Goodreads says, "1814 promises to be another eventful season, but not, 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 consummate 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 even chosen a wife! The only obstacle is his intended's older sister, Kate Sheffield--the most meddlesome 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 to not make the best husbands--and Anthony Bridgerton is the most wicked rogue of them all. Kate's 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..."
The last we caught up with the Bridgerton family, the focus was on Simon and Daphne's relationship. However, in The Viscount Who Loved Me, the focus is solely on Anthony Bridgerton, the eldest brother. He should have been married by now, but instead, he has lived the life of a bachelor doing whatever he wants, whenever he wants. However, as head of the Bridgerton family, he has some pressure to get married in order to continue the family's line. Much to everyone's surprise, he has agreed to settle down and has his eye on Edwina Sheffield, the most sought out woman of the season. There's one issue though. She has an overbearing older sister, Kate, who drives Anthony nuts and doesn't make his life easy. Kate really doesn't want Anthony marrying her younger sister; everyone knows his reputation as a womanizer! However, the more Kate meddles, the more she realizes that maybe she actually has feelings for Anthony much to her dismay and it appears he is thinking of her too! Perhaps Anthony is pursing the wrong Sheffield sister? Julia Quinn's The Viscount Who Loved Me is an excellent followup to The Duke and I.
I really liked the character of Kate from the beginning of The Viscount Who Loved Me. She is spunky, determined, smart, opinionated, and can be a lot of fun. I don't blame her for not wanting Edwina to marry Anthony as his reputation precedes him. Once Anthony and Kate start to interact more, they have an attraction. I was hooked! I absolutely loved their witty banter and their enemies to lovers romance. It was all done well and I don't normally liked a lot of cliches in romance novels, but this worked for me.
Anthony is my favorite Bridgerton brother in the series, so I was thrilled to learn more about his character and his backstory. Quinn does go into detail regarding his father's untimely death and how this impacted Anthony. His father's death and his legacy really haunts Anthony. He feels he won't hold a candle to his father and what happened to him sort of haunts his days. Despite his shortcomings, I really enjoyed Anthony and Kate's relationship and I can't wait to see it come to life on Bridgerton next season.
Fans of The Duke and I will love continuing with the Bridgerton family and learning things from different character's perspectives all the while having the gossip delivered to readers via Lady Whistledown. I love how Quinn utilizes Lady Whistledown in the novels as a sort of narrator; in fact, I wish the show didn't give us a clue as to who she is so soon. Nonetheless, fans Bridgerton, as well as the character of Anthony, will especially appreciate this novel.
I am glad I listened to the audio version of The Viscount Who Loved Me, because it was fantastic and the perfect escape during the doldrums of winter. Rosalyn Landor is a superb narrator. In fact, I think I liked The Viscount Who Loved Me a little bit more than The Duke and I, which is unusual when it comes to a series.
If you are looking for something to read after binging Netflix's Bridgerton, you should definitely continue with the series. The Viscount Who Loved Me didn't disappoint! I can't wait to watch Anthony's story come to life in season two of the show. I think many of Anthony (and Johnathon Bailey's fans) will be swooning.
Are you a fan of Netflix's Bridgerton ? Have you read the series? Did you read The Viscount Who Loved Me? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
It's been such a long time since I read the books, and while it's tempting to join in the hoopla, I just have way too many books waiting for me. Lol.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're reading the books, though. Let me know which is your favourite so far.
I haven't read beyond The Duke & I, but this sounds so good!
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