Review: Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn.

Posted June 1, 2011 by Rowena in Reviews | 4 Comments

Rowena’s review of Just Like Heaven (Smythe-Smith Quartet, Book 1) by Julia Quinn.

Hero: Marcus Holroyd
Heroine: Honoria Smythe-Smith

Honoria Smythe-Smith is:

A) a really bad violinist B) still miffed at being nicknamed “Bug” as a child C) not in love with her older brother’s best friend D) all of the above

Marcus Holroyd is:

A) the Earl of Chatteris B) regrettably prone to sprained ankles C) not in love with his best friend’s younger sister D) all of the above

Together they:

A) eat quite a bit of chocolate cake B) survive a deadly fever and the world’s worst musical performance C) fall quite desperately in love

It’s Julia Quinn at her best, so you know the answer is . . .

D) all of the above

Oh how I adore Julia Quinn. She writes my most favorite kinds of romances. She writes the ones that are funny and too cute for words. This is the first book in the Smith-Smythe quartet and to say that I’m anxious for more from this series (and these characters) is putting it mildly. I adored both Marcus and Honoria.

Right from the beginning, I liked Honoria. She has that sunny disposition that JQ is famous for writing and you can’t help but like. She’s smart, she’s funny and she’s playful. She knows that her family musicale’s are horrendous but she’s apart of them anyway because she values family and traditions. Honoria has decided that she is going to marry this year and she’s going to do whatever it takes to get the man she’s chosen for her husband to notice her.

Even if she has to sink to tricking him into noticing her. The only problem? Her brother’s best friend, Marcus keeps showing up when she least expects him to and ruining all of her well thought out plans. Marcus, the Earl of Chatteris and Daniel Smythe-Smith are best friends and there isn’t anything that he wouldn’t do for Daniel. Daniel is out of the country right now and he asks Marcus to look out for Honoria to make sure that she doesn’t marry a complete idiot and though Marcus would rather be doing any number of things, he agrees to look after Honoria.

The whole I fell in love with my best friend’s sister storyline is one of my favorites. It’s right up there with the one that got away and the first love storylines. I adore them. This book does that storyline justice too because I totally ate up this book. From the time Marcus and Honoria meet up again after all those years to when Marcus gets injured because of Honoria’s crazy schemes, I totally enjoyed it all.

Marcus is used to being alone. He’s been alone all of his life with the exception of the times that he spent at Daniel’s home. He’s not used to someone caring about his well being and his welfare and when Honoria comes rushing to nurse him back to health…he likes it. He likes her, and the easy relationship that blossomed into love between the two of them was just too freaking cute.

It was so very easy to like Honoria. She was the kind of heroine you wanted to be your friend. You wanted to tell Honoria all your worries and have her help you figure your life’s troubles out. She’s caring and genuine and I really liked her. The way that she just bulldozed her way into Marcus’ life, disrupting it and fighting him at every turn to get better just made this story that much more enjoyable.

I’m eager for more from this cast of characters. The other girls in the quartet had me laughing out loud and I can’t wait to get their stories. I’m hoping to see more of Daniel as well as I’m mighty curious to see what the heck he’s been up to all of these years. I think my most favorite of the Smythe-Smith girls is Iris. I can’t wait to see who she ends up with and what she’ll get up to in her story. Oh man she cracked me up in this book.

I enjoyed this book and I definitely think fans of JQ will enjoy this one as well. If you’re reading this review and you’re a fan of JQ then read this book!

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-format.