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Bridgerton Family

A Night Like This by Julia Quinn

By Barb Drozdowich Leave a Comment

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

sugarbeat's books romance novels romance book reviews

Welcome also to Series Sunday!

This is my favorite day of the week! I love reading books, especially historical romances in series. I have the opportunity to live vicariously through the family that the series is about.  Today, I’m posting a much awaited release (at least for me personally) A Night Like This by Julia Quinn was released on May 29th and I snapped up a copy hot off the press. I haven’t met a Julia Quinn book that I haven’t liked….and this book is no different.  I’d like to say it was well worth the wait, but frankly, I hate waiting long periods of time between releases!!

I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this long awaited book, and of course, return next week as I’m giving away some Julia Quinn novels!

A Night like This by Julia Quinn
ISBN: 978-0-06-207291-7
Release: May 29th, 2012
Publisher: Avon Historicals
Source: I purchased a copy of this book to read and review

sugarbeat's books romance books romance novel reviews historical contemporary eroticaBlurb:
Nora Roberts calls Julia Quinn’s novels, “Delightful.” The #1 New York Times bestselling creator of the irresistible Bridgerton family, Quinn offers historical romance readers new delights with A Night Like This—the second book (following the phenomenal Just Like Heaven) to feature the affairs, romantic and melodic, of the endearing, if painfully untalented, Smythe-Smith musicians. On A Night Like This in Regency England, anything can happen, especially when a beautiful pianist sitting in at the annual Smythe-Smith musicale catches the eye of a haunted, hunted man in desperate need of redemption. There is simply no author in the realm of historical romance fiction hotter than the remarkable Julia Quinn—and anyone who has ever been swept away by the love stories of Amanda Quick, Lisa Kleypas, or Jill Barnett will cherish A Night Like This.

The long anticipated day finally arrived! The next Julia Quinn novel arrived to the bookstore near me! As everyone knows, I’ve been eagerly anticipating this book since the book signing I went to back in January. This book follows Just Like Heaven and again is a bit of an offshoot to the Bridgerton family books that span so many years.

In Just Like Heaven, we are introduced the the Smythe-Smith family members.  This is the family that creates the yearly concerts that are so horrible, yet everyone in the ton attends.  They are the source of humor in the Bridgerton books as most of the Bridgerton siblings either have to attend a concert or attempt to plot a way to avoid them.  We are now meeting the ladies that perform in those concerts.

It is a long standing tradition in the Smythe-Smith family that all the unmarried girls perform in a concert.  Much is made about some of the girls who are desperate to marry so that they don’t have to perform again.  In Just Like Heaven, we met Honoria – the one member of the family, it seems, that feels performing in a concert is an honor.  She’s aware of how horrible they are, but enjoys being part of a long standing tradition.  The concert that Honoria performs in, allows us to  be introduced to Anne Wynter, the heroine of A Night Like This. She is the governess of some of the girls performing and is drafted to play the piano when one of the girls becomes too ill to perform.  The concert occurs the the very night that Daniel, our hero arrives home from 3 years of exile because of a duel that he participated in.

For a lady who had spent the last eight years trying not to be noticed, Anne Wynter was in an awkward position.

In approximately one minute, she would be forced to walk onto a makeshift stage, curtsy to at least eighty members of the creme de la creme of London society, sit at a pianoforte, and play.

That she would be sharing the stage with three other young women was some consolation.  The other musicians – members of the infamous Smythe-Smith quartet – all played stringed instruments and would have to face the audience.  Anne, at least, could focus on the ivory keys and keep her head bowed.  With any luck, the audience would be too focused on how horrific the music was to pay any attention to the dark-haired woman who had been forced to step in at the last minute to take the place of the pianist, who had (as her mother declared to anyone who would listen) taken dreadfully – nay, catastrophically – ill.

 

A Night Like This is a thoroughly delightful book.  Definitely worth waiting for!  Anne is a wonderful person who has had a rough time of it in life.  She made a mistake early on that she has been paying for for years. The same is true, but in a different way for Daniel.  Daniel was involved in a drunken duel in his youth and accidentally shoots his best friend.  This enraged his best friend’s father to the point where he feared for his life.  He has spent the last 3 years running from hired hit men and thugs.  A truce has finally been reached and he comes home to see the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.  The fact that she is a governess is a bit of a problem, but one that Daniel doesn’t let get in his way.

Julia Quinn has the ability to create a story that has the reader laughing while they read.  The romance is present and beautifully presented, but the humor always comes through.  I have read many of Ms. Quinn’s books.  I certainly have my favorites, and there were one of two that I wasn’t as fond of, but I always eagerly anticipate the next book coming out!

“Have you ever read one of your cousin’s plays?” Miss Wynter asked innocently.

Daniel shook his head.

“They’re rather like this conversation, actually,” she said, and then, while he was absorbing that, she turned to her charges and accounted, “Good news, everyone! Today, instead of Julius Caesar, we will study one of Harriet’s plays.”

“Study?” Elizabeth asked, all horror.
“Read from, “ Miss Wynter corrected. She turned to Harriet. “You may choose which one.”
“Oh my heavens, that will be difficult.” Harriet set down her fork and place a hand over her heart as she thought, her fingers spread like a lopsided starfish.
“Not the one with the frog,” Frances said forefully. “Because you know I will have to be the frog.”

You’re a very good frog,” Miss Wynter said supportively.

Daniel kept quiet, watching the exchange with interest. And dread.

“Nevertheless,” Frances said with a sniff.
“Don’t worry, Frances,” Harriet said, giving her hand a pat, “we won’t perform The March of the Frogs, I wrote that years ago. My recent work is much more nuanced.”

“How far along are you on the one about Henry VIII?” Miss Wynter asked.
“A yen to have your head lopped off?” Daniel murmured.  “She did want to cast you as Ann Boleyn, didn’t she?”
“It’s not ready,” Harriet said, “I have to revise the first act.”
“I told her it needs a unicorn,” said Frances.

Daniel kept his eyes on the girls but leaned toward Miss Wynter. “Am I going to have to be a unicorn?”

“If you are lucky.”

He whipped his head around to face her.

“What does that m-”

As you can see from the quote above, Ms Quinn does a wonderful job of humorous conversations between the various characters that simply brings the story to life.  The reader can imagine this scene where Miss Wynter is obviously setting Daniel up for something and involving her young charges in the action.

Whatever will Julia Quinn write next???  And when will it appear in bookstores….two very important questions!

Buy a Copy of A Night Like This (Smythe-Smith Quartet)

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Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn

By Barb Drozdowich Leave a Comment

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

sugarbeat's books romance novels romance book reviews

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:sugarbeat's books romance books romance novel reviews historical contemporary erotica
Honoria Smythe-Smith is:

  1. a really bad violinist
  2. still miffed at being nicknamed “Bug” as a child
  3. NOT in love with her older brother’s best friend
  4. all of the above

Marcus Holroyd is:

  1. the Earl of Chatteris
  2. regrettably prone to sprained ankles
  3. NOT in love with his best friend’s younger sister
  4. all of the above

Together they:

  1.  eat quite a bit of chocolate cake
  2.  survive a deadly fever AND the world’s worst musical performance
  3.  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

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It’s In His Kiss by Julia Quinn

By Barb Drozdowich Leave a Comment

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

sugarbeat's books romance novels romance book reviews

Today is Series Sunday where we talk about books written in series.

Most of you know that my favourite thing is to read a book that is part of a series.  Lately, we’ve been reviewing the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn in honor of her new book coming out at the end of the month!!  I’m trying not to think about how many days…

Today we are going to talk about It’s In His Kiss, which involves Hyacinth Bridgerton.  Many have said that this is their favorite Bridgerton book.  I like it, but it might be number 2 or 3 on my list.  It is good, none-the-less, so I hope you enjoy my thoughts….

It’s In His Kiss by Julia Quinn
ISBN: 0-06-053124X
Publisher: Avon Books
Source: I purchased this book to read

 

sugarbeat's books romance books romance novel reviews historical contemporary erotica

Meet Our Hero…

Gareth St. Clair is in a bind. His father, who detests him, is determined to beggar the St. Clair estates and ruin his inheritance. Gareth’s sole bequest is an old family diary, which may or may not contain the secrets of his past… and the key to his future. The problem is–it’s written in Italian, of which Gareth speaks not a word.

Meet Our Heroine…

All the ton agreed: there was no one quite like Hyacinth Bridgerton. She’s fiendishly smart, devilishly outspoken and according to Gareth, probably best in small doses. But there’s something about her–something charming and vexing–that grabs him and won’t quite let go…

Meet Poor Mr. Mozart…

Or don’t. But rest assured, he’s spinning in his grave when Gareth and Hyacinth cross paths at the annual–an annually discordant–Smythe-Smith musicale. To Hyacinth, Gareth’s every word seems a dare, and she offers to translate his diary, even though her Italian is slightly less than perfect. But as they delve into the mysterious text, they discover that the answers they seek lie not in the diary, but in each other… and that there is nothing as simple–or as complicated–as a single, perfect kiss.

Book 7 of the Bridgerton series brings back Lady Danbury, an older matriarch of society that appears in many of the former books as a crusty old curmudgeon who enjoys speaking her mind and is feared by many members of the ton. In this book Lady Danbury serves as a matchmaker to Hyacinth Bridgerton and her grandson, Gareth St. Clair. Hyacinth and Lady Danbury make an interesting pair. Hyacinth has been spending every Tuesday afternoon reading to Lady Danbury for some time but they continue to have a rather acerbic relationship. Hyacinth seems to feel duty-bound to read to Lady Danbury, but is happy when she often falls asleep and therefore ends the reading sessions. Hyacinth has not had much contact with Gareth until one day when he appears during reading time and asks Hyacinth to translate his paternal grandmother’s diary which is written in Italian (a language Hyacinth has some knowledge of). As Hyacinth and Gareth start uncovering startling facts from this diary they find themselves drawn together romantically. Gareth has never been in love before and yet finds himself falling in love with the willful and stubborn Hyacinth. Hyacinth on the other hand is shocked to find herself developing feelings for such a notorious rake.

Gareth’s unpleasant father starts to interfere with the budding relationship; threatening to tell Hyacinth Gareth’s paternity secret. Only when faced with losing Hyacinth does Gareth realize that he truly loves her and fights to keep her.

Again, a winner from Julia Quinn. She shows that she is capable of exploring many delicate subjects in the unforgiving time of Regency England. Gareth has had such a hard life with his nasty father, but Julia Quinn presents him in a redeemable light. Hyacinth has the potential of being one of those bluestockings that are left on the proverbial shelf.

RT Book Reviews has nominated It’s In His Kiss to be one of it’s Top Picks and gives it 4 and 1/2 stars saying: “Here’s another utterly delightful Bridgerton tale featuring a highly “modern” woman, whose warmth, vivacity and intelligence shine through on every page. Quinn pairs Hyacinth with an ideal hero and then places them in the center of a passion-filled, intriguing mystery that’s sure to shoot to the top of the bestseller charts.”

Drop back by next week for the last book in the Bridgerton series….how many more days do I have to wait for the new release???

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