I was genuinely excited to read this after I finished the third book last January. But I decided to take a break from the series because they are overwhelmingly long which, I have no doubt, would make my attention span flicker from time to time. And true enough when I decided to pick up this book, my misgiving about finishing this book had been put to a test.

Because 1.) it really was long (12 hrs on audiobook + 1 hr. of extra epilogue). If some scenes were cut short, fluff removed, the story would still be the same. 2.) the romance was disappointingly lackluster, in my opinion, because the story focused more on identifying who Lady Whistledown was.

My second point wasn't inherently bad because among the four books, this was the most plot-centered. The tension, mystery, and 'dread' was palpable because the infamous gossiper has already grown inside me, and I really wanted to unmask her, reveal her true identity. But then again, I reminded myself that this was a romance novel, and in that department, the book somehow (not entirely) failed to capture my romance-deprived heart and soul. I cared for Penelope and Colin's individual backstories, but as a couple, I didn't care for their relationship because of the lack of substance and feels on the building up scenes. After reading the book, I was craving for more, I felt like the romance happen so fast I barely noticed the sex scenes, the kissing, and the anticipated tension.

Overall, not a bad book. Would recommend if you've already made it past Book 3 but feeling a little lukewarm on the general vibe of the series.

Well, I'm on my way to Book 5.