Lady Bridget's Diary

I was so looking forward to this book to the point that I'd had it on preorder for months. Rodale is usually a very fun writer, with clever plots and fleshed-out characters. This time...not so much. The story felt flat and contrived. Even though this wasn't her best effort, I would have liked it a great deal more if it had a different narrator.

Maarleveld needs to learn how to pronounce words that are common to regency romance. Words like Almack's (ALL-max), Viscount (VIE-count), Marchioness (MARSH-ee-on-ESS), valet (val-ETT) and about a dozen others. Her narration was lifeless and dull, and the constant mispronounced words yank you out of the story. It's her job to understand these words and how they are pronounced. (And seriously, Audible, aren't there editors or directors listening to these things?)

The sub-par narration really ruined this one for me, and Maarleveld is now on my lousy narrator watch list.

This was my first read by Maya Rodale. It was an interesting story but slow in some places. It was good enough for me to get the second book in the series

Lady Bridget’s Diary by Maya Rodale (Audio Edition)
Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld
Series: Keeping Up with the Cavendishes #1

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ This book is very much a Bridget Jones meets Pride and Prejudice. It really is the best way I can describe it. The storyline is always a good one and I liked the slight changes in the details. The narrator was new to me and she read well, I would listen to her again.

~Paragraphs and Petticoats~

This was a really fun story. I really enjoyed it a lot. Loved the hero, Lord Darcy, he was pretty awesome. And the heroine, Lady Bridget was just wonderful. She was very funny, strong, smart and witty. The two had some great chemistry together. It grew and wasn't insta love. There is a very nicely written sex scene.

The story line and plot was good. The dialogue was fantastic. I am a huge fan of Maya Rodale and if you haven't listened or read any of her books I highly recommend them all. I have enjoyed every book she has written. Just a good enjoyable time in her world.

As for the narration, It was great. I really liked Saskia Maaleveld narration. She did a great job with the american voices and the British voices. She read with emotion and has a nice reading voice.

I thoroughly enjoyed the wallflower stories from Ms. Rodale so I was very anxious to read this one. This story is a Pride and Prejudice retell. I think that some of the situations were a bit unrealistic and I didn't really get to like the heroine. It was an enjoyable enough story, 3.5 stars.