A Dream Is A Wish - Review of "An Offer From A Gentleman" by Julia Quinn

Title: An Offer from a Gentleman
Author: Julia Quinn
Series and Number: Bridgertons, #3
Release Date: July 1, 2001
Audiobook Narrator: Rosalyn Landor

Dear Readers - if I get all fluttery and sigh-y, just know that this book more than deserves it. Because... sigh... I love this book!

Some years ago, I read through all the Bridgerton series because I'd heard so much about it and I wanted to know what all the fuss was about. Daphne and Simon's story was good, as was Anthony and Kate's, but when I came to Benedict and Sophie's book, I practically devoured it in one sitting. It was so unlike any romance I'd read before, both in tone and in how the hero and heroine meet. Not to mention that they're both in love with each other from almost the very beginning of the book.

And with the upcoming Bridgerton Netflix series set to drop on Christmas, I decided that I wanted to re-read the whole series. But when I discovered that my library's OverDrive catalog included the entire series on audiobook, I retooled my plans and went that route. Which I am enjoying IMMENSELY. Once I started, I was eager to get to "An Offer From a Gentleman." As much as I like the whole series, this one is by far my favorite one.

Now, there are plenty of Cinderella retellings and homages and send-ups and whatever-else-you-want-to-call it. Hell, I highlighted two just a few posts ago. But this one actually embraces the fairy tale aspect of the original tale, just minus the magical aspects of it so this can still be realistic (well, as realistic as historical romance gets. But that's for another time).

The story begins with a young Sophie Beckett, who is the bastard daughter of the Earl of Penwood. Though he claims that she's simply his ward, orphaned by some connection-or-other, Sophie resembles the earl so much that it's obvious where her parentage truly lies. The earl doesn't really treat her like a daughter, though he does take an interest in some aspects of her life. She's more at home with the servants. But she occupies this weird middle-ground - not quite aristocracy, but not really the lower class either.

As with any Cinderella story, there must be a wicked stepmother. That comes in the form of Araminta, the earl's new wife. And she has two daughters - Rosamund and Posy. Araminta HATES Sophie. She hates that the earl has his bastard daughter living in his house, she hates that her daughters have to be taught with her, she hates that her husband won't send her away. But it's not like the earl tries to make things easier for Sophie. She's pretty much on her own.

Then the earl dies and Araminta becomes the heinous beast that every wicked stepmother exemplifies. Sophie is turned into a virtual slave for Araminta and her daughters. She has no money, no friends, no support other than herself.

Then one day, the other servants in the household help her disguise herself so she can attend a masquerade at Bridgerton House. She meets Benedict Bridgerton and sparks IMMEDIATELY fly. Like, seriously - this is Love At First Sight taken to ridiculous levels. And I mean that in the best possible way. But, like in any Cinderella story, Benedict doesn't know who Sophie is. He just knows her as the Lady in Silver. They talk, she fascinates him, she's comfortable in his presence. And you feel like you can end the book here and get a satisfying happy ending.

But the clock must strike midnight and Sophie has to run to get back home before Araminta finds out that she snuck out. She leaves Benedict with no idea who she is, though she does leave a monogrammed glove behind that belonged to her grandmother. That leads Benedict to talk to Araminta, who puts all the pieces together and realizes that Sophie snuck out and actually had one nice evening. She kicks Sophie out of the house and leaves her to fend for herself.

That's all by the end of Chapter 6.

Of all the cover variations I found, 
this one was my favorite.

The rest of the story is after Sophie is exiled, which is great because a little Araminta goes a looooooong way. That's one thing about the Horrible Parent trope that gets on my nerves. When you have an awful parent-figure causing problems for the main characters, sometimes the author leans on their presence a lot. And it gets to the point that I (at least) want to reach through the book and throttle this terrible person. Or, at least, I have to flip to the end of the book and make sure this beast gets their comeuppance. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Or, at least, not a very satisfying comeuppance.

But here, Araminta kicks Sophie out and Sophie has to fend for herself. But the story fast forwards a couple of years and Sophie and Benedict reconnect (though, as far as Benedict is concerned, it's the first time). Sparks fly almost immediately, through a variety of slight misadventures.

Basically, fate is playing a HUGE role in getting these two together. Because Sophie is determined to (A) Stay in her place as a servant and (B) Not risk having an illegitimate child, because her life was so hard because of her illegitimacy (very understandable). And even the fact that Sophie doesn't tell Benedict that they met at the masquerade doesn't bug me as much, because watching them fall in love a second time is so great. It's their original meeting stretched out over time - so if you don't like Love at First Sight, this actually gives you both.

Also, the way Sophie was treated her whole life has really stunted her sense of self worth. And it's not Benedict that actually helps right her opinion of herself. It's his family. Because Sophie ends up working for Lady Bridgerton and the younger Bridgerton daughters and they just adore Sophie. They treat her like one of the family, even though she's their lady's maid. And by the time Benedict figures out who she is and that she needs to be freed from Araminta's tyranny once and for all - they ALL rally to Sophie's side.

The ending is the best thing ever. That's all I will say. But you will be punching the air by the time it's over. Lady Bridgerton is amazing. That's all.

The audiobook is great. Rosalyn Landor narrates all of the books in this series and she can do all kinds of wonderful voices. It's probably as close as you can come to getting a full-cast dramatization of a romance novel (dang it, that makes me want a proper radio play of such...) It also includes the 2nd epilogue that Quinn wrote for all of the Bridgerton novels, so this series of audiobooks has those short stories as well.

While I am looking forward to the Bridgerton Netflix series, I'm really hoping that the series is a success because I REALLY want to see Benedict and Sophie's story come to life. 

And on that note (and this was totally a coincidence, I didn't post this review just so I can share the trailer), have the final trailer for Bridgerton. And get excited! :D

This Is My Island in the Sun - Review of “Someday My Duke Will Come” by Christina Britton (eARC)

Title: Someday My Duke Will Come

Author: Christina Britton

Series and Number: The Isle of Synne, #2

Release Date: January 26, 2021 (eARC)

***Thanks to NetGalley and Hatchette Book Group for providing an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

What’s this? A review of a book that isn’t even out yet?

Yes, dear readers. There is a glorious little website called NetGalley where authors and publishers offer digital Advance Reader Copies (ARCs or eARCs) of books that are set to be released soon. The people who get these are folks like book reviewers, book sellers, librarians - people who will talk up new releases to their audiences. And I’ve been a member of NetGalley for a few years now. I admit, it took me a while to figure out how the whole system works, but it’s been a fun experience. I’ve certainly learned a lot about my reading habits, as well as the kinds of books I enjoy.

I happened upon this offering from Christina Britton, a new-to-me author, and I went ahead and got the first book in the series. I know - most romances are written so you don’t necessarily have to read the whole series. But I like to. It gives me an idea of the setting and the characters and the tone that the author is going for. Especially when it’s an author I’m experiencing for the first time.

I read “A Good Duke is Hard to Find” a month or two ago and really liked it. And once things started to settle down (regarding my To-Read-Right-Now List), I started on “Someday My Duke Will Come.” And, oh my sweet giddy aunt - I LOVED this book! It’s got so many wonderful romance tropes that I adore - a broken hero, a broken heroine, two stubborn people that slowly start to fall in love with each other, Shippers on Deck (I’m looking at you, Lady Tesh). There’s even an insufferable mother that gets her comeuppance, and in spades!

So before I continue, as this is a book that is yet to be released, there will be spoilers. Though I’ll try not to spoil things too much.

We first met Quincy Nesbitt in the last book, where he was introduced as Peter Ashford’s best friend and business partner. Quincy has returned to England after years of being away from his horrible family. His mother wanted to ship him off to the Navy after his father died, but Quincy ran off before she could do so. Now he’s back and quite wealthy and ready to put his past behind him so he can travel the world, like he and his father often talked about.

Except his three older brothers have all died and he is now the Duke of Reigate - a title he never wanted and was never supposed to have. And the dukedom is in ruins because - surprise - his brothers were all utter shit at managing the estate.

Oh, and Quincy’s mother is a hag of the highest degree. The story makes that crystal clear from the beginning.

Meanwhile, Clara Ashford is trying to fade into the background by promoting herself the Mother Hen of the entire family. She has no desire to be in society, certainly never wants to marry, and the story slowly unfolds her reasons for it. Reasons that she’s kept secret, even from her sister Phoebe, who she is otherwise very close to.

Clara’s great-aunt, Lady Olivia Tesh, is ALWAYS trying to set Clara up with eligible men and Clara hates it when she does that. Not just because Clara simply doesn’t want to marry. Her reasons for that run deep and cold - to the point that she’s buried them utterly and is simply out to help her family. 

Except... her sister is getting married and her great-aunt really doesn’t have a need for her to be around. So, she’s trying to figure out where she’s going to park herself after she has obtained spinsterhood and is no longer needed at home.

Quincy’s mother tries to corner him into marrying this meek little church mouse of a lady (with a hefty dowry) and because Quincy wants nothing to do with his mother and she is good at making monstrous threats, Clara steps up and claims to be Quincy’s fiancee. Out of the blue. When no one is looking for it. Though the scheme does benefit both of them - Quincy gets his mother off his back for a little while and Clara gets Lady Tesh off her back regarding her unmarried status.

Though I will say that Peter’s reaction (and that of his wife, Lenora) upon finding out about this fake engagement is hilarious. As is every time Peter is shown stewing about the situation.

But the real shining light in this story is how Quincy and Clara slowly come to realize how much they love each other. All those dreamy fantasies about a couple who can’t live without each other - it’s all here. I don’t want to give away the journey that Quincy and Clara make both as individuals and together - but it is so sweet and so satisfying. It was one of those that made me want to run and give my hubby a big kiss and a hug because - dammit, I feel that way about him too.

(Talk about relatable :D )

Though I will say that Quincy and Clara’s interactions are only improved by the contrast of Quincy’s interactions with his mother. Clearly, the Dowager Duchess of Reigate is absolutely the villain of this story. But she is written in such a way that you know she isn’t going to win, and you definitely want to see how she gets thwarted. Quincy is not fooled by any of her society scheming and, happily, neither is Clara. Nor is any of Clara’s family, I’m pleased to say. Sometimes, you’ll have stories with these horrible society women and men that are just awful to others, but because they’re super-high up on the social food chain people have to pretend that they’re okay with all their shit and it’s annoying. But that does NOT happen here, so the Duchess of Reigate doesn’t get to run roughshod any of our main characters (poor Lady Mary, having to deal with that seabeast...)

Ever heard the phrase "A hero is only as good as the villain"? It definitely applies. Because the obstacle that Quincy's mother poses makes both Quincy and Clara even better characters when they get around her schemes and finally admit their love for each other.

Overall, the characters in this story feel human. These are people with real problems, not modern author-stand-ins trying to shoehorn message fic into a story. They’re also good people who’ve been given a raw deal, but who deserve whatever happiness comes their way. But as was established in the first book of the series, the Isle of Synne is a place where happy endings and true love can be found. I highly recommend this book, and this series.

Also, having gone back into the few books that Christina Britton has written before, I’m really looking forward to more of her stories!

Make Out Already! - Review of "My Fake Rake" by Eva Leigh

Title: My Fake Rake
Author: Eva Leigh
Audiobook Narrator: Zara Hampton-Brown
Series and Number: The Union of the Rakes, #1
Release Date: November 26, 2019

Oh goodness - Sebastian and Grace... where do I even start with you two?

The premise of this story is said to be based on the '80s romcom Can't Buy Me Love. Evidently, all the books in this series are packed with 80s pop culture references. And I got a few of them as I listened to the audiobook version of this.

But here is my confession - I've never seen that movie. Nor am I any great expert in 80s pop culture. Oh, there are some things I get. But having been born in the mid-1980s and thus being too young to really be immersed in such, some of this stuff went sailing over my head.

However, I am familiar with tropes associated with The Ugly Duckling/makeover stories and Friends-to-Lovers. So we'll go with that.

Though I am glad that I was aware of this series' dependence on '80s references. Otherwise, that font on that cover would have been... ehhhhhhhhh. But it actually works for what is going on here.

Okay - so the story is that Lady Grace Wyatt is a scholar, as is Sebastian Holloway. Seb is the son of a nouveau riche businessman, but he has no inclination to go into his father's business. So he lives on a paltry stipend while he also makes time for his anthropology studies. He is also painfully shy around strangers and avoids talking to people he doesn't know. He has a motley group of friends that we're introduced to in a Breakfast Club-esque prologue (because, the '80s).

Grace is obsessed with reptiles and amphibians. And she makes sure EVERYBODY knows it. Which has made her a bit of a pariah in society. But that's okay - she's a strong, independent woman who don't need no man. She does what she pleases, 'cause she's really a woman from Current Year trapped in Victorian England.

But when her father has a health scare, he asks her to get married so he can know that she's taken care of. Even though she'd intended on being the oddball spinster aunt that gets passed around between family members. Oh sure, she rails against the unfairness of it all (don't worry, I'll get to that silliness in a moment), but then she decides that she needs to up her standing in society so she can attract this one other scholar named Mason Fredricks who is actually welcomed in society, but he also goes on scientific expeditions. Mason considers Grace a colleague (and you will get sick of hearing about it), but she wants him to think of her as a marriageable young lady. The scenes where he talks to Grace about his quest for marriage and how he needs to meet eligible ladies are all pretty galling. It's like "She's right there, you dolt!"

So what does Grace do? She enlists the help of her shy best friend Sebastian to act like a confident society rake and pay attention to her in front of everyone else, so Mason will get it through his thick skull that Grace is a viable candidate for marriage. Because Grace can't possibly see herself marrying a man who isn't intelligent or shares her passion for academics.

At the risk of repeating myself: "He's right there, you dolt!"

It is clear from the outset that Seb is sweet on Grace. But his shyness and social anxiety prevent him from expressing that to her. You absolutely feel sorry for the guy, especially when Grace is treating him the way she claims society has treated her. But, dammit, he does EVERYTHING she asks of him. Even when her "training" causes him even further public humiliation.

Enter the Duke of Rotherby, one of Seb's friends from that not-Breakfast Club at Eton (really, they're called the Union of the Rakes, hence the series name). Holy cow, Rotherby is a godsend to Grace and Seb. In fact, this whole scheme of theirs would fall apart without Rotherby's help. Not only does Rotherby grease the wheels (as it were) to get Seb into society events so that he can be seen kind-of-courting Grace, but Rotherby actually knows what to do to prepare Seb for his role as confident society buck. Everything from how to act, how to speak, even how to dress - Rotherby's got it covered. He is easily the best character in this book. I know his book is next in the series and I hope to heaven that he is still as likable there as he was here.

But back to Grace. Because if there is a problem with this story, it is Grace. Holy. Hell. This woman prattles on and on about how SOOPER SMART she is, but she is dense as a ton of cement.

First off, she wants to get married to a man who is intelligent and who she can converse with about their fields of study. She claims that she doesn't give a fig about society - she just wants to run off and do her field work. Hey look - there's Sebastian Holloway! He meets her in the library. He talks to her about their studies. He is easygoing with her, even if functioning in society terrifies him. He has no use for high society either. They can go off and be intelligent misfits together. Perfect solution!

But, nope. She wants the polished naturalist who is perfectly at home running in those social circles that she claims that she wants no part of. Never mind that he's never given her a thought beyond their academic fields.

And every time that Seb feels like he might be getting closer to Grace, she has the GALL to remind him that this is all just an act. That Seb could HONESTLY fake his attraction to Grace - when just five minutes ago HE HAD ZERO SOCIAL GAME AT ALL.

Second off, for all her protestations that she has no use for society, Grace acts just like one of those simpering, spoiled misses. Just replace the obsession with clothes and hair and flirting and balls with reptiles and amphibians and being the epitome of those trite pretentious douchebags that populate such bullshit groups like "I F**king Love Science". She makes these impossible demands on her painfully shy friend and he goes along with it because he's besotted with her (again, I feel so sorry for Seb early on) and she just takes for granted that he's going to do this. Because she is the princess. She gets what she wants. And she is just going to dump Seb like a bad habit the minute Mason recognizes that she has child-bearing hips. Or whatever the thought process is.

Yeah, she knows EXACTLY
what she's doing. Twat.

What. A. Bitch.

Even later on in the book, she assumes that Seb doesn't love her because he said she should marry Mason. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID, you dumbass! He thinks you want to be friends, so he's respecting your wishes! It's no more complicated than that. Guys aren't that manipulative. Especially guys like Seb. The man has no guile. Just because you're oozing with it.

And, yes, she does have a moment of realization at the end that she's been a horrible person and played with people's emotions and used them like toilet paper. But after hours of screaming at this beast, it was too little too late.

Maybe Grace frustrates me so much because I and my husband, Mr. Riker, were friends with common interests before we dated and got married. True, it took us a while to make the connection. Though part of that was due to Mr. Riker dating somebody else initially. But that relationship ended and, after a year and a bit of prodding from his brother (I found that part out later), Mr. Riker asked me out and the rest is history. The key is that we were honest with each other the whole time. And after years of trying and failing to have a meaningful romantic relationship with anyone, it was refreshing to find someone that it was so easy to be around and who actually wanted my company. By that time, the choice was simple. And we have been together ever since - quite happily and successfully, I might add.

One more thing that irritated me in this story - All the woke shit. Seriously, what is WITH historical romance authors and the need to insert their attempts to score woke points in their novels? Presentism always - ALWAYS - throws me out of a story. Like that bit about the artifacts and taxidermy animals in the British Museum. If it pains you to see such things, why in the hell are you even there? And where can we find that time machine to send you back to the Current Year where you can screech about toxic masculinity and cultural appropriation on Twitter along with all the other pampered white feminists with their nose rings and blue hair?

So... why did I finish this, if there were so many things that set me to ranting?

Honestly, it's Sebastian. I fell in love with the guy. He was so earnest and sweet. His journey of self-discovery - while instigated by a selfish hag - was beautiful to witness. He didn't really change himself in the process of becoming a society rake. He wasn't faking the rake act. I believe it was Rotherby who said that they just polished Seb up so people could see his true nature underneath. He learned how to navigate his own culture and people, after studying others like a disaffected outsider for so long. He found a place to belong and he learned to stand up for himself. He found strategies and techniques for channeling his nervous energy into something productive and good. His weaknesses became his strengths and he was a better person for it.

That's the kind of character growth that I LIVE for! I was even cheering during that chase at the end where he was rushing to stop Grace's ship from leaving, because it meant he was about to get his Happily Ever After. He deserves it. Though then I remembered that he was running after Grace and... I felt less enthusiastic about it.

Even so, I can tolerate a selfish prick of a heroine for the gold mine of a hero who is learning to overcome his flaws. Sort of.

So what's my final verdict? Enjoyed the hero, enjoyed his best friend, the heroine needed a boot up the ass. And Leigh needs to lay off the woke shit.