On Bees: A Review of The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

After I finished the first book in the Bridgerton series, I was left desperately wanting more. I really enjoy Julia Quinn's gift for story telling, and her Bridgertons are as charming as one can hope for from a large, series building family.

This, the second book, is Anthony's story. He's the eldest of the siblings and takes responsibility for all of them since their father passed when he was eighteen. His father's untimely death left Anthony with a grim certainty that he himself would die young, and thus he is determined not to fall in love. He does, however, want to marry and produce an heir. So, he sets his sights on  Edwina Sheffield, a charming, pretty, intelligent young lady who he feels no particular chemistry for, and so he is assured never to fall in love with her. The perfect wife. However, Edwina will not marry a man that her elder sister, Kate, does not approve of. Anthony starts a quest to prove himself to Kate, who is perceptive, smart, and eternally overshadowed--and someone Anthony does feel intense attraction to. As the pull toward Kate grows stronger, he wonders if he can will himself to keep from loving her.

Quinn seems to be good at building internal conflict. This book dealt with the subject of living through fears, with both main characters coming to grips with seemingly irrational phobias. They share the experience of having lost parents at a young age, and so their hang ups are similar in a way. Their coming together is rewarding both in terms of the love they share and in terms of psychological healing.

On a less serious note, I felt they were both very sexy and very sweet together. There were a lot of scenes that just plain made me smile.You want them to be happy together because that makes you, the reader, happy.

If I'm forced to rip this open and name a flaw, it's only that the supposedly too stubborn to love Anthony actually gives in to all of the things that will lead to love way too easily. He doesn't even really try to keep from marrying Kate, and once married he dives right into all the gooey relationship stuff that leads to love--from conversation, comfort, the intimacy of sharing living spaces, and of course sex. He gives in so easily that I couldn't fully buy his original hang ups.

Overall, though, this was a practically flawlessly enjoyable story. For historical romance fans, the Bridgertons should not be missed. 4.5 stars.

On Stutters: A Review of The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

I have been meaning to read Julia Quinn for awhile, and I mean a very long time. Every time I go to the book store I stare at the Julia Quinn section and wonder which one I'm supposed to read first. And then I picked up this one, which turns out to be the first in the Bridgerton series.

Daphney Bridgerton has been on the marriage market for longer than she'd like, and her well meaning mother is starting to get anxious and pushy. Meanwhile, Simon, newly arrived in London after a long absence, has sworn to never get married, and wants to avoid the ambitious mamas and their daughters at all costs. The two end up meeting by chance, and strike a bargain to pretend to be besotted with one another, Daphney so that she'll appear more desirable, and Simon so that he'll be left alone. But how will they handle in when the feelings start to become real?

Turns out, I love the way Julia Quinn writes. She's clever, light, and smooth--an excellent story teller. Her characters are fun, interesting, a distinct from one another, despite the fact that they are many. She managed to make me connect with the characters, particularly Simon, in a very short amount of time.

Simon's main hang up is that he stuttered when he was young, stuttered a lot. His father, something of an asshat, declared him an idiot because of it. He's never managed to get past that, and that's why he doesn't want to get married and start a family. It's a really good conflict, yes? Watching him fall in love with Daphne despite himself is highly rewarding. I also appreciated the fact that Daphney is no shrinking violet when it comes to going after what she wants. They make a charming pair, which of course is the formula for a good romance.

I struggled to rate this book because I enjoyed it so very, very much. Except for one thing. And I sort of thought I could ignore it, but it's a big thing. So I can't. I won't would rather not spoil it either, so let me just say this: Daphney does something to take advantage of a situation with Simon that was very, very unfair way. If you read it, you'll know it when you see it. And, you know, people make mistakes and bad choices, so I was willing to forgive it. But I felt that she should owe him a serious, serious apology. Well, that never really happens. The focus is on all what he did wrong and how he's going to change. I was forced, for this reason, to knock a full star off what could very well have been a five star book.

Don't let that one negative thing stop you, though. This is a very good historical romance, the perfect start to a series, and well worth your time. 4 stars.

Happy February! It's Romance Time!

February is kind of the most miserable month of the year. It's cold and snowy, without the promise of Santa to make up for it. And it has Valentines Day, or Single Person Awareness Day, depending on which side of relationship hell you're standing on. Anyway, here on reading to penguins we're going to make the best of this short miserable month by celebrating romance in all of it's ooey gooey schmaltzy goodness.

But first, let's crown the January 2013 Book of the Month: