. Gah! Her journal entries amplify the 'Gah!' factor even more. Throughout her growing years it seems she ends every journal entry with 'I dreamt of him.'Really Miranda? I mean, did you REALLY dream of him every single night ?!?

Miranda even attended his wedding and wished it was her. At this point, her love is more and more like a overblown crush. There was nothing in in their interactions that said 'Love' to me.

Ironically, after they marry they settle in a nice routine and they finally FINALLY have seem to gain some sense, Miranda decides that she is upset because he doesn't say 'I love you.' I'm sorry but the fact that the tension is built around SAYING the words, rather than whether he loves her or not was rather silly of the author. I felt I was reading a contemporary romance with where the crux of the romance is 'gasp' , saying I love you.

I'm sorry Julia, this was not a good book.


**8/12/2007. I just read 'The Masquerade' by Brenda Joyce, and if I could downgrade this book to 1 star I would.In BJ's book, the heroine falls in love with the hero at age 10, however the end product was more fulfilling IMO**

Let me begin by saying that I love Julia Quinn. Love her. She can do no wrong in my eyes and I'll recommend her books to anyone, which is why I'm so angry that she did what she did with this book. The Secret Diaries of Miranda Cheever had such potential. The beginning has been done before, heroine meets hero as an ungainly and awkward child and falls instantly in love when he makes her feel that she could grow out of it and become a beautiful woman some day. It's the twist that gives the book its potential, hero is cuckolded, turned into a sullen whiner, and widowed by the same beautiful woman; therefore, hero will never love again. Again, it's been done before, but it has potential with an author of Quinn's talent and achievement. Does she take advantage of it? No. It's like every other historical romance you've ever read (or contemporary for that matter) when the man refuses to stop acting like a child and take responsibility for his future. And in that respect, it was boring, useless, and a waste of my time. I love Julia Quinn. Love her. But it's going to take me awhile to forgive her for this one. I can only hope that the upcoming The Two Dukes of Wyndham redeems her in my eyes. I'd suggest you pick up one of her winners (think Minx, The Duke and I, or The Viscount Who Loved Me) and leave this half-hearted effort on the shelf where it belongs

I really find it hard to believe that Julia Quinn wrote this book. Turner and Miranda are the worst hero and heroine I have read in a looooooong time.

From the beginning I had the feeling that Turner was a total jerk.And he didn't prove me wrong. A man doesn't take the virginity of a young lady (who is also his sister's best friend and practically a member of his family) leave without even saying goodbye, and as if that wasn't enough he doesn't contact her for SIX WEEKS!!!!!!!! After that there was nothing he could do to redeem himself in my eyes. This is a man who had been married and was almost thirty years old. UGH!!!!!! So its not like he should have been lacking experience or maturity...How self centered and selfish could he get????

I agree with another reviewer that Miranda was way too young. She was also a spineless doormat who spent the entire book as if Turner was some sort of God. I really like to see the H/H on equal footing. This story gave me the feeling that Miranda wasn't good enough. Over and over we read that she isn't pretty, doesn't fit in with the ton, she doesn't have a dowry etc. etc. It was like the author kept demeaning her again and again.

And what happened to all the secondary characters???? JQ is known for her well developed characters, whether primary or secondary. Olivia is the only one who we got to know a little and I do mean little.

I really miss Ms.Quinn's early books. This one is for sure the one to skip over. And I am really sorry to have to say this, cause I adore so many of her other novels.

i am a big fan of julia quinn...but this book just left me irritated. it's hard to like a book when you don't like the main characters. i can say with certain feeling that i did not like the hero AT ALL. he had that "i know what's best for you" attitude and was overly arrogant and selfish until the last few pages...and to me being redeemed within 5 pages of ending doesn't make me like him any more than i did at the beginning. the heroine was too meek and blindly followed anyone (mostly the "hero") who told her what to do. it seemed unrealistic that a child-love/crush from one nice comment could actually survive all of the hero's selfish ways and cruel behaviors; any woman i know would wash her hands clean of the man and move on. i hope ms. quinn's next novel is as good as all her others.

It is my understanding that this book had been in the mothballs for several years and Ms. Quinn decided to do a re-write, fluff it up as it were and release it. I wish that she had never done it, I have read all of her books, not only the Bridgerton series, but Minx, How to marry a Marquess and so forth, she should be ashamed to have attached her name to this, it is so foolish, no real conflict or plot, it does remind me of someones first draft. She should have burned it. I hope her next book is new and she uses the talent she now possesses

This is the last time I buy a Julia Quinn book on the strength of her name alone. After the first 3 books in the Bridgerton series, I would have bought ANYTHING with her name on it - even a cookbook and I don't like to cook! (the Duke and I was EXCELLENT btw, its on my "keeper" shelf!) BUT the last 2 books in the series were BAD and this book though not a Bridgerton is just horrible! The premise, "tortured" hero and "unrequited love" heroine story, did have promise early on but by the 3rd chapter it was over! Julia where are you? I swear there's some other "writer" out there putting your name on their "mess". It's obvious to me that you're having to crank out books faster than you can make them good. Unfortunately this has also happened to Elizabeth Lowell, Andrea Kane, Madeline Hunter the list goes on. I wish publishers would concentrate on quality instead of quantity! ANYWAY, save your money and if you must buy it used or check it out of the library - frankly you won't miss much if you skip it altogether, there was NOTHING to like about the characters or story.

I wasn't impressed with the last two Julia Quinn books but that didn't stop me from buying her latest. I have to say it was definitely a step up from On the Way to the Wedding and To Sir Phillip, With Love. And while it wasn't as good as The Viscount Who Loved Me, When He Was Wicked, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton and all her really early work, it was an enjoyable read. I liked Turner right from the beginning and I liked Miranda but eventually she began to grate. They were going to get married after he compromised her and that was fine with her but then everything confusingly shifted when all of a sudden she wouldn't marry him unless he loved her, not at all understanding that he'd been burned once and didn't want it to happen again. And then everything shifted again when she married him anyway. But all in all, it was a pretty good read.

This story would have been an acceptable (but unexceptional) contribution to an anthology. If it had been 1/4 to 1/3 as long as it was, it wouldn't have felt so contrived. As it was, its one of those books that is mostly filler. The heroine is 20 but acts about l4. The hero, who wallows endlessly in self pity is, frankly, irritating. The supporting characters are fine, but add nothing. They pretty much enter the scene, say something, flutter about insignificantly, and exit-stage-left, like in a bad high-school play. The premise of the story line is cute, but can't carry a full length book. I couldn't form an attachment for either of the leads and kept wondering if they'd ever grow up. The book, as a whole, lacks character and substance and seems to have been written for melodramatic adolescents. Julia Quinn can and has done better, but she needs to work harder and not take her readers for granted.