Series: Bridgertons

Throwback Thursday Review: The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn.

Posted October 10, 2019 by Rowena in Reviews | 7 Comments

Throwback Thursday Review: The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn.Reviewer: Rowena
The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
Series: Bridgertons #2
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: June 27, 2006
Format: Print
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 354
Add It: Goodreads
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

1814 promises to be another eventful season, but not, this author believes, for Anthony Bridgerton, London's most elusive bachelor, who has shown no indication that he plans to marry.And in truth, why should he? When it comes to playing the consummate rake, nobody does it better...—Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1814

But this time, the gossip columnists have it wrong. Anthony Bridgerton hasn't just decided to marry—he's even chosen a wife! The only obstacle is his intended's older sister, Kate Sheffield—the most meddlesome woman ever to grace a London ballroom. The spirited schemer is driving Anthony mad with her determination to stop the betrothal, but when he closes his eyes at night, Kate is the woman haunting his increasingly erotic dreams...

Contrary to popular belief, Kate is quite sure that reformed rakes do not make the best husbands—and Anthony Bridgerton is the most wicked rogue of them all. Kate is determined to protect her sister—but she fears her own heart is vulnerable. And when Anthony's lips touch hers, she's suddenly afraid she might not be able to resist the reprehensible rake herself...

*** Every Thursday, we’ll be posting throwback reviews of our favorite and not-so-favorite books. Enjoy! ***

This review was originally posted on July 9, 2009.

Anthony Bridgerton is the eldest boy in the Bridgerton clan and he’s the man of the house. He’s been the man of the house since his father died of a bee sting and he took their father’s death the hardest out of all of the kids because he was the closest to his father. Edmund Bridgerton, father to the Bridgerton tribe was fairly young when he died, just 39 years old and from a bee sting of all things. Anthony has this strange thought that he’s going to die young just like his father so he’s decided that he wants to get married before his untimely demise and of course, he doesn’t want to marry someone that he’ll love because it’d be unfair for his young wife to lose the man she loves when he dies.

Yeah, I know but as silly as the set up for this book is, I did enjoy it. It’s not one of my favorites of the Bridgerton series but it is still a good story and that has a big part to do with the way that Julia Quinn tells her stories. With lots of delightful dialogue and just a whole lot of funny scenes to make stories pop right off the pages.

My favorite part of these stories is seeing the family all together. For a bunch of historical characters, they sure are delightful and not in the least stuffy like I imagine lots of historical families to be.

The scenes with Anthony and Kate made for some good reading as well though there were plenty of times that I wanted to choke Kate the hell out. Yes, I got it, she wasn’t the beauty in the family and the more she harped on this, the more I wanted to scream at her but what made her human to me was her fear of thunderstorms. I thought the scene when Anthony finds her alone and frightened and then stays with her through the thunderstorms was one of my favorite scenes in the entire book.

Overall, this book was a whole lot of fun. The characters are all three dimensional and I fell in love with each of them and it set up some great stuff for the future books in this series and I’m thinking that maybe I’ll have to write up some more reviews for this series because this series is one of those series that we don’t want to forget about with all of the new stuff coming out these days. The Bridgertons are a wonderful family and I fell in love with each of them in their books and Anthony was no different.

Anthony was a stand up hero, one that was easy to fall in love with and while I did love him, it’s his brothers that I absolutely adored. I love the relationship that they have with each other, it’s so much fun and so..real. If you haven’t read this series then you should seriously start because this series is the bomb!

Grade: 4 out of 5.

The Bridgertons

four-stars


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Sunday Spotlight: When He was Wicked by Julia Quinn

Posted February 17, 2019 by Rowena in Features, Giveaways | 3 Comments

Sunday Spotlight is a feature we began in 2016. This year we’re spotlighting our favorite books, old and new. We’ll be raving about the books we love and being total fangirls. You’ve been warned. 🙂

Julia Quinn has been writing fabulous historical romances for as long as I can remember. Each book that I read from her delivers a delightful romance that I can’t get enough of and I want to remind you why she’s so great.

Sunday Spotlight: When He was Wicked by Julia QuinnWhen He Was Wicked (Bridgertons, #6) by Julia Quinn
Series: Bridgertons #6
Also in this series: The Viscount Who Loved Me
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: June 29, 2004
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 368
Add It: Goodreads
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four-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Everything was so much simpler... when he was wicked.

In every life there is a turning point. A moment so tremendous, so sharp and breathtaking, that one knows one's life will never be the same. For Michael Stirling, London's most infamous rake, that moment came the first time he laid eyes on Francesca Bridgerton.

After a lifetime of chasing women, of smiling slyly as they chased him, of allowing himself to be caught but never permitting his heart to become engaged, he took one look at Francesca Bridgerton and fell so fast and hard into love it was a wonder he managed to remain standing. Unfortunately for Michael, however, Francesca's surname was to remain Bridgerton for only a mere thirty-six hours longer—the occasion of their meeting was, lamentably, a supper celebrating her imminent wedding to his cousin.

But that was then... Now Michael is the earl and Francesca is free, but still she thinks of him as nothing other than her dear friend and confidant. Michael dares not speak to her of his love... until one dangerous night, when she steps innocently into his arms, and passion proves stronger than even the most wicked of secrets...

When I read my first Bridgertons book, I had so much love for this family. They made me laugh, they made me cry and every single one of the first books were so lighthearted and just all around happy books that I easily fell into each of them. Then I read When He was Wicked and it wasn’t the happy go lucky, lighthearted romance that I was used to. It was a darker, more angsty romance and yet it fits perfectly with Francesca Bridgerton’s personality. At least, the way that I saw her. She was a lot more serious than her sisters but man was she just as awesome as they were…and that is why I’m spotlighting her book today.

I remember so much angst in this book. The forbidden love that Michael carried for Francesca all those years. The sadness of Francesca losing her husband and then the angst of falling in love with his cousin? Gah, it gets me every single time.

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Memorable Scenes

Here are some memorable scenes and quotes that hit me right in my feels every time that I read the book or come across these quotes online. These are some of my favorites.

“Tell me something wicked.”

sigh

Yes, be wicked!

“In every life there is a turning point. A moment so tremendous, so sharp and clear that one feels as if one’s been hit in the chest, all the breath knocked out, and one knows, absolutely knows without the merest hint of a shadow of a doubt that one’s life will never be the same.”

“Oh, God, Francesca. Now there’s a good one. Why? Why? Why?” He gave each one a different tenor as if he were testing out the word, asking it to different people.

“Why?” he asked again, this time with increased volume as he turned around to face her.

“Why? It’s because I love you, damn me to hell. Because I’ve always loved you. Because I loved you when you were with John, and I loved you when I was in India, and God only knows I don’t deserve you, but I love you, anyway.”

Francesca sagged against the door.

“How’s that for a witty little joke?” he mocked. “I love you. I love you, my cousin’s wife. I love you, the one woman I can never have. I love you, Francesca Bridgerton Stirling.”

If you haven’t read this book, I recommend that you fix that because this book is a forbidden romance that will melt your heart at every turn. Quinn does such a fabulous job of making us feel for these characters and Michael Stirling is one of the best heroes out there. Francesca is one lucky wench!

The Bridgertons

Giveaway Alert

We’re giving one lucky winner their choice of one of our Sunday Spotlight books. Use the widget below to enter for one of this month’s features.

Sunday Spotlight: February 2019

Do you love Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series as much as we do? Let us know in the comments and let us know what other books you’re looking forward to this year!

four-half-stars


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