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Welcome to Series Sunday!
As you all know, Series Sunday is one of my favorite days of the week. I get to talk about one of my favorite series books! We have been looking at Julia Quinn‘s Bridgerton Series because Julia Quinn is releasing a new book at the end of May. I thought we could re-visit this series to prepare for the new arrival! Last week was The Duke & I – as many have said, maybe the most perfect book of this series….what are your thoughts?
This week is The Viscount Who Loved Me. This is the second book in the series and features Anthony – the eldest Bridgerton and Kate Sheffield. I hope you enjoy my thoughts on the subject!
The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
ISBN: 0380815575
Publisher: Avon
1814 promises to be another eventful season, but not, This Author believes, for Anthony Bridgerton, London’s most elsuive 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 fars 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…
Book 2 in the Bridgerton Series tells the story of Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sheffield. We find Anthony at the beginning of the book deciding it is time that he, at the ripe old age of 29, marry and sire some heirs. Since he has decided that he has no intention of falling in love with his wife he is rather methodical about his choice of a wife. Anthony became Viscount after his father died at the age of 38 from a bee sting. Anthony feels that he will probably die the same way, and at about the same age as his father and he doesn’t want to leave a wife desperately grieving his death. His choice of a wife, Edwina Sheffield, is someone he feels he will never fall in love with and therefore some one who will not be too devastated when he dies. When Katherine (Edwina’s older half-sister) learns of Anthony’s pursuit she is determined to interfere. Anthony has a reputatation as a rake and she doesn’t want her younger, more innocent sister to become a victim of Anthony’s rakish ways. Anthony decides to seduce Kate to scare her off, but to his dismay, finds that Katherine may be the one to bring him to his knees when it comes to love! Although Anthony is becoming more attracted to Kate as each day passes, he holds true to his decision to marry Edwina. That is until he and Kate are caught in a compromising position by the biggest gossip in London. He was trying to suck out the venom after Kate was stung by a bee. If the scene wasn’t so heart wrenching, it would have been hysterical! Kate and Anthony help each other resolve their outstanding fears and love conquers all in traditional Regency romance fashion.
This is a beautifully written book that deals with the character’s traumatic issues in a very sensitive fashion. Certainly one of the better ones of this series.
Publisher’s Weekly describes this story by saying: “Her prose is spry and assured, and she excels at creating indelible characters.” I have to agree with this sentiment! Her characters feel real to me. I find myself speeding though the pages cheering for certain characters.
The Romance Reader says “…whenever I dive into one of her romances, I’m usually rewarded with dialogue that sparkles, heroines who are sassy and intelligent, and heroes who are genuinely heroic, not to mention kind-hearted. So I’m happy to report that on these counts The Viscount Who Loved Me succeeds beautifully.”
Although I know that one of the things I like about romance novels is that they always have a happy ending, I certainly enjoy the at time raucous ride through the story! I laugh out loud, I shed tears, and I treasure every minute!
Related articles
- Series Sunday – Book Review for The Lady Most Likely by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James & Connie Brockway (sugarbeatsbooks.com)
- Prolixity Julien’s #CBR4 Review #4: An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn (cannonballread4.wordpress.com)
- Most Read Authors: 2012 Edition (muggle-born.net)
I love Julia Quinn’s books!
The Bridgerton series is probably one of may all time favorites!
You should stop by and check out my Julia Quinn Reading Challenge over at my blog 🙂
Happy Easter!
Aislynn
Hi Aislynn!
I agree! Julia Quinn is my favorite author! I just love the books that she produces! I am really looking forward to her next release in May!
I’m always surprised when people talk so much about The Duke & I, because I think The Viscount Who Loved Me is the best of the Bridgerton series. Anthony’s resignation to his (believed) fate is so heartbreaking that I cry almost every time I read this book. And Kate is a pretty great heroine – the croquet scene? Love it! Looking forward to the next Smythe-Smith book too! 🙂
I hear you! Although I love all the Bridgerton books, Benedict is my favorite!!! I like the Cinderellaish aspect to the story. Although I read these books a while a go, it has been wonderful reviewing them! I am going to be haunting the bookstore on release day! Don’t want an e-copy of this book…..want to hold it in my hands 🙂 Thanks for dropping by and sharing!