Skip to main content

Review: The Good Fortune of Miss Robbins

The Good Fortune of Miss Robbins

I've seen The Good Fortune of Miss Robbins by Melanie Dickerson pop up here and there, so I was grateful to win it as part of the Early Reviewers Program from LibraryThing. Though this book didn't quite land for me, one of the benefits of being an early reader is getting to figure out which titles work for me and which don't. As a result, I hope that this review may be of benefit to others checking out this book as well.

Many thanks to Bethany House Publishers and LibraryThing for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Thoughts content is also posted on LibraryThing.

Book Synopsis

Governess Charlotte Robbins is hopelessly drawn to the mysterious Earl of Brookhaven despite their different stations. Just as she resigns to the impossibility of romance, she inherits a fortune and is thrust into London society. As secrets unfold, she's no longer certain if her newfound wealth is a blessing or threatens the love she's always longed for.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

If I were to boil down this book's plot into one premise, it would be that it reads as a social experiment. Although it would be intriguing to discover how people would respond in such conditions, I did feel that this social experiment came across as more of a case study rather than a story that I could fully immerse myself in. Despite this, I could appreciate that Miss Charlotte Robbins is a lovely character who demonstrates a deep devotion to caring for others, exemplifying the Christian virtues of compassion and selflessness. In facing a change in circumstances, it is refreshing that she remains committed to her values and convictions; would that we could all pass the tests we encounter with such resolve and grace.

However, it is disappointing how this all comes about in that she should never have had to be tested in the first place, even if that wasn't the sole intention. I love reading Regency romance, but this one felt a little too schemed with assumptions and misunderstandings that were wholly avoidable due to an unwillingness to act when required and constant interference that only reinforced existing behaviours that readers would have already been aware of. The romance (or lack thereof) felt like it ran in circles with the main male character dragging his heels and not having that strong a reason to do so, prolonging the story even further. Along with a noticeable absence of his siblings in the second half, there were instances that took me out of the book while reading, which slightly dampened my experience with it.

Saying that, these challenges may not affect other readers, and in which case, the book is still enjoyable and page-turning as I was curious to see how things would finally come to pass. The compassion for children in need is admirable and the book succeeds in raising the plight of those who are defenseless without the resources in place to care for them. While we may not all be called to take on this particular cause, it's a reminder for Christians to love mercy and act justly while walking humbly with the Lord. Overall, if character-driven stories are your cup of tea, Miss Robbins is a pretty aspirational character to meet, especially if viewing her story through the lens of her interactions with the children rather than her romance and time in the marriage market.

Book Summary

  • Format of book: 📱
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5 (on LibraryThing)
  • Recommendation: 👍 (only if you want to read more about the plight of children than the romance itself)
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Biblio Diet

Over the years, I've had the joy of reading many books on health and nutrition, partly a product of some studies I've done on it and also due to personal interest. As a result, I'm always intrigued when there is a Christian perspective on this subject. I'm grateful that I learnt about The Biblio Diet by Jordan Rubin and Dr. Josh Axe after having previously read Eat Dirt by Dr. Josh Axe. Many thanks to Worthy Books for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis In this breakthrough book, New York Times bestselling authors and nutrition experts Jordan Rubin and Dr. Josh Axe offer a simple and holistic plan for building strength, health, and longevity. Based on the ancient wisdom of the Bible and confirmed by modern science, The Biblio Diet’s intuitive and easy-to-follow plan invites you to experience a breakthrough in the health of your entire family by learning to eat and live God’s way. In this book, y...
Post a Comment
Read more

Christian Book Review Programs

Over time, I've been on the hunt for Christian book review programs that readers can join. As a result, I've been able to compile the following list which may be of interest if you are seeking review copies of Christian books. This list mostly applies to print and ebooks, although some publishers offer audiobooks as well. If further information is available for any of the publishers below (or any missing publishers), please let me know as I am happy to update this list—thank you! Please note that you can also search for these publishers on NetGalley and other review sites in case there are no review programs available or you don't qualify for one 😊 Christian Publishers B&H Publishing Group Previously offered the B&H/Lifeway Blogger program which has since closed Availability: Professors and instructors Link:  B&H Academic Book Requests Baker Publishing Group Availability: U.S. and Canadian residents Genre: Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction Imprints: Bet...
8 comments
Read more

Theological Backgrounds

Have you ever wondered about the theological background of authors? I am sometimes curious, especially if there are things that pop up in their books that make me pay attention (either positively or negatively). What I've found is that it's not always easy to find out. Some authors will openly share what church or denomination they belong to, whereas others don't seem to mention it—which for privacy concerns, I completely understand. In terms of how important this information may be for readers, or not at all for some, it does make me think about the role that this could play when deciding which books to read and buy. On the one hand, I think not specifically knowing which theological stream an author comes from but still being aware that they fall within the broader evangelical umbrella is fine with me. There's so much to learn as believers and I wouldn't want to be limited to only simply what I know. On the other hand, not knowing much beyond "Christian"...
2 comments
Read more