Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn

Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel

Welcome also to Series Sunday!

This is of course, my favorite day of the week. I love books in series. Today I’m posting my review of the latest book that has been released by Julia Quinn, that is, before the on I snagged this week and I’m reading as fast as I can. I hope you enjoy my thoughts for Just Like Heaven

Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn
ISBN: 978-0-06-149190-0
Release: 2011
Publisher: Avon Historical Romance
Source: I purchased this book to read and review

Blurb:
Honoria Smythe-Smith is:

a really bad violinist

still miffed at being nicknamed “Bug” as a child

NOT in love with her older brother’s best friend

all of the above

Marcus Holroyd is:

the Earl of Chatteris

regrettably prone to sprained ankles

NOT in love with his best friend’s younger sister

all of the above

Together they:

eat quite a bit of chocolate cake

survive a deadly fever AND the world’s worst musical performance

fall quite desperately in love

It’s Julia Quinn at her best, so you KNOW the answer is….
all of the above

For all those Bridgerton Family fans out there…..THERE’S MORE!!! And it’s delightful! I had the honor of meeting Julia Quinn at the RWA book fair in Bellevue, WA. She is so understated, so nice to talk to. I got myself an autographed copy of Just Like Heaven and it took a place higher on my TBR pile than it should have! For those of you patiently waiting for me to read your book, I hope you understand! I’ve been reading this series for quite some time, and I NEEDED to find out what was next!

From the Bridgerton series, the Smythe-Smith yearly musicals are mentioned several times. These absolutely horrific events feature some of the worst music of the season. It seems that there isn’t one musical member of this large extended family. They are populated by an appalling lack of talent amongst each tone-deaf girl. *grin* Just like Heaven allows a look from the other side of the podium as it were. The main character in this story is Honoria Smythe-Smith. She is yet another member of this memorable family and has served one year as part of the family quartet that performs at the musical. She is the youngest member of her large family and was nicknamed “Bug” by her brother when growing. Being the youngest by a number of years, she was constantly trying to tag along with her brother and his best friend, Marcus. They did everything they could to ditch her! Marcus, however, had a soft spot for her as he was an only child and knew what it was like to have no one to play with. As a result, Honoria developed a case of hero worship! The story jumps ahead many years. Honoria has made her come out, her brother has been chased out of England because of a scandal and her mother seems to have gone into a decline. Although she felt a number of men would have offered for her during her first season, they seemed to change their minds. What Honoria doesn’t know is that Marcus has been tasked with watching over her, and is chasing off unsuitable suitors.

An unexpected meeting in the woods with Marcus leaves him with a twisted ankle and Honoria tasked with getting some help for him. As a result, he ends up with pneumonia and an infection in his leg where his valet had to cut his boot off his swollen foot. Although this is an unfortunate event, it brings Honoria and Marcus together.

This is a wonderful story. For those of you Bridgerton fans out there, this is a wonderful addition to this series, but from a different point of view. Gregory and Colin Bridgerton make an appearance in this book. There is also an appearance from Lady Danbury!

“He held himself still, because he knew that voice, and he knew there was no escaping it. With a small smile, he looked down into the wrinkled face of Lady Danbury, who had been terrifying the British Isles since the time of the Restoration.

Or so it seemed. She was his mother’s great-aunt, and he would sear she was a hundred years old.
“An injury to my leg, my lady,” he said, giving her his most respectful bow.

She thumped her weapon (others might call it a cane, but he knew better) against the floor. “Fell off your horse?”

“No, I -”
“Tripped down the stairs? Dropped a bottle on your foot?” Her expression grew sly, “Or does it involve a woman?”

He fought the urge to cross his arms. She was looking up at him with a bit of a smirk. She liked poking fun at her companions; she’d once told him that the very best part of growing old was that she could say anything she wanted with impunity.

He leaned down and said with great gravity, “Actually, I was stabbed by my valet,”

It was, perhaps, the only time in his life he’d managed to stun her into silence.

Can’t you totally see Lady Danbury?? In my mind, she has an uncanny resemblance to my husband’s Auntie Irene and so I can totally picture this scene! I, too, spent many years tiptoeing around our beloved Auntie Irene! Julia Quinn creates totally delightful characters! These characters have the power to stay with the reader. In her world building, she is gradually forming an army of Bridgertons and associated characters. They are all unique and they all make us laugh and they all make us cry. Isn’t that an indication of a good book? One that you finish with a tissue in hand?

There is more on the way! According to Julia Quinn’s website, there is a second Smythe-Smith book on the way – A Night Like This. *happy dance* but not until late spring 2012. 🙁 In case you haven’t figured out yet…..I highly recommend this book and I wait in eager anticipation of the next installment of the story!

Buy a copy of Just Like Heaven