January Book List

Hold onto your hats, my little chickadees. January was a wildly successful book month, with the release of the Netflix series Bridgerton completely igniting the spark in me. A lifetime Julie Andrews fan, I was excited to see not only that Andrews was narrating; it was a regency period piece. I am a true sucker for a period romance. My fondest memory of my mother was sitting in our living room (lovingly nicknamed "The Pit") eating Domino's Hawaiian pizza with extra cheese and sticking on labels for her business marketing literature. This was back in the days of the Domino's CinnaStix (before they did away with that glorious confection and replaced it with dry, hard cinnamon twists), so my grubby little fingerprints would be all over the envelopes while I stared at the screen. Usually on the nights we'd do this, it was a Jane Austen novel adapted to the screen. My heroes were Elizabeth Bennett and Fanny Price, my villains the nefarious Wickham and untrue Willoughby. I wanted a Bingley of my own, dammit! Forget the brooding Mr. Darcy, I wanted the kind and smiling Bingley.

Well, Julia Quinn brings all those happy, wholesome memories back to me in her Bridgerton series. I finished six of the eight in January, as well as sampling out a mysteriously titled volume called The Mask of Duplicity by Julia Brannan. January was all about the Julias!

Side note: no such thing as spoilers when a book literally tells you who's getting together on the back cover.

Content Warning: Attempted Rape

The Review

Lord bless me and mine for finishing this book. I am a patient woman. I could not STAND this book. And unfortunately, Julia Brannan left it on a damn cliffhanger, so of course I'm obligated to read the second one. Of course I am.

First of all, I think the biggest faux pas in writing historical fiction is fact spewing. Especially fact spewing that includes dates and the various kings and nobles involved. I appreciate that most historical fiction authors have a background in history, but a foreword discussing the events that take place adjacent to the story being told is preferable to a mixture of textbook and romance...which there is no romance that takes place. Most of the book is dry background on the Jacobite Rebellions We meet the guy, I guess, but there's no real romance and a rather confusing end (which I had massive suspicions about and is the reason I have to read The Mask Revealed. Of course.)

Beth is one of those perfect, universally loved characters that is extremely bland. The author intends to make her a strong female character, and she does manage to convey resilience and resourcefulness; but Beth tends to just have things fall into place. Brannan also constantly has other characters praising Beth for her beauty and good nature, and rarely does she have someone who dislikes her or causes her trouble, save her absolutely vile half brother Richard.

Anthony is also a conundrum. At the risk of spoilers I cannot air my suspicions, but I will say that there is a very minor character who seems to be connected in a very very close way.

The Review

This is the basis for Netflix's Bridgerton Season One. I honestly liked the show better than the book, because it corrected some of the toxic male behavior that is so common in many romance books (side note, you'll hear me criticize toxic men quite a bit in the next six books, because Quinn, bless her heart, loves her tortured men, but make it sexy). Firstly, I am in love with the Bridgerton family. They are the idyllic, loyal, and loving family that you wish that you had. Eight children, widowed mother, highly competitive sports, a breathtaking mutual attraction, and a terrible musicale light the pages of this book with humor and longing, and a warm sense of family. I found myself calling my dad after finishing this book.

Now, the idealism is definitely a theme, and Quinn makes up for the perfection of the family relationships and secure finances and popularity by choosing to have her characters make very human mistakes. There is an element of duplicity in this books, with both Simon and Daphne engaging in hurtful behavior and outright deception. Daphne is a bit flat of a character, whose primary motivation in life is to get married and have children (not saying people who prioritize tradition are flat, but that's all Daphne is). Simon by far has a more interesting and sympathetic backstory, and I find his relationship with Anthony much more interesting. In all I enjoyed this book like candy. Maybe it's surface level fun but it's extremely enjoyable and I have plans to finish every Quinn book in her collection.

The Review

This one is more like it. I love, love, love Viscount Anthony Bridgerton. Love him. And I adore Kate, the uppity and smart-mouthed older sister of the woman Anthony has decided to marry in his almost clinical search for a wife. Kate Sheffield is the bee's knees (this will be funny if you read this book. I promise.), an intelligent woman on the edge of spinsterdom. Her sister has been dubbed the season's diamond of the first water, and upon learning of her, Anthony declares that he shall wed her, sight unseen. However, it is well known fact that any potential suitor must go through Kate first. Their lively banter ignites something in them, and has an absolutely delightful end. Quinn creates a witty, strong female character who is a match for the sometimes (read: always) pompous Anthony Bridgerton.

Writing style is the typical Julia Quinn wit mixed with steamy, steamy bits that make you have that little blush that creeps up your cheeks when you're reading the book in public, and the slightly upturned smile that touches the edge of your lips when you realize that it's your nasty little secret. We love Kate and Anthony.

The Review

Oh, Julia Quinn. Why must you do me this way?

Basically, I'm really glad that Netflix is completely changing Benedict's personality and only keeping the fact that he is tall and British and likes to paint. Because that's all that is good about his personality. Enter Sophie, the bastard of a nobleman who has been turned out and is making her wage as a maidservant. Benedict falls for the beautiful maid and they begin a torrid affair, and he attempts to make her his kept mistress. Sophie refuses the insult, clever girl, and Benedict works his way back into her good graces until a Quinn-esque outlandish situation occurs and Benedict finally proves he is worth something.

I liked it enough, but I couldn't get past how Benedict treats Sophie and how her treatment becomes different when she is discovered to be a bastard of an earl and not just a common girl. It's also sad that she is pretty much left to be in the country any not in town, where scandals spread like wildfire.

Sophie is a strong heroine, and Benedict a weak hero.

The Review

Finally, a fat girl! Penelope has been sitting on the shelf for a great deal of time, and the unspoken truth is that she is destined to remain a spinster. The only man she has ever loved is Colin Bridgerton, who is by far the best of the Bridgertons. He's charming and kind, and he loves food and pretty girls.

I enjoyed the book but I did have a problem with the pacing. Colin realizes he is in love with Penelope very early on, and completely rushes the whole thing. It's like he finally saw her and noticed her and then had to have her, like an impulse buy. He even goes so far as to "ruin" her so she has to marry him...a common theme as well but not uncommon for the times. It is very hard to overlook the issue with consent, even though it is true to the period in which this is set. Still, if Quinn can write an idyllic family, she can rewrite this forced marriage narrative too.

The Review

PHILLIP. QUIT BEING OBTUSE.

I do like Phillip as a hero, despite his taciturn nature - he has a great deal of social anxiety, which makes him initially buck against the force of nature that is Eloise Bridgerton. Phillip does have the distinction of being the only Quinn hero to come bearing two children, making Eloise our only stepmother. However, he's a terrible father and completely out of touch. He avoids his children by doing science experiments, and it takes Eloise's very hard work to get him to be a father to his kids. That was my biggest issue, the feminist icon Eloise being relegated to a nursemaid and surrogate mother.

The passion scenes were a mixed back. I don't like how it focused so much on Phillip not getting it in for a long time. It seemed pretty insincere for a couple who have been dancing around each other for weeks. The witty repartee between the couple is a saving grace for this book, which I liked but did not love.

The Review

*Fans self* Lord, forgive me for the thoughts I had when I was reading this book. Francesca has been the elusive Bridgerton, married young and living in Scotland. Unfortunately, after a short time of bliss and a tragic event, Francesca is left a young widow. Entire Michael, who has been in love with Frannie since he laid eyes on her at her wedding to his best friend. Knowing that he loves her passionately and desperately, he has separated himself from her for a few long years, after which they meet again and are plunged into the most decadent, desperate, and emotional of all the Bridgerton stories. I found myself open mouthed, ugly sobbing through most of the climax and falling action. This is my favorite of all the Bridgerton books.

Something else that was refreshing about this one was the lack of a weird fixation on the loss of virginity, as Frannie is a widow and not a virgin. Almost every Quinn book has a heavy theme of deflowering, which is eyerolling at best and harmful at worst. Still, it seems most of the society mamas did a fair bit of sinning in their day, so it's not anti-sex in the least.