Dear Diary
“The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever” by Julia Quinn
La Lola seems to be on a bit of a Julia Quinn roll. Her latest offering, “The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever” is a light-hearted romp. La Lola hasn’t been particularly enamoured of her later efforts in The Saga Which Is The Bridgertons AND Their Second Epilogues, although her earlier efforts were a lot of fun. But it’s still a return to form for Ms Quinn.
Whilst I think that a lot of authors try to emulate her style, their efforts lack a certain je ne sais quoi (ie French for “I’m too lazy to think of an expression.”) These books sadly fall a trifle limp, like the last disastrous date that La Lola was on. (”Is that its normal state, or is it really, really cold in here?”)
Anyway, enough of La Lola (for now). Before there was Bridget Jones, there was “The Secret Diaries of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾.” When La Lola was a little tyke bumbling around the playground with her hair bunched up in My Little Pony barrettes, Adrian Mole was my hero. Ever since then, I’ve loved books which take on the diary format.
But if you’re expecting a diary here, you’d be gravely disappointed. Snippets of Miranda’s diary are present, but the format of the novel is typical. But that’s not to say that I don’t think this book is good. The humour is sparkling and as Sheridan Sakura Carlotta affirmed in her review of “The Viscount Who Loved Me“, more often than not, Julia Quinn heroines are rather pleasant on the ripmybodice digestive tract. (This is alas, with the exception of Eloise and Hyacinth Bridgerton, whom La Lola found dreadfully boring). Was it just me, or did anyone else feel that by the time we got to the littlest Bridgertons, the series ran out of steam? But water under the bridge(rton) and all that.
Miranda Cheever has an indifferent father, and so she spends a great deal of her time with her best friend, Olivia. Olivia in turn has a brother, Turner. Miranda (along with La Lola) falls a little bit in love with Turner at the beginning of the book, when she’s ten and has just been dissed by another little girl. Turner, who is nineteen, tries to cheer her up, and you see glimpses of the kind and sweet person that he is. Fast forward several years, and Miranda is quite pretty now (although never as beautiful as her friend Olivia). Unfortunately, Turner suffered from that dreaded fate of a romantic hero- The Unfaithful First Wife.
This doesn’t lead Turner to treat Miranda badly. He’s just a little gun shy, and so although he’s attracted to Miranda, and grows to love her, he doesn’t want to admit it. But the relationship between Turner and Miranda is very fun to read. They start off as friends first, and it’s none of that “Oh I am overcome with lust at the sight of your manly chest/ girly appendages, let me rip off my dress/shirt and have your wicked way with me!” Not that there’s anything wrong with that of course, but you can tell that Miranda and Turner are not just physically compatible, they’re pretty much on the same wavelength.
Alas, after Miranda and Turner do the boinky boinky, Turner does the equivalent of “I’ll call you”, and then never does. He literally leaves poor Miranda hanging for six weeks! What a jerk. If it were up to La Lola, Turner wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week, what with his posterior shining like the Northern Lights after La Lola is through kicking his butt. Miranda doesn’t take him back straight away, although she doesn’t exactly make him grovel either. But good job hitting him with the scone Miranda! (Yes, truly)
The last quarter of the book focuses on Turner and Miranda after they get married. They have quite a blissful married life, but Turner (whose Native American name must be “Thick as Two Planks”) refuses to admit that he loves Miranda. Instead, he loves being married to her, and he loves talking to her and he loves being with her and he loves the way she makes him feel, but he doesn’t love HER. Miranda is frustrated as La Lola would be as well because COME ON. All that and you don’t love her? Give me a break. Methinks Turner is happily wrapped up in his own little bubble of cluelessness called HAVING A Y CHROMOSOME.
But despite occasional moments of meatheaded-ness evidenced by Turner, the book is a pretty good one for all that, and La Lola would definitely check out the next book, which looks like it might feature Olivia, Turner’s little sister and Miranda’s best friend. *beams* It’s been a while since La Lola did a raniew (on my therapist’s orders) so we’re headed on a good track to Vishous’s book in September!
Wendy said,
July 31, 2007 @ 5:00 am
Oh, it’s so not just you.
La Lola said,
July 31, 2007 @ 8:36 pm
Well Wendy, let’s hope that this new series by JQ keeps its momentum, because I think it’s pretty good so far…
Elle said,
May 8, 2008 @ 6:00 am
WOW! I absolutley love this site! Great entertaining and fun reviews, great job!
La Lola, you might be happy to know that Miranda didnt throw a scone at him. Nup she did something more colourful (IMO) she punched him! ;> (I believe he threw the scone…)
La Lola said,
May 8, 2008 @ 2:20 pm
You are right Elle! I stand corrected.
Welcome to our site, and step out of the darkness of lurkdom!
LadyCurvyA.K.APHR said,
November 22, 2009 @ 3:23 am
The story was very sweet. I was so happy for Miranda and Turner in the end.
There was this scene when Miranda finds out she’s pregnant again (first one miscarried), in one of their exchanges where Turner says he has to leave her for sometimes for some work (I forgot the details :/) and Miranda is sulking then at some point she sticks her tongue out to him and Turner in return teases her with something about her maturity, that part shows how sweet they both are together! Lucky lucky!
sres said,
January 9, 2010 @ 11:38 am
Hi..i love this site your reviews are hilarious and great!!
Have you read “What Happens In London” its’ Olivia’s stor…it’s quite funny and good.