Sense and Sensibility made me rethink Christian romance – now I want a modern-day Colonel Brandon

The latest adaptation of Sense and Sensibility has Sophie Sanders reconsidering what real romance actually looks like. Could the dependable, dishwasher-stacking Colonel Brandon rather than the dashing Willoughby be the model of love we should really be looking for?

I don’t know about you, but I hate awkward icebreakers with a passion. I’d even go as far as to say they’re amongst my worst nightmares – think grinning through gritted teeth as you reveal which rogue vegetable you’re most akin to or trying to select two truths and a lie that will make the room roar with laughter.

For me, it reaches rock bottom when someone suggests snog, marry, avoid, especially if it’s limited to those sitting in the room. Truly horrific. But when I went to watch the latest adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, this cringeworthy ranking system seemed surprisingly apropos, despite the notable absence of steamy sex scenes, which have become a mainstay of period adaptations in recent years.