Splendor was splendiforous! lol It was really good, in all seriousness. Probably the best one in the series! In Splendor, there's more than just romantic intrigue- there's also maybe-murder intrigue!
The main characters have all done quite a bit of growing up, and many are even parents now. They have their own households. Now, that's not to say that they're out of the society papers! No, never! They are definitely still making the papers with their balls and dinners. But they also have more meaningful relationships and activities in their days.
Elizabeth and Diana undercover a few clues that indicate that their father's death may not have been as "natural" as they thought. Through their investigation, they'll continue to grow into their adult selves and learn at what cost all the splendor comes.
I started this series very disillusioned with Luxe. I was able to enjoy the frivolity of Rumors. Envy was ok, because I was invested by that point. Splendor lets this series end on a very high note. I'm not sure that I can recommend the series (two out of four books being enjoyable isn't a great ratio) but I wouldn't discourage readers. If you like historic fiction and some drama, this is the series for you!
I listened to Splendor as an audiobook and it was pretty good. Nothing to write home about, but also nothing to complain about. The story takes the forefront.
*I checked out my copy of Splendor from my local library.
It seems a lot of people feel the same way you do about this series. I read the first book several years ago, and have the next two on my TBR to read this year. I plan to go back and re-read the first soon as its been so long.
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