The blog has been dead but for a good reason! Sharon has found a new obsession: Doctor Who (and she just started school) and I started the Bridgertons series and I cannot stop. Absolutely cannot. So I'm sharing with you mini reviews of the first five books in the Bridgertons Series. Seriously, I'm OBSESSED with it.
The Duke And I by
Julia Quinn Series: Bridgertons #1
Published: January 5th 2000 by Avon
Rating: B-
Thoughts: The Duke and I is well loved, even by non romance readers so I've been scared to read it because I usually dislike books everyone loves but *phew* I really, really loved reading The Duke and I. I didn't love the book but reading it was a blast. It's surprisingly laugh-out-loud funny, and the dialogue was just great. Daphne and Simon relationship was even better! They became friends and then more and I totally believed it. Anthony, who's Daphne's older brother and Simon's best friend was just the icing on the cake. He was the father figure to the Bridgertons so of course he wanted to protect his sister from everything, especially men and especially his best friend so the scenes with him made me laugh so hard, my face was hurting. What's keeping me from giving The Duke and I an A rating is Daphne's actions in the end. What she did really annoyed me and I felt like the resolution was tied up too nicely for my liking. Otherwise, this is a must read!
Favorite quote: "I think it's nice. If they're laughing now, they'll probably be laughing forever."
Series: Bridgertons #2
Published:
December 5th 2000
by Avon
Rating: C+
Thoughts: I definitely started this book as soon as I finished
The Duke And I because it's Anthony's book and I couldn't wait to see what Quinn had in store for him and I'm happy to report back that The Viscount Who Loved Me was delightful and I was really happy with it! The Viscount Who Loved Me was not as laugh out loud funny as The Duke And I but it really was delightful. I was wondering who Julia Quinn was going to pair Anthony with since he made a big impression in The Duke And I but Quinn knows her characters best and Kate Sheffield was just perfect for the "rake" Anthony. If possible, the relationship between Anthony and Kate had even more chemistry than Daphne and Simon's relationship. Don't let the mere C+ rating fool you, I loved reading this book and I can even say that I'll reread it in the future and it IS a must read but like I was telling Sharon, how obsessed I am with this series even though even though I'm not giving the books 5 stars. Her perfect reply?They're not all even 5-star material by any means, but they're just fantastic.
Favorite quote: “The ranks of society are once again filled with Ambitious Mamas, whose only aim is to see their Darling Daughters married off to Determined Bachelors.”
An Offer From a Gentleman by
Julia QuinnSeries: Bridgertons #3
Published: July 1st 2001 by Avon
Rating: C
Thoughts: An Offer From a Gentleman is a Cinderella retelling and while I think all retellings are quite awesome, there is just something about Cinderella retellings that I love. The Cinderella plot is quite sweet and so is this story. Benedict has been the least mentioned Bridgerton brother so far and I even contemplated skipping this book to read book 4, Colin's story (Colin's appearance in the previous two books is made me fall in love with him. I already know I'm going to love his book). However, I'm sure Quinn did this on purpose because Benedict struggles with being just "Bridgerton Number 2" instead of having an actual identity like Anthony or Colin.
Sophie was a lovely heroine and I was rooting for her from page one. Her and Benedict were very well suited (of course!) and this book possessed the charm and wit of the previous two books that is making me obsessed with this series. Also, kudos to Benedict for not going out and getting drunk when him and Sophie hit a rough patch. That truly made him a hero in my eyes and I dare say even better than Anthony and Simon (heroes who go and get drunk when they "lose" they're woman piss me off. Man up, you pussy! Hardy Cates is excluded from this though. Ha.)
Favorite quote: "His name was Benedict Bridgerton, he had seven brothers and sisters, was rather skilled with both a sword and a sketching crayon, and he always kept his eyes open for the one woman who had touched his soul.”
Series: Bridgertons #4
Published: July 2nd 2002
by Avon
Rating: B-
Thoughts: Colin, Colin, Colin. I definitely was most excited to read his book from the moment he was introduced in the first book. Colin is just so charming (he really is despite the fact that he hates that title) and in my opinion, the brother with the most common sense (he doesn't jump into fights like Anthony and Benedict). Colin is paired up with Penelope who was introduced in the previous books as a shy girl who's dressed in the most ill suiting dresses for her and men go out of their way to avoid her and her Ambitious Mama. However Penelope is bestfriends with Eloise, Colin's sister and she and Colin have a friendship of sorts since he's one of the few people who are friendly to her. I loved Penelope. She might have been shy, men might avoid her but she knew herself."Deep inside, she knew who she was, and that person was smart and kind and often funny, but somehow her personality got lost somewhere between her heart and her mouth,"I love confident and badass heroines but these shy heroines who don't pity themselves? They most definitely fall under the badass category. Colin and Penelope are perfect for each other and even though the book begun with Penelope describing the moment when she fell in love with Colin she always accepted the fact that it will always be unrequited love so it was nice to see the friendship between the two and Colin as he grew to notice Penelope more than a friend. It was quite sweet!
Favorite quote: "And so, on an otherwise unremarkable Friday afternoon, in the heart of Mayfair, in a quiet drawing room on Mount Street, Colin Bridgerton kissed Penelope Featherington. And it was glorious.”One thing I didn't like about this book is the end and how perfectly it wrapped up. It was way too smooth and happily ever after especially after unnecessary drama and I would have liked the Big Secret to remain a Secret.
Also, there is a LISA KLEYPAS reference in this book. Penelope was reading Mathilda by S. R. Fielding which happens to be the book the main heroine, Amanda, from Suddenly You, wrote. I have no shame in admitting that I contemplated giving the book an A for that fact alone.
Series: Bridgertons #5
Published: January 1st 2003 by Avon
Rating: B
Thoughts: To Sir Phillip, With Love is this far, my favorite Bridgertons book! I really liked the plot of this one and I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking of how Quinn will unfold this story. First of all: the reasons why this is not an A read is because I felt like some things just took place too soon. The first kiss was too soon. A scene with Phillip and his kids took place too soon and while I could understand why some of these things couldn't wait until the middle of the book, I was still annoyed. I also was not a fan of Eloise. I didn't hate her, but I didn't love her either which is odd because I adore the previous heroines. I love all of them but I couldn't muster up the same love for Eloise. Phillip really stole the show. He goes through a lot of change and lets go of a lot of things that were haunting him. I really, really loved him. He was taciturn (taciturn heroes are my favorite!). Preferring the company of plants and flowers over people and he also didn't sleep with all and every woman in the country of England which is refreshing in a hero in any romance novel. Phillip is also a father to twins which is another thing I love. And the end, my god, the end was beautiful. I was in class and I teared up and I didn't even care. It was a beautiful and perfect last chapter! I closed the book with a huge grin on my face after swooning a few times. Also, this quote is now one of my all time favorite quotes EVER. Actually, this whole speech from Phillip to Eloise broke my heart, put it back together, made me tear up, made me hug my Kindle and it's what made this book my favorite from the Bridgertons series:
Favorite quote: “Until you've lived through all that," he said, "don't you ever complain about what we have. Because to me... to me..." He choked on the words, but he barely paused before he continued. "This - us - is heaven. And I can't bear to hear you say otherwise.”
I have three books left in this series and I'm so excited to read them yet so sad because I have been reading and thinking of nothing else but this series. It will be so so so hard to say goodbye to this series! Also, I LOVE these cartoon/caricature or WHATEVER they're called covers. LOVE THEM. Do they have a specific name? You would save my life if you tell me!
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