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!

I Knew Ye Were Trouble - Review of "It's Getting Scot in Here" by Suzanne Enoch

Title: It's Getting Scot in Here
Author: Suzanne Enoch
Release Date: February 26, 2019

Series and Number: Wild Wicked Highlanders, #1

Audiobook Narrator: Flora MacDonald

You ever read (or in this case, listen to) a book and it leaves you with all the happy warm fuzzies for a long time afterward?

Readers, I'm still on a happy, lovey-dovey high after reading this one.

First some background - I found this audiobook on sale on iBooks a few days ago when I was kind of in a reading slump. Since this was the first in the series, I went for it. I didn't know what exactly to expect, though I have read Suzanne Enoch in the past. But whatever I expected, this book surpassed those expectations.

(Before I go further, bear in mind that I did listen to the audiobook and I haven't had a chance to consult a hard copy of the book yet. So if any names or such are misspelled in this post, please know that is all my own error.)

The plot is as follows: The McTaggart brothers have to find English wives or their mother (who is estranged from her husband, their father) will rescind the money she’s been giving over to support their lands in Scotland. The feud between their parents definitely colors the overall story and conflict and it’s a brilliant one. Especially when the brothers arrive in London to meet their mother for the first time in seventeen years.

Part of the agreement that Francesca McTaggart, Lady Aldris had with her husband is that she would choose a wife for at least one of her sons. She picks out Amelia-Rose Baxter for her eldest, Coll, who is set to inherit. But because of the bad blood of having been estranged from their mother for all that time, Coll is not thrilled with the situation and he's set out to ruin everything from the beginning.

Enter Niall, the youngest McTaggart brother. He's used to smoothing over problems his brothers create and this is no different. He makes excuses for Coll and sets himself up to court Amelia-Rose as proxy for his bear of a brother. Their estate, Aldris Park, depends on it.

See where this is going yet?

Amelia-Rose, for her part, is determined to get out from under the thumb of her overbearing mama, who is ambitious for a title in the family and will settle for nothing less. But that involves Amelia-Rose being subject to all manner of scolding and reproach from her mother. It is evident that Amelia-Rose is NOT going to be the simpering miss that Coll McTaggart is expecting from what his father has told them of English ladies.

From the get-go, all of the conflicts in this story push against each other perfectly. Coll doesn't want to bow to his mother's wishes, Niall and Aden (the middle brother) want to save Aldris Park, Amelia-Rose wants to be herself but still enjoy her place in society, Mrs. Baxter wants a title, Lady Aldris wants her sons in her life. On the surface, it seems like everything is about to collapse on itself.

But it doesn't. And a lot of that is down to the brilliant chemistry that Niall and Amelia-Rose have from the instant Niall steps in to cover up his brother's foolish mistakes. They are both likable from the get-go.  Even the boys' younger sister, Eloise, says later that Niall and Amelia-Rose says they are perfect for each other.

The best part of this story? Niall and Amelia-Rose actually TALK TO EACH OTHER! There’s very little of this “Poor Communication Kills,” beyond what’s necessary for the story to unfold. And what is there is done with in due course. If there is a misunderstanding, it's cleared up fairly quickly, so there's none of this "Oh, does he really love me?" OF COURSE HE DOES! He just can't say it in front of the milquetoast fop that your mother paid to marry you!

(Oh gee - wait until you get to THAT doofus.)

Luckily, Amelia-Rose isn't that dense and Niall comes up with a wonderful plan that I refuse to spoil because it was so great to watch unfold. Also, keep a close eye on Lady Aldris. "Formidable" only begins to describe her. That's all I'll say here.

And a quick word of praise to Flora MacDonald for her narrating of the audiobook - she's great! I think this might be the first audio I've listened to of hers and her voice acting definitely added to my enjoyment of the story. Even with three big Highlanders to voice, she gives all three of them distinctive brogues and you can tell which one is supposed to be speaking, even before the dialogue tags come in. But she can also do a slightly more delicate English lady for Amelia-Rose, Eloise, and Lady Aldris (all distinctive as well), plus the haughty harridan of Mrs. Baxter. So if you get the chance to listen to the audiobook, I highly recommend it!

(Though I will say that I vastly prefer the book cover to the audiobook cover. The couple on the book actually looks like they could be Niall and Amelia-Rose. The couple on the audiobook... well, they don't.)

Overall: A strong start to a new series and one that I am very much looking forward to reading!

Also - In many ways, this was the book that inspired the Rebelite Romance Reviews blog. A young lady who can navigate society, while also being a bit outspoken and sure of herself (once she gets some proper encouragement in that direction, of course). So, we have Amelia-Rose to thank for that.