The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever

This book was a fun read, with great dialogue and characters. BUT I get annoyed with heroines who are clever and funny but cannot stand up for themselves against the men they claim to love. Miranda is an endearing witty woman, except in her relationship with the ‘hero’. He needs slapping!

I'd been holding back from ordering this book because of its dismal ratings and reviews. Well, I finally broke down and bought it. I love Julia Quinn, sometimes better than others, but I read them all anyway. They are like comfort food. She is a good writer, always makes me chuckle, and her stories move quickly, a perfect escape. Well, well, big surprise! I LOVED this book. Miranda was a very intriguing and strong character, but of course a very inexperienced one, hence her confusing responses. Of course she was not upset when she lost her baby! She was twenty-years-old, the guy had disappeared. Why in the world would she have wanted to be pregnant? And he was such a male, never knowing what his own feelings were, and he was either angry, cynical or ready to have sex. I have known many, many men in my many, many years on this earth. I've met my share of gentlemen just like him. This was a delightful story, an easy read. I will go back to it often.

if you like your romance with some heartach this is a perfect read. its not all smooth sailing but all (as expected) comes good in the end. I Love all JQ books and this is no exception! Miranda is faithful to her love and the 'diary' entries add a quirky edge. a solid romance i highly recomend!

I've become a huge fan of Julia Quinn after falling in love with the Bridgerton family and just couldn't wait to read more by her. I read the first chapter of this book online and was hooked but had to wait I a month before getting it. I loved the characters and there was Julia Quinn's classic, witty writing. I would now love to see a book about Olivia I loved her character and felt she didn't have enough play time so to speak. Julia Quinn is a hit with me and so was this book!!

After checking out the countless other reviews, I was afraid this book was going to go the path of the later Bridgertons, but it did not! I haven't felt so happy and lighthearted while reading a romance novel in a long time. Miranda and Turner are two great main characters; they have likeable and understandable personalities and are just good people. I cared about what happened to them. Quinn's prose reads/flows very well and unlike some of her more recent novels, made me laugh, a lot. The earlier part when Turner was just beginning to realize that he was attracted to Miranda is especially hilarious. Who doesn't love a romance novel that makes them laugh and then not much later makes them hurt for the characters. Another strong point of the novel was the supporting cast of Olivia and Lady Rudland. They too are loving good people (and I'd love to read a story about Olivia). As for the heroine being too young, most historical romances have a heroine who's age is between 18 and 22ish. Since age is not usually a complaint people have, and I thought Miranda was smarter and more mature than many older characters in other books, I don't understand what the big deal was about. Another thing that seems to annoy people is that it took Turner too long to come out of his tortured state. I, however, thought his very gradual departure from it made a lot of sense and aided my liking of him because it made me believe he had actually been hurt by his Leticia, but was a good enough man to want to be happy and try again. I borrowed this book from the library, but I will definitely go out and buy it now because it is one that I want to read over and over again--completly lovable.

And I described this book to my mother as "vintage" before I knew Ms. Quinn wrote it early in her career. Here's what I liked: Miranda Cheever is an intelligent, slightly snarky young woman who knows her own heart. She'd met Nigel Bevelstoke, Lord Turner at the age of 10~an impressionable age indeed~and never met anyone she liked better. Although a sensible, well read young miss, she was not someone to be trifled with or talked down to. So, why are some reviewers so put off by her behavior in the bookstore? Think in terms of character development~Miranda's father, her own love of books, wanting, Wanting, WANTING Turner as she did, and always having to accept her place in his life ... and her father's life. She wanted the book, and she wouldn't stand for some misogynist to dismiss her so rudely. If she hadn't reacted as she did, I'd think her emotionally dead. Quite honestly, the bookstore was my favorite scene and practically put this book on my DIK shelf. I rooted for Miranda, who lived in her beautiful friend Olivia's shadow. Miranda was practically a charity case to the Bevelstokes. Indeed, had they not taken her in as they did, she'd have lived a very neglected life with her father. Her father~one of the things I didn't like about this book. And, although I am loath to admit it, I liked the complete lack of a sub-plot. Normally, I prefer a book with perfectly orchestrated character development and sub-plot, bordering on suspense or mystery or the downright diabolical. I never missed the sub-plot in TSDOMMC. I happily concentrated on the romance, and that was well done. BRAVO. I could feel Miranda's emotions, and they were written so well that I asked myself how Julia Quinn~no longer a young miss herself (sorry dear author)~could remember those feelings ... first love and all that. They were so vivid. Also, the plot, as I saw it, was how Miranda would deal with Turner, having been so clever and funny and handsome~the man of her dreams~becoming something/someone else altogether. And, then there was Turner's younger brother, who she liked well enough when she saw the qualities of the younger Turner in him, but, alas, he was not Turner. Turner's personality is there though, buried with his unfaithful, dead wife. Miranda's "crush" on Turner revives everytime she sees glimpses of his former charming self. What I didn't especially like, but liked well enough to still call this book one of my favorites and certainly my favorite Julia Quinn book (some spoilers): Olivia's mother (Turner's mother, too, of course) had no idea Miranda and Turner had feelings for each other. I expected she'd have guessed and either found some reason to object, or every reason to foster the relationship. Miranda's father~I expected him to make an appearance, and be chastised by Turner. Gosh, I really don't think he cared at all. He should have been arrested for neglect. Could he have caught a bad cold at the end and died, or something? My bad. Julia Quinn's style