Title: An Offer from a Gentleman
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: The Bridgertons #3
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Regency romance
Dates read: 23rd February – 5th March 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Avon
Year: 2001
5th sentence, 74th page: A rather attractive, extremely fashionable blond woman in her forties glided into the room.

Will she accept the offer before the clock strikes midnight?

Sophie Beckett never dreamed she’d be able to sneak into Lady Bridgerton’s famed masquerade ball. Though the daughter of an earl, Sophie has been relegated to the role of servant by her disdainful stepmother. But now, waltzing in the strong arms of the debonair and devastatingly handsome Benedict Bridgerton, she feels like royalty. Alas, she knows all enchantments must end when the clock strikes midnight.

Who was that extraordinary woman? Ever since that magical night, a radiant vision in silver has blinded Benedict to the attractions of any other – except, perhaps, this alluring and oddly familiar beauty dressed in housemaid’s garb. He has sworn to find and wed his mystery miss, but this breathtaking maid makes him weak with wanting her. If he offers her his heart, will he sacrifice his only chance for a fairy-tale love?

I absolutely adored this little ode to Cinderella. One of the things that I’ve always questioned about the original fairy tale is the fallout when the prince marries a woman who is socially beneath him. In a time when class was very much an issue. Quinn deals with that question kind of perfectly. With a great sense of style and wit. A great dose of humour. And just generally, a great storyline. One that had me giggling and going to my happy place all the way throughout.

Sophie is completely adorable throughout this story. She is sweet and kind of innocent, less outspoken than the women in the first two Bridgertons books. But she’s also got a backbone of steel. A total knowledge of who and what she is. And a great ability to be who she is without apologies. The fact that she turns down the man that she loves because she knows what he is asking of her (even when he doesn’t) just made me love her all the more. She doesn’t think that everything will be okay just because there is love in their relationship, she knows that there is something more that is required for a happily ever after.

Benedict is kind of silly – especially when he doesn’t understand what asking someone to be his mistress truly entails. But, he’s also really sweet. And I love that he constantly wants to be something more than just the “Second Bridgerton”. He falls for the only woman who can figure out just who he is. And then accepts him, flaws and all. I also love that he is an artist and totally willing to follow his heart – even if it takes him a little while to figure out what his heart truly desires.

This is a great, humorous story. A especially loved the constant referrals to the fact that this wasn’t a romance novel… it had a great little turn of wit including those little comments that made the story seem both more realistic, and more fantastical. I finished this story with a giant smile on my face and a happily beating heart. Now I get to move onto the next beautiful instalment of this fantastic series…

Image source: Julia Quinn

Title: The Viscount Who Loved Me
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: Bridgertons #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Regency romance
Dates read: 14th – 15th January 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Avon
Year: 2000
5th sentence, 74th page: Kate gave her hand a squeeze.

1814 promises to be another eventful season, but no, This Author believes, for Anthony Bridgerton, London’s most elusive bachelor, who has shown no indication that he plans to marry. And, in all truth, why should he? When it comes to playing the consumate 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 also chosen a wife! The only abstacle is his intended’s older sister, Kate Sheffield – the most meddleseom 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’s 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…

I’ve been trying not to go nuts and buy the rest of the Bridgerton series since I read The Duke and I. I even managed to last a far while before I succumbed. And then I read The Viscount Who Loved Me the moment that it arrived on my doorstep. There is just something so unbelievably sweet and unforgettable about this series that makes it impossible to put down. Something that means I really have to pace myself when picking up these books, because I tend to ignore everything else in my life.

The Viscount Who Loved Me definitely has a bit of a Pride and Prejudice vibe. And, considering that’s one of my favourite classics, I thought that this was brilliant. There was a much more modern spin and tone to the classic (even though it is set in much the same time). And there were even moments that I thought of a few other Jane Austen books whilst reading it. There was just something undeniably fun, light-hearted and brilliant about this. Something which felt totally new, but also wonderfully familiar. Kind of like a good comfort food late on a winter’s night…

I’m the older sister of a girl who is undeniably, stunningly beautiful. I’m no slouch, but when compared to her… so I kind of understand why Kate is a little withdrawn from the pursuit of men. Yet, she’s also fiercely independent and strong willed. Loyal to her sister and unwilling to just let people take advantage. Again, eerily familiar. Yet, her love interest and counterpart in this story, Anthony, is not in the slightest bit familiar (although, rather reminiscent of Mr. Darcy). He’s kind of a self-centred moron for much of the story. All because he’s decided to “face” his mortality. Men who think they know best are annoying at the best of times, the ones who feel are like this and then refuse to communicate…. Yeah, I got really frustrated for a good portion of this story. Yet, I still absolutely adored him.

Image source: Julia Quinn

Title: The Duke & I
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: Bridgertons #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Regency romance
Dates read: 17th – 18th December 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Piatkus
Year: 2000
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘Of course,’ Lady Bridgerton said politely.

‘Men are sheep. Where one goes, the rest soon follow…’ Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers, 30 April 1813

After enduring two seasons in London, Daphne Bridgerton is no longer naïve enough to believe she will be able to marry for love. But is it really too much to hope for a husband for whom she at least has some affection?

Her brother’s old school friend Simon Basset – the new Duke of Hastings – has no intention of ever marrying. However, newly returned to England, he finds himself the target of the many marriage-minded society mothers who remain convinced that reformed rakes make the best husbands.

To deflect their attention, the handsome hell-raiser proposes to Daphne that they pretend an attachment. In return, his interest in Daphne will ensure she becomes the belle of London society with suitors beating a path to her door. There’s just one problem, Daphne is in very real danger of falling for a man who has no intention of making their charade a reality…

This novel is beautiful, sweet and romantic. It’s kind of like a Jane Austen novel with far more humour, and a more approachable, modern language. Quite possibly my favourite read of the year to be fair. There is just something about it which is kind of brilliant, and a lot of fun. There is also a sense of naivety to the storyline which really isn’t present in a lot of the romances that I read.

Although this is a romance, I was fully expecting the marriage to occur at the end point of the story. After all, that’s normally the “happily ever after” moment for most of these stories. But, instead it actually takes place just after the halfway mark. Actually, the couples biggest challenge is their own personal issues and the moments they have to face up to throughout the marriage, rather than actually getting to the altar. I completely loved this because it highlighted the fact that there is a story after marriage. That you have to continue working on the relationship, even after you have made that commitment. Something that I think sometimes needs to be highlighted a little more.

I couldn’t put this book down. It did take me two days, because I started it late at night and figured that I needed to actually sleep… but the next day, I decided to shun all people and only pursue the barest of responsibilities… I really, really had to see what happened. It’s been a little while since I was this happily engrossed in a story and I was just so damn grateful. My biggest frustration is the fact that I blew my budget over Christmas, so now have to save up before I’m able to buy more books in this series. But they’re at the top of the list!

As to the characters… Simon is incredibly stupid and angry at moments. But we still love him. There is a number of great redeeming characteristics about him, so it’s possible to forgive his stupid moments. Daphne is frustratingly naïve in many moments. But I think that it’s very true to the time, or our ideas of the time. I also love that although she’s a regency-era woman, she also has a modern rebellious streak… there’s a number of moments throughout where she actually punches the moronic men in her life. And haven’t we all felt the same desire at some point?

Image source: Amazon