I 
 cannot 
 and I mean, just cannot believe how much flack this book has gotten. Granted, it has an average rate of four stars or so, but all the one or two stars I've seen has just got me baffled. Not that I'm attacking anyone for this, of course, everyone has a right to their own opinion and all. I think it's just because it's one of my favorite Julia Quinn books outside of her Bridgerton series. It's one of those books that I've read countless of times over the years because I really, really enjoy it. 
 Miranda and Turner. 
 Turner and Miranda. 
 Where, oh where do I start? 
 This book changes quite a bit as you're reading. But I like that it evolves. It draws you in, ties you to the bed and hand-cuffs you to the bed posts. The book starts off rather adorably. Miranda Turner is ten. Or nine. I can't remember. She's attending her best friend, Olivia's (and her twin brother) birthday party where she's received a scathing set down from a snotty little party goer, Fiona, about how Miranda's hair is brown and plain, and how a purple ribbon would never look good in it. Whatever, kid. What do you know? Olivia comes to the rescue and at the end of the party, lets it be known that Miranda's present was the best one she'd received. She's even given Miranda the choice to pick out a ribbon from the ones Fiona's given her and just to spite the other girl, the purple one was chosen. 
 Anyway. After the party's died down and the kids are going home, Olivia's parents call in Nigel (or Turner, as he likes to be called) to take Miranda home. At this bit of news, Miranda's interest is piqued; especially since she's heard so much about the older brother but had never gotten the chance to meet him. Naturally, the second she claps eyes on nineteen-year old Turner, Miranda's dazzled. By the time Turner's got her home, Miranda is in love with stars in her eyes. 
 Fast-forward years later, Turner is now a widow - his unfaithful wife has gotten herself killed and he isn't in the least bit sorry about it. At this point now, he's bitter and resentful of most of the opposite sex and has determined that he will never give himself over to someone the way he'd done with his ex-wife. Miranda is still in love with him, though no one suspects a damn thing about it and despite how much pain he's in, she still sees him the way she had the first time she'd met him and that alone explains the capacity with which she can love someone, no matter if they deserve her affection or not. 
 This story is up and down. Painful in some parts, delightful in other. I relate to Miranda in a bunch of ways that could probably be one of the main reasons why I love this book so much; I saw a lot of myself in the person that Miranda was trying so hard to hide. Plus, she journals everyday - which is just about what I do as well, so I enjoyed being able to relate to someone in that way. I loved Miranda and Turner's dynamics. I loved that even though I didn't think that Turner really deserved it, that Miranda's feelings for him never wavered. That despite everything that had gone on with him, she remained loyal to how she felt for him. I loved that even though Turner tried so hard to resist how his growing feelings for his younger sister's best friend, that he gave in pretty quickly even though he hadn't truly realized it until the end. Their relationship was fraught with a lot of tension, compassion, anger, curiosity, and genuine affection and I feel like that was what made the book so damn amazing. 
 Such a gooooood read.