Here we go again. . .if you are still following along with us on this journey, in this episode our Snarky Sisters are talking about book three of The Wildes of Lindow Castle series by Eloisa James. In this book, Born to be Wilde, we follow Parth and Lavinia's journey to happily ever after with many bumps and roadblocks (most of their own making) along the way. Parth is a wealthy entrepreneur with a Midas touch that can fix any problem. Lavinia is destitute because of her mother's opium addiction. After throwing herself at Parth in the hopes of a marriage proposal, and being rejected, Lavinia finds her true calling as a stylist to the wealthy aristocracy in London. Both Parth and Lavinia are insecure in their own self-worth, especially when it comes to how the other thinks or feels about them. It is another prime example of how many issues could have been resolved if the two main characters just sat down and had an open, honest conversation about their feelings, hopes, and dreams. But then we wouldn't have a full-length novel so we will allow it.
As always, our snarky sisters pondered some burning questions while reading this book. . .
Why is Aunt Knowe called Aunt Knowe and not simply Aunt or Aunt Louisa, or some other endearing nickname? She practically raised these kids and Aunt Knowe seems like a mouthful. Also, why is she known as Lady Knowe. . . wouldn't she have the last name of Wilde as the spinster Aunt? Or was she married briefly in her youth? We are still trying to unravel that mystery.
The hero plays matchmaker for our heroine. . . but only finds like two suitors for her, so he isn't really very good at his job.
When will these romance authors stop focusing so much on physical beauty or outside appearances? We do not need it shoved down our throats how attractive these people are. The focus should just be on how much their partner loves them and the internal qualities that make them wonderful.
When our we going to see characters that don't rush into a physical relationship? It is blaringly obvious that these two people do not really know each other but they rush into having sexual relations. Beth has some major ranting to do about this topic. We could do a whole podcast episode on how much this plot point irritates her in romance novels.
Overall, this book is worth reading. The characters and dialogue are fun, and even though the main characters make baffling choices, they are still our favorite story so far.
Content Warning: This episode contains some adult themes and language.
