Opinions on the book Rivals
I finished the TV series a while ago and, like many of you, I was really missing it, so I decided to read Rivals by Jilly Cooper.
Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but I ended up feeling a little disappointed.
My biggest issue was how Taggie was portrayed in the book. To me, she often felt like someone who was simply carried along by events rather than making her own choices. I think the TV adaptation did a much better job of developing her character and showing her growth.
I also felt that the relationship between Taggie and Rupert was handled much better in the series. In the book, their romance seemed much more rushed, whereas the show really made me believe in the feelings developing between them over time.
One thing I absolutely hated was how quickly Declan accepted Rupert’s proposal to marry Taggie. After everything that happened, I expected at least some hesitation, discussion, or conflict. Instead, it felt like he agreed almost immediately, and then suddenly Maud was completely supportive of the marriage too. The whole thing happened in what felt like a page or two, and it just didn’t ring true to me.
And overall, I really didn’t like how quickly the ending was wrapped up. It felt like everything was crammed into the last 30 pages without enough space to breathe. I was especially surprised by how little attention was given to what happened afterward to characters like Tony, Freddie, and Lizzie.
Am I the only one who feels this way? I’d love to hear what other readers thought, especially those who watched the show first and then read the book.