Queen Bee (The Diamonds, #1) by Amalie Howard Review

This is a spoiler-free review!

I have been trying to expand further into the regency era romance genre - so far, I have just touched the surface with the first three books in the Bridgertons series by Julia Quinn. When I came across Queen Bee on Libby, not only did the cover catch my attention, but the premise of Ela Dalvi seeking revenge against her ex-best friend over a boy truly had me intrigued. Not too often do we see revenge playing a leading factor in historical romances, and with somewhat of a modern feel to Ela's story, I was expecting a Mean Girls vibe to this romance.

Years later, Ela returns to society on a mission - to finally get revenge on her ex-best friend, Poppy, who betrayed her when they were younger over a boy. Now, with a new identity and fueled with rage, Ela - presenting herself as Lyra Whitley - makes her way back into society with a few cards up her sleeve. With the help of some new friends, she embarks on a series of plans to make sure everyone gets what is coming to them.

Coming face to face with the boy who lays at the center of her revenge plot is something Ela was not prepared for - her first love, but also her first betrayal. She knew she would have to face Poppy in order for everything to fall into place, but when Keston appears before her at a ball, she certainly is thrown off her game. I was surprised that no one from Ela's past recognized her - sure, it had been a few years since they all last saw each other, but could she have truly changed that much that she was unrecognizable to those who she used to be closest to?

Poppy had such a nasty personality, and it was evident even when she and Ela were still friends that she had ulterior motives in being friends with her. I liked how the author would switch perspectives between Ela and "Lyra" that included the past and present - it made the path to Ela's revenge plot much easier to understand where she was coming from, and provided some much needed background on the way Poppy treated Ela and what the moment of betrayal was in the past.

There were definitely some moments in this book that has me laughing, but for the most part it was set on Ela's determination to get justice for how Poppy treated her in the past. Keston's presence was a great addition, and readers can tell that even though he did not recognize her form all those years ago, there was an instant connection when they were reunited at that first ball. I do wish Keston had some more character development, as he felt a little two-dimensional to me at times - his background was probably the most interesting thing about him.

If you are looking for a fun book to get you eased in regency romance, this is a great starting point. There were times that I found myself a little bored - while there were romantic aspects to this book, it felt as though it did take the backseat at times and I wish it was expanded on more. Whether you are looking for a touch of romance or a revenge-seeking plot, Queen Bee has a lot in store for its readers.

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An Offer from a Gentleman (Bridgertons, #3) by Julia Quinn Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of The Viscount Who Loved Me on my Goodreads, now!

I am not the biggest fan of Cinderella retellings, but Sophie and Benedict's story has calling to me ever since they had officially renewed Bridgerton for season four, and with the teaser trailers making their way around, I figured now was a good time to finally dive into this book. I loved The Duke and I and The Viscount Who Loved Me so much, so I was surprised that my overall feelings towards this third installment was that of mediocracy. Sophie's background was definitely the highlight of the book - she is an interesting character and so much more different compared to the other love interests in the sense that she is not technically a part of society.

Benedict's characterization in this book felt surprisingly jarring - he was set on making Sophie is mistress throughout the entire book and it just felt off. The constant reminders from him that he just could not possibly marry her due to their social standing differences got old very fast. Sophie is basically just trying to live her life and wants to stop being treated like a servant, and here comes Benedict at every turn trying to corrupt her and make her do something that she never wanted to do. I low-key felt like I was being gaslight this entire book to make Benedict sound appealing, when in reality this man is a gigantic red flag - and as much as I love a red flag, I just could not get past it for some reason.

I did enjoy how often the Bridgerton sisters came into play throughout the story - it was nice to see how much they all adored Sophie, and how often they came to her aid when others were speaking down to her or dismissing her presence. Considering how she was being treated in her own home, it was a pleasant change to see those around her be so kind. The time jump really threw me off in this one, mainly because I did not expect it to be multiple years in between Sophie and Benedict first meeting one another to the present story. With all of these years between them, it felt like a major jump for Benedict to be demanding things of Sophie when he was still hung up on "the woman in silver" after all this time.

I wish we saw Benedict grow more - his character development felt stalled and I wanted to root for him so badly, but his choices basically made it impossible for me to end up on his side. He does have some redeeming qualities, but the cons definitely outweigh the pros for me, and while I do love show Benedict, book Benedict falls lower on the scale for me. You could tell there was angst and tension between Sophie and Benedict, but I found myself wanting more out of their relationship and more out of the story in general. I will likely continue on with this series every once in a while, but it does not have a strong enough hold on me to have me jumping into the next installment.

You can add An Offer from a Gentleman on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!