The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks

Derde en laatste deel, met het kleine broertje in de hoofdrol, die tegen de zin van zijn vader politiek actief is, en een niet al te hoge pet op heeft van de diverse leden van het hogerhuis.

“He has a sincere enthusiasm that I suspect is not reserved simply for politics, but could be just as easily ignited by a well-buttered crumpet”

Zoals het een modern YA boek betaamt, naast piraten, avonturen en nog meer van dat, ook weer aandacht voor een mogelijk wat ondergepresenteerde groep (LGBTQ+ in deel 1, female empowerment in deel 2, mental illness in deel 3).

“[...] instead he starts, like I've dropped a wriggling eel before him, and looks as delighted as a natural philosopher with a specialization in maritime life likely would be were he presented with an unexpected eel.”

Good, if a bit disappointing.

I enjoyed this book; it's certainly one of the longest I've ever read! But I feel like it, and the Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy just didn't quite capture the magic of the Gentleman's Guide. I liked Adrian as a character and the way his anxiety was depicted was so soo good, especially in a historical setting. I, of course, loved all the characters, though there were some things that annoyed me, and some loose ends, such as possible a lack of development of Monty's side plots, such as his uncertainty about marrying Percy and the fact that he fell off the wagon and it wasn't really talked about much? Like, that sucks, especially since Monty is my absolute favourite character.
I also wish there'd been more development of Felicity's falling out with the Crown and Clever, and also with Saad and Sim's characters.

Also, it was an utter tragedy that we got as little of Louisa and Percy as we did! Percy is so brilliant I would've loved to see more of him, especially in the last book of the series, and Louisa seemed like a really cool character but we never really got to know her.

It was definitely a very good book, and I would wholly recommend it, it just didn't live up to the first book, unfortunately, but these things never do.

Not sure whether I feel more seen or called out by this book, lol. It might just be the most shatteringly accurate portrayal of OCD I've ever read.

4.5 stars. Taking half a star off for making Amsterdam part of Denmark on the map at the start of the book XD

This child has so much anxiety that it gave my anxiety anxiety and I had to stop reading for a month but we made it eventually

I just loved this! Adrian is a really endearing narrator. His anxiety just oozes off the page, as well as his good intentions and difficulty in achieving them. And I really loved seeing the elder Montagues in action. Really satisfying character and plot work! I couldn't put it down.

I'm probably not the best person to be posting an early review of this book, because I'm a casual fan of the series at best (I read [b:The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue 29283884 The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings, #1) Mackenzi Lee https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492601464l/29283884.SY75.jpg 49527118] and gave it 3.5 stars, didn't read Felicity's book). But for better or for worse, Net Galley gifted me with an ARC, so here we are.The Nobleman's Guide is narrated by Adrian, who was just an infant when Monty and Felicity left home; in fact, he doesn't know they exist. His mother has recently died under mysterious circumstances, and the lifelong anxieties and compulsive thoughts that have plagued him have worsened. When his cruel, autocratic father gives him a box of his mother's belongings, including a spyglass that she always kept with her, Adrian decides to track down its origin, hoping it will give him a clue to how and why she died. That leads him to the shocking discovery that he has an older brother, who is not at all happy to see him, and starts him on a journey of adventure and discovery. Adrian is a sympathetic character but at times being in his head is almost too much. He is wracked with anxiety and self-hatred, catastrophizing everything possible and apologizing profusely for his very existence. In 18th century England, there is no name for his illness and no sympathy for his odd behavior. Yet he is also a brilliant writer of radical political treatises, and somewhere along the line he managed to become engaged to a smart, understanding woman. The gradual development of his relationship with the still outrageous Monty (and to a lesser extent Felicity) is at the heart of the book, as is his realization that he is worthy of love, anxieties and all. The adventure plot is fun, as the siblings travel to Morocco, Portugal, Amsterdam and Iceland, facing natural and human dangers. I assume that many of the people they encounter were first seen in Monty and Felicity's books, but although I don't remember many details about #1 and skipped #2, I didn't feel lost. I don't think this book entirely stands alone, though; if I hadn't read Gentleman's Guide I would have been horrified at Monty's behavior (I still find him less charming than Lee thinks he is) and the epilogue would not have had the same emotional impact. There is a touch of paranormal flavor, although it's never fully clear if it's real or part of Adrian's mental illness (perhaps that's the point). Lee's writing style is energetic and humorous, but serious enough to inspire the reader's investment in the characters. The book did suffer from a few nagging weaknesses. First, we never learn how Adrian met his fiancé Louisa, or how he overcame his self-doubts enough to get close to her. Secondly, Monty's beloved Percy is absent for 95% of the book. While that allows the focus to be on the siblings, I missed his presence and his singular ability to keep Monty from being The Absolute Worst. Finally there is a missed opportunity for the siblings to bond that inexplicably doesn't happen (Adrian actually punches Richard Peele,but Monty never learns that he and his little brother are charter members of the We Hate Richard Peele club). But overall Nobleman's Guide was truly enjoyable; a rollicking adventure helmed by a hero whose mental illness doesn't prevent him from achieving his goals and finding a flawed but definitely loving family. ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for objective review.