2-3-4 Challenge discussion

Feel free to jump in!

Still busy with to Sir Phillip. I'll jump in when done with that.

Started.
And so far so good. Mind you it's only the first chapter. 😂.

I do have a disconnect with Francesca since we haven’t met her before. She doesn’t seem like one of the family yet.

Isn't that a good thing?

I'm also wondering why this book came out after Eloise. The story is taking place before she got married.

Meanwhile I've forgotten just how much I don't like Hyacinth!

Michelle wrote: "Isn't that a good thing?

I'm also wondering why this book came out after Eloise. The story is taking place before she got married.

Meanwhile I've forgotten just how much I don't like Hyacinth!"

Yes! I hate the timeline of this. Colin isn’t married yet either. And if the lack of communication bugged you last book, this one will really drive you crazy.
I like Michael.

Somehow that is not bothering in this one. Somehow it works better here.

Colin though. Something about him is bugging me. It's like he is channeling Anthony. How did it fall upon Colin to be that voice of reason?

Michelle wrote: "Somehow that is not bothering in this one. Somehow it works better here.

Colin though. Something about him is bugging me. It's like he is channeling Anthony. How did it fall upon Colin to be that..."

I am actually liking Colin here. My guess is the married brothers aren’t going to the club and that is where Colin is dispensing his wisdom.

This is funny because I liked the last one and this not so much, and you are the opposite. I HATE friends to lovers trope though.
Francesca is driving me nuts with her wishy-washiness. She sleeps with him one minute, pushes him away the next.
Michael is a saint.

I've finished the book.

You might be right. Anthony was very much happy with his wife and Benedict would have been out in the country so that would have left knly Colin

The timeline completely messing up my mind as well. . But I'm not going to think real hard on that.

Anyway. This book was much better for me. I flew through it unlike Sir Philip. Maybe because it was more believable? Maybe because I could believe their struggle with guilt, grieve, and to some extent appearances.

Laura wrote: "This is funny because I liked the last one and this not so much, and you are the opposite. I HATE friends to lovers trope though.
Francesca is driving me nuts with her wishy-washiness. She sleeps ..."

LOL. How funny that we are opposite on the liking this line. But I suppose Marina could have have an element of OW which I know is your thing.

Michelle wrote: "Laura wrote: "This is funny because I liked the last one and this not so much, and you are the opposite. I HATE friends to lovers trope though.
Francesca is driving me nuts with her wishy-washines..."

I finished too, and I struggled with it. The timeline was all over the place. Francesca bugged me, but all the grief,guilt, etc like you said should excuse her. I got teary when she got her wish at the end. Or I should say two wishes.it started out teary and ended up teary. 😢 I also liked her talks with her mother.
You are right about the OW Marina thing.

Have we lost Sharon?

Anyway 3am here. I'm off to get some sleep.

BTW what were your. Thought on the second epilogue? Only big question I had was why not share the news? Why wait a whole year and then a big reveal. Voila look what we have. Other than that? It was sweet.

Michelle wrote: "Have we lost Sharon?

Anyway 3am here. I'm off to get some sleep.

BTW what were your. Thought on the second epilogue? Only big question I had was why not share the news? Why wait a whole year and ..."

You didn't lose me. I had two ARCs due and couldn't start reading so soon. I hope to get started tomorrow evening.

Sharon wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Have we lost Sharon?

Anyway 3am here. I'm off to get some sleep.

BTW what were your. Thought on the second epilogue? Only big question I had was why not share the news? Why wait ..."

My fault I sprung it on you guys that I was starting the next without warning.

Michelle wrote: "Have we lost Sharon?

Anyway 3am here. I'm off to get some sleep.

BTW what were your. Thought on the second epilogue? Only big question I had was why not share the news? Why wait a whole year and ..."

Yeah that was strange TaDa Look what we found lol. Weird they didn’t see anyone for a year? I did think the second epilogues for these last two were good. Added to the story.

Can't wait to see what you think of it Sharon.. I think having the boxset made it easier just to continue on.

Laura wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Have we lost Sharon?

Anyway 3am here. I'm off to get some sleep.

BTW what were your. Thought on the second epilogue? Only big question I had was why not share the news? Why wait ..."

Yes. I loved how we had that glimpse of Amanda and her love story. And then the this second epilogue of Francesca. It really added something extra.

I also wondered what you thought of Michael calling her Frannie? It just felt so wrong to me. He didn't do it often but it stuck out to me. Why do that? It just didn't make sense.

Michelle wrote: "I also wondered what you thought of Michael calling her Frannie? It just felt so wrong to me. He didn't do it often but it stuck out to me. Why do that? It just didn't make sense."

Frannie didn’t really bother me. Francesca is kind of a tongue twister so a nickname is logical. It beats the overused honey that drove me nuts in my last read.

Michelle wrote: "Laura wrote: "This is funny because I liked the last one and this not so much, and you are the opposite. I HATE friends to lovers trope though.
Francesca is driving me nuts with her wishy-washines..."

I forgot to say I also like the single parent thing with the new significant other having to win over the kids and if the kids are rotten, it’s a bonus. Think The Takeover. Adds humor.

I love how they still got her but good. Not just once but twice. After she was saying they wouldn't get one over her.

Michelle wrote: "I love how they still got her but good. Nor juatt once but twice. After she was saying they wouldn't get one over her."

Flour ghosting classic 😂😂

This book is just ok for me. I love the way it started. I was touched and teary at times. Laura, I'm a friends to lovers fan if the relationship grows right. I was expecting Michael to be there to help Francesca grieve and vice versa. When Michael started acting like a jerk it pissed me off. When he left the country, it really pissed me off. Even with his jerkishness, I still liked him.

Francesca was just plain irritating, especially after Michael came home. Why announce that you want to get married just to have a baby then push Michael away, constantly. It would be a better story for me if they had a marriage of convenience, then love grew for Francesca. Even though Frannie was pushing Michael away, I liked the last few chapters better than the middle.

I had issues with the timeline too although it does come together by the end, when everyone gets married.

I really like Colin in this one. He seems more mature and likeable here than his book--to me anyway. I like that he recognized that Michael loved Francesca, and encouraged him to make a move. I assume it is because he recognizes his love for Penelope by this time.

Laura I loved the 2nd epilogue, it really made the story for me and changed my rating from a 3 to a 4 star.

Francesca didn't tell anyone she was pregnant because she was afraid. My guess, if Francesca told her mother, she would come to her, and her siblings would stop by too. Not that her mother would share her secret, but the siblings would want to see Violet. If she didn't carry the baby to term, she would have her sisters trying to console hr. Also, Francesca is more of a loner than the rest of the family.

I love how Violet took the baby when they arrived. John is her most precious grandchild because he gave Francesca the love of a child that she didn't think she would have. It touched my heart.

Sharon I see you point about a marriage of convenience

But for me I'm glad they didn't. And in a way I'm glad he left the country. If gave them both time to grieve. Micheal somehow became the person he was meant to. It gave him time to be comfortable with his circumstances now. Without the guilt, without the second guessing if he should have been in that role. And the burden of his guilt, right or wrong, that he had brought this about by his love for Francesca. Yes he shouldn't have left that responsibility in Francesca's capable hand. But for me he would have resented it and would have colored everything. Love would never have bloomed between them. Or not a healthy one. The pressure from the peers would have made them marry perhaps but I don't think it would have grown into love. Great foundness but not true love. He loved her but she would always have thought of him as John's friend before anything else.

As for Francesca? She was annoying at times. But that shift from John's and her best friend to baby daddy? Remember she thinks of him as a cad, womanizer. I don't think she would have seen him as a family man. He had played the role of rogue to well.

And like you the beginning and ending was good. I somehow felt the middle was waffling a bit.

Regarding Michael, You have a point about him leaving, but I didn't like it. Maybe if he left for a year, it wouldn't rub me the wrong way. My guess that is why he caught malaria. It was a reason to extend his stay. I still didn't like it. He could have escaped to one of his many residences to grieve and kept in touch with Francesca. I don't blame her for not writing to him.

As far as love growing, Michael was already in love with Frannie. If he had helped her work through her grief, she would have seen his love and reciprocated sooner. IMO. He left her when she was grieving not only for John, but her unborn child.

I never believed Michael was a cad. It was an obvious cover for his feelings. He could convince her with his charm and support.

Sharon wrote: "This book is just ok for me. I love the way it started. I was touched and teary at times. Laura, I'm a friends to lovers fan if the relationship grows right. I was expecting Michael to be there to ..."

Friends to lovers is usually unrequited love, or one walking on eggshells to not hurt the other, lack of communication, afraid to mess up the friendship etc. it’s too exhausting, just like this one.
I don’t blame Michael for leaving since he was hurting, feeling guilty, he had a right to cope however he needed to. Francesca had her whole family, ge didn’t leave her alone.
I hated her giving him mixed signals, sleeping with him, pushing him away, over and over. She annoyed me.

Sharon wrote: "I had issues with the timeline too although it does come together by the end, when everyone gets married.

I really like Colin in this one. He seems more mature and likeable here than his book--to..."

I liked him too, seemed back to why we liked him in the early books. Kind of mischievous.

Sharon wrote: "Laura I loved the 2nd epilogue, it really made the story for me and changed my rating from a 3 to a 4 star.

Francesca didn't tell anyone she was pregnant because she was afraid. My guess, if Fran..."

It made the book for me as well. I think keeping it a secret was a slap in the face to her mother. It was her talk with her mother that eased her mind and took the pressure away to allow nature to take its course.

Michelle wrote: "Sharon I see you point about a marriage of convenience

But for me I'm glad they didn't. And in a way I'm glad he left the country. If gave them both time to grieve. Micheal somehow became the per..."

I agree not his job to console her. She had her mother in law and her mother.

My biggest issue with this is the disconnect I had with Francesca since she wasn’t featured before, not even a little. Seemed like a spin-off or something.

You're so right Laura. Her talk with her mother was so important in her decision. And then not to share the joy of her first birth? I could understand waiting till the second trimester. Also when before the siblings had visited each other's estate etc how did they not that year? Surely the mothers would have corresponded with someone. How did they manage to get them to keep the secret?
Suppose it added some sort of drama that only makes sense to the author.

I find it interesting the the siblings in their own book are not what they had been before. Honestly that's what I'm hoping with Hyacinth ( I know, I know I keep harping on about my dislike of her but she is hugely annoying to me)

Colin is the best example of this.

Michelle wrote: "I find it interesting the the siblings in their own book are not what they had been before. Honestly that's what I'm hoping with Hyacinth ( I know, I know I keep harping on about my dislike of her ..."

It’s like they are more interesting as side kicks.

I’m back to having a few month wait for the next box set, so if you want to keep going I’ll see you in Nov lol. Unless they go on a huge sale. I’m waiting.

You're right Michael had to deal with his grief, but not three years in another country. We will disagree on this one.

I had the feeling that Michael and Francesca were alone when she was pregnant. I don't see the in-laws keeping a secret from Violet. I need to re-read that section.

Sharon who is Victoria?

Isn't Victoria Francesca's mother? Now I need to get my book.

Violet. I had my books and Ladies mixed up.

😂😂

I didn't have time to answer the questions earlier, a lot of unexpected company dropped in on me.

I don't think Francesca had her family around too much. Mostly she had John's mother and Michael's mother. The story said it was a "house full of Stirling females. It seems to me, Michael's mother and John's too would be there to help Michael grieve. The problem is Michael closed himself off, by not sharing his feelings with anyone. He decided to run. I guess that is mostly a man thing, but just the same he left Francesca alone. I think it wouldn't bother me so much, if she hadn't miscarried too. It was selfish, in my opinion.

I get what you mean about most friends to lovers, but I didn't see that happening here. Michael didn't move on his feelings, because he thought he wished John dead.

Francesca didn't acknowledge any feelings except friendship for Michael. She didn't see his caddish behavior for what it was, protecting John from knowing he was in love with Frannie. There wasn't a real push - pull until the end; after Francesca announced that she was going to look for a husband.

I'm not trying to convince anyone to change their minds, as we all look at the events from different perspectives.

Michelle wrote: "I find it interesting the the siblings in their own book are not what they had been before. Honestly that's what I'm hoping with Hyacinth ( I know, I know I keep harping on about my dislike of her ..."

I thought that was interesting too; at least the last two books. Hyacinth doesn't bother me. She is the typical baby girl. (I have one of those.) Fortunately, they do grow up. 😀

Regarding keeping the pregnancy from her mother, I had a couple miscarriages. I can tell you the mind works in mysterious ways. We see each other all the time, or talk on the phone, I can see keeping the secret to protect myself. I know other women who didn't allow family, including their parents to even hold their new baby for several months after the birth. Fear of loss is a strange emotion.

I don't think Violet was hurt about the baby; it was more that she missed her daughter. Violet never went to Scotland during that year either. If she sent a message that she was coming, I don't see Francesca telling her to stay home.

Sharon wrote: "Violet. I had my books and Ladies mixed up."

😁Was just checking.

Sharon wrote: "Regarding keeping the pregnancy from her mother, I had a couple miscarriages. I can tell you the mind works in mysterious ways. We see each other all the time, or talk on the phone, I can see keepi..."

OH Sharon my deepest condolences. I can't imagine the pain.

And your right, everyone handles things differently. Could also have been that previously she was still in mourning even after the official mourning period and that was why they might have made a effort to visit her in Scotland. Now that she was married they would have left them to their honeymoon etc

Michelle wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Regarding keeping the pregnancy from her mother, I had a couple miscarriages. I can tell you the mind works in mysterious ways. We see each other all the time, or talk on the phone, ..."

Thanks Michelle. It was a long time ago. I have three lovely children, and ten grandchildren.