Author: Julia Quinn,
Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction
Personal Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ / ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3 out of 5 stars)
Do not be fooled by the 3-star rating, I really like this book. It’s just that I watched the Netflix series so I spoiled myself and enjoyed the book less than I should’ve.
There is nothing to feel but love as I once again spent a few hours with the Bridgerton household, this time focusing on the eldest’s love conquest. Out of obligation, Anthony has decided to find himself a bride and he’s targeting whoever is this year’s diamond among the debutantes. Fortunately, for Anthony and us readers, because it caused this romance for us to read, he instead fell for the diamond’s elder sister Kate.
The author once again proved how amazing she is at incorporating a lot of characters but giving them just the right amount of exposure to get the plot moving. I really like how Kate’s competitiveness made her the best Viscountess as she mirrors the Bridgerton siblings’ spirit. There was also a deeper connection built with Kate and Anthony’s shared trauma of witnessing their parent’s death. I don’t why exactly, but the way it was delivered in the books made me feel like their love was somehow ‘purer’ than the Netflix version.
I also really like that Anthony’s character had his ‘redemption’ arc but it was delivered with balance, nothing too dramatic. He was introduced as somewhat of a rake (the term for womanizer in the regal times, I believe) and he acted like one at the beginning. He was caught by Kate acting like one and I especially like the touch that it was during their ‘getting to know’ phase, not a full-on jealousy type of situation. This made their ‘courting’ phase more natural and more sincere.
Oh, I forgot to mention this during my review of the previous book! I really like how the ending of that involves Lady Whistledown. This book too It brings enough mystery to keep on reading but not so detrimental to the plot that you’d find it irritating not to know who she is.
Overall, the fact that I was still hooked reading every page despite knowing how it’ll turn out says a lot about the level of enjoyment I’m having with this series. I can’t wait to read the rest.
Favorite Quote(s):
“[Men] are not as smart as we are, they’re not as intuitive as we are, and they certainly don’t need to know about fifty percent of what we do.”
― Duchess Daphne Hastings, The Viscount Who Loved Me
“I’ve learned a thing or two about women over the years” … “They’re much easier to manage if one allows them to believe that they are smarter and more intuitive than men. And,” he added with a superior glance at his wife, “our lives are much more peaceful if we pretend that we’re only aware of about fifty percent of what they do.”
― Duke Simon Hastings, The Viscount Who Loved Me
“There is nothing like a spot of competition to bring out the worst in a man – or the best in a woman.”
― Lady Whisteldown’s Society Papers, The Viscount Who Loved Me
“A man with charm is an entertaining thing, and a man with looks is, of course, a sight to behold, but a man with honor – ah, he is the one, dear reader, to which the young ladies should flock.”
― Lady Whisteldown’s Society Papers, The Viscount Who Loved Me
The Stray Reader 
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