The Other Miss Bridgerton Blog Tour

She was in the wrong place…

Fiercely independent and adventurous, Poppy Bridgerton will only wed a suitor whose keen intellect and interests match her own. Sadly, none of the fools from her London season qualify. While visiting a friend on the Dorset coast, Poppy is pleasantly surprised to discover a smugglers’ hideaway tucked inside a cave. But her delight turns to dismay when two pirates kidnap her and take her aboard a ship, leaving her bound and gagged on the captain’s bed…

He found her at the wrong time...

Known to society as a rascal and reckless privateer, Captain Andrew James Rokesby actually transports essential goods and documents for the British government. Setting sail on a time-sensitive voyage to Portugal, he’s stunned to find a woman waiting for him in his cabin. Surely, his imagination is getting the better of him. But no, she is very real—and his duty to the Crown means he's stuck with her. 

Can two wrongs make the most perfect right?

 When Andrew learns that she is a Bridgerton, he knows he will likely have to wed her to avert a scandal—though Poppy has no idea that he is the son of an earl and neighbor to her aristocratic cousins in Kent. On the high seas, their war of words soon gives way to an intoxicating passion. But when Andrew’s secret is revealed, will his declaration of love be enough to capture her heart…?

The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Series A Bridgertons Prequel

Genre Adult Historical Romance

Publisher Avon Books

Publication Date November 20, 2018

Amazon  Bridgertons Series on Amazon   Avon Romance Barnes & Noble

Google Play iBooks

Excerpt

He motioned with his arm, urging her a few more steps forward. “Careful,” he murmured.

Poppy looked to her toes. The deck came to an abrupt halt in front of her, its elevation dropping by several feet.

The captain hopped down. “The beakhead, my lady,” he said with a gallant wave to the triangular deck that formed the pointy front of the Infinity. He reached up and placed his hands on her hips to help her down.

But when she was steady, he didn’t let go.

“This is as far forward as one can stand on deck,” he told her.

She pointed to a spot a few feet ahead. “What about—”

“As one can stand safely on deck,” he amended. He adjusted their position so that he was standing behind her. “Now close your eyes.”

“But then I can’t see the stars.”

“You can open them later.”

 She tilted her head to the left, right, and back again, as if to say, Oh, very well, but she closed her eyes.

“Now tilt your head up. Not all the way, just a bit.”

She did, and maybe it was that motion, or maybe it was just because she’d closed her eyes, but she felt instantly off-balance, as if something far greater than the ocean had stolen her equilibrium.

 The captain’s hands tightened on her hips. “What do you feel?” he asked, his lips coming close to her ear.

“The wind.”

“What else?” She swallowed. Licked her lips.

“The salt in the air.”

“What else?”

“The motion, the speed.”

He moved his mouth closer. “What else?”

And then she said the one thing that had been true from the beginning.

“You.”

JULIA QUINN started writing her first book one month after finishing college and has been tapping away at her keyboard ever since. The New York Times bestselling author of more than two dozen novels for Avon Books, she is a graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges and is one of only sixteen authors ever to be inducted in the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family.

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Waiting on Wednesday (177)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.


By Chris Scully
Publication Date: February 8, 2016

As a teenager, Archie Noblesse clawed his way out of the poverty, heartache, and abuse of the reservation and left his family behind. Desperate to shake the shadow of his past, he reinvents himself as Archer Noble, an outspoken blogger and controversial author who lives only for himself. But when his beloved sister dies, Archer is saddled with guardianship of his niece and nephew.

Elementary school teacher Ryan Eriksson is devastated when his best friend Marguerite is killed, leaving her two young children orphaned. Helping Archer with his new responsibilities eases his grief, but when Archer offers him custody of the children, Ryan’s left with an impossible choice: get the family he’s always wanted, or respect Margie’s wishes and convince Archer to give parenting—and his heritage—a chance.

To buy time, Ryan promises to stay for the summer, hoping that Archer will change his mind and fall for the kids. But Archer’s reluctant, and the growing attraction between him and Ryan complicates matters. Legal decisions must be made, and soon, before Ryan returns to school. But with hearts involved, more than just the children’s future is on the line.


By Estelle Maskame
Publication Date: March 1, 2017

Love has no rules.

It's been a year since Eden Munro last saw Tyler Bruce: her stepbrother...and secret love. Although they swore to ignore their feelings and put their family first, Eden can't help but feel excited when Tyler invites her to join him in New York City for the summer.

But it's not like anything is going to happen. Eden is happy with her boyfriend Dean, and she knows gorgeous, green-eyed Tyler must have moved on as well. But as they spend the long, hot summer in the city that never sleeps, it becomes obvious that those old feelings are still there...simmering beneath the surface. Will Tyler and Eden be able to resist temptation?

Did I Mention I Need You? is book two in Wattpad sensation Estelle Maskame's DIMILY trilogy: three unforgettable summers of secrets, heartbreak and forbidden romance. 



By Julia Quinn
Publication Date: March 8, 2016

Sometimes you find love in the most unexpected of places...

This is not one of those times.

Everyone expects Billie Bridgerton to marry one of the Rokesby brothers. The two families have been neighbors for centuries, and as a child the tomboyish Billie ran wild with Edward and Andrew. Either one would make a perfect husband... someday.

Sometimes you fall in love with exactly the person you think you should...

Or not.

There is only one Rokesby Billie absolutely cannot tolerate, and that is George. He may be the eldest and heir to the earldom, but he's arrogant, annoying, and she's absolutely certain he detests her. Which is perfectly convenient, as she can't stand the sight of him, either.

But sometimes fate has a wicked sense of humor...

Because when Billie and George are quite literally thrown together, a whole new sort of sparks begins to fly. And when these lifelong adversaries finally kiss, they just might discover that the one person they can't abide is the one person they can't live without...

A Peek In The BiblioBin #133

Welcome to our Stacking the Shelves post! Stacking the Shelves (or as we like to call it, A Peek in the BiblioBin) has been created by the lovely ladies at Tynga's Reviews.

Stacking the Shelves is a way for bloggers to share what books they have won, received for review, bought from the bookstore, borrowed from the library or friend, etc.

For Review:

Where Sea Meets Sky by Karina Halle (via NetGalley)

The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan (via NetGalley)

Purchased:

Just Like Heaven (Smythe-Smith Quartet #1) by Julia Quinn

A Night Like This (Smythe-Smith Quartet #2) by Julia Quinn

The Lottery Winner by Mary Higgins Clark

He Sees You When You're Sleeping by Mary Higgins Clark

Dare To Love (Dare To Love #1) by Carly Phillips

The Chronicles of Moxie by Z.B. Heller

The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After by Julia Quinn

* * * * *


For the first time in print, New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn presents a collection of "second epilogues" to her Bridgerton series, previously published as e-originals, plus a new bonus Bridgerton novella: "Violet in Bloom," a short story in which we finally meet Edmund Bridgerton.


Review:

Like most readers I want to know what happens after the Happy Ever After.  Life doesn’t end after a declaration of love.  In fact, I would argue that life and love get even better after the fade to black.  But we rarely (if ever) see that in romance.  And really, I can understand why authors avoid it.  Because, for all the good that happens after the Happy Ever After, some bad things inevitably happen as well.  And why would authors want to put their babies through more pain and suffering than they already have?

It would seem Julia Quinn was up for a challenge.  Her readers begged and she delivered.  And she delivered in a way that only she could.  In The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After, Julia Quinn provides a 2nd Epilogue to each of her Bridgerton novels.  They take place anywhere from immediately after the original novel (Romancing Mister Bridgerton) to 20 years later (It’s In His Kiss).  And they don’t necessarily star the original hero and heroine.  The Epilogue to To Sir Philip, With Love stars an older Amanda Crane (Eloise’s step-daughter) and An Offer from a Gentleman stars Sophie’s step-sister, Posey.  But you still get to experience ALL the Bridgertons in all of their chaotic and loving glory.

As you know, my love of the Bridgertons knows no bounds; which means I loved all of these short stories.  Even the 2nd epilogue to my least favorite Bridgerton book (An Offer From a Gentleman) was absolutely lovely and had me smiling.  There are some sad and/or bittersweet moments.  Particularly in the epilogue to On the Way to the Wedding.  Who would have ever guessed that the adorable little Gregory from The Duke and I would grow up to find such strength in his annoying little sister?   And the most hilarious of all, the epic Pall Mall battle between the Viscount and his Lady Bridgerton in the 2nd Epilogue to The Viscount Who Loved Me.

The gem of this compilation, however, is Violet in Bloom: A Novella.  Yes, Violet Bridgerton, the mother of the eight boisterous Bridgerton children, gets her own story.  And Quinn doesn’t hold back with this one.  We learn Violet’s entire story.  From the time she is 8 years old and is trying to exact revenge on “that horrid” Edmund Bridgerton until sixty-seven years later when she is visiting Aubrey Hall to visit with her eight children, 33 grandchildren and five great grandchildren.  But I will warn you dear reader.  If you love Violet Bridgerton as so many of us do, this story will make you smile and then ugly cry and then smile again.  Because this is her entire story and we KNOW Violet is a widow.  We KNOW that Edmund Bridgerton was her one true love.  We KNOW how he died and how it affected Violet and their children.  And knowing all that didn’t stop Ms. Quinn from sharing THAT moment with us.  That heartbreaking moment when the loveliest of all mothers in romance history loses one of the things she loves the most.

So, needless to say, if you love Julia Quinn and you love the Bridgertons (and you haven’t already read the 2nd Epilogues when they were released digitally), then this is a must read.  And you know what, this is a must buy even if you have read the Epilogues already.  Because Violet’s story alone is worth the cover price.

Nat

Top Ten of 2013 - Nat's Picks

I can't believe that another year has passed.  Another year of bookish and non-bookish fun.   Another year of Shel and Bel putting up with my ridiculous obsessions and total nonsense - book related and not.  And another of year of struggling to create a Top Ten post.  It took some time but I did it.  I narrowed down my favorites for 2013.   Here there are.  Other than the first, there is no particular order to this list...

Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg - This was by far my FAVORITE book of the year.  I want everyone to read this.  EVERYONE.  Not matter age, orientation or gender, I think everyone will be able to relate to Rafe.  This is a beautifully awkward and funny story about acceptance and celebrating who we are.










Just One Day by Gayle Forman - I loved both books in this duology but Just One Day struck a cord with me.  Growing up as an only child, I really identified with Allyson Healey and her struggles.  Gayle Forman doesn't hold back in telling the story of an insecure girl that travels both figuratively and literally in order to discover who she is and become an independent young woman.









Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein -  This was an engrossing story about best friends (one a spy; the other a transit pilot) meeting and experiencing the horrors of WWII England and France.  This book had one hell of a climax that still makes my heart stop to think about it.









Glitterland by Alexis Hall -  This is easily one of the best m/m romances I have ever read (review to post the first week of the New Year).  Hall's use of the first person narrative provides the reader with understanding as to how Ash is affected by his depression as well as serves to show the contrast between Ash and Darian's personalities.  And what I loved most was seeing how beautiful and sparkling Darian becomes in Ash's eyes.







The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater - I have enjoyed both books in this unfinished trilogy but The Dream Thieves left me utterly confused and thoroughly enchanted.  Confused because, as Shel said, I had no idea what was going on yet I couldn't stop reading.  Enchanted because The Gray Man might be one of the most psychotically amusing characters I've ever encountered.  Don't let my comments put you off.  You will learn what's going on before the book is finished.  Stiefvater just does what she does best.  Take you on the most adventurous and entertaining path to the destination she intends.

Christmas Kitsch by Amy Lane - Out of Amy's many wonderful releases this year,  Christmas Kitsch was the one that grabbed me the most.   Partially because Rusty was so adorably clueless and awkward.  And partially because it was a heartwarming love story about making a home.  This one gave me a nudge (that I desperately needed) right into the holiday spirit.








Dare You To by Katie McGarry -  No surprise I picked this one for my Top Ten.  Although I love McGarry's bad boys (Noah of Pushing the Limits and Isaiah of Crash Into You), my heart will always belong to the forever boys. And Ryan Stone is the perfect forever boy.  He's spontaneously romantic and he's protective while never attempting to take away Beth's independence.  And did I mention he plays baseball?  Yeah.  Forever boy.







Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare - I can't say much about this because Shel is saving up most of her TMI and ID books for this coming spring and we don't want to spoil anything for her.  All I can say is OMG. Cassie Clare sure knows how to pull at those heartstrings.  Seriously.  I was sitting at the kitchen table at 2am sobbing my poor little heart out.








The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn - I thought this was Julia Quinn at her finest.  The shockingly rude and smart conversations that Lady Sarah and Lord Hugh have are hilarious.  Lord Hugh might be my favorite Julia Quinn hero yet.  And that's saying a lot considering how much I love Colin Bridgerton.  And Simon Basset.  And Michael Stirling. And Thomas Cavendish. And....oh sod it.  I love them all.  And now I can add Hugh Prentice to my historical romance harem.







Cherish by Tere Michaels - Cherish (a novella) is the 4th book in the Faith, Love and Devotion Series. I enjoyed the entire series immensely but what made Cherish stand out for me was that we got that peek we always crave when wondering about a couples Happy Ever After.  On top of that, it contained the perfect mix of romance and the wicked Tere Michaels' humor Bel and I witnessed at RT.








I did it!  I figured out my favorites of the year.  But there are still 6 more days of the year.  I reserve my right to edit this list on the off chance I find another favorite before 2014 begins.

Nat

The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn

* * * *

Hugh Prentice has never had patience for dramatic females, and if Lady Sarah Pleinsworth has ever been acquainted with the words shy or retiring, she's long since tossed them out the window. Besides, a reckless duel has left this brilliant mathematician with a ruined leg, and now he could never court a woman like Sarah, much less dream of marrying her.

Sarah has never forgiven Hugh for the duel he fought that nearly destroyed her family. But even if she could find a way to forgive him, it wouldn't matter. She doesn't care that his leg is less than perfect, it's his personality she can't abide. But forced to spend a week in close company they discover that first impressions are not always reliable. And when one kiss leads to two, three, and four, the mathematician may lose count, and the lady may, for the first time, find herself speechless ...

New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn's enchanting third novel in the Smythe-Smith quartet is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud and tug at your heartstrings in equal measures.

Review:

Oh, Julia Quinn.  You have done it again.  I was a little scared.  I didn’t enjoy Just Like Heaven (Smythe-Smith #1) as much as I hoped.  I actually skipped A Night Like This (#2).  But now that I’ve read The Sum of All Kisses (#3), I will be going back for all the Smythe-Smith action I missed in the second installment.  

Lady Sarah cannot stand Lord Hugh Prentice.  He is the reason that her cousin Daniel was exiled for so long; the outcome of a scandal that negatively impacted their entire family.  But Daniel is back and he and his sister are having back to back weddings.  Weddings in which Lady Sarah is expected to stand in attendance.  Weddings in which Lord Hugh will be a guest.  Because of course he and Daniel have made amends and are again very close friends.  But never mind that.  Lady Sarah still does not like Lord Hugh and will do her best to pointedly ignore him.  That is until Lady Honoria (Daniel’s sister and Sarah’s cousin) kindly asks Sarah to babysit Lord Hugh and not only make him feel welcome but make sure all the other guests know that he is a welcome friend in their home.  Both Sarah and Hugh are un-amused by this request (because, of course, Hugh has his own reasons for disliking Sarah) but they make the best of it to make Honoria happy.  What ensues is probably some of Julia Quinn’s best dialogue.  Hilarious, witty and sometimes insulting conversations that left me laughing out loud.

As their prickly relationship develops, the story seamlessly transitions into one of the most romantic books of Quinn’s (without losing the hilarious word play).  That statement may seem a bit odd.  I mean, aren’t all romance novels romantic?   Well, yes, they are.  But sometimes you just come across a story that is so much MORE.  The kind of romance that makes us gasp, ahh and sigh.  The kind that reminds you of the importance of a breath on your skin, small kisses on the most innocent of body parts, and the elation a single sigh in your ear can produce.  The kind that makes you hear the music swell - just like in the movies.

Is there anything I didn’t like about this book?  Unfortunately, yes.   The conflict that arises towards the end of the book was a little too melodramatic and contrived for my liking.  But it does introduce one of the vilest villains I have ever encountered in a Quinn novel.  A villain so horrible that I could actually forgive the melodrama because it rather fit this hateful character.  

The good far outweighs the bad in this latest novel by Julia Quinn.  If you are a lover of romance, particularly historical romance, I HIGHLY recommend you pick this one up.

Nat

The Bridgertons: Art and Quotes by Julia Quinn

It is a 11pm on Thursday and I realized that I haven't scheduled a Friday post like I promised Shel and Bel.  I may not have time to throw a review together but I can bug you with a tiny teaser from the next Julia Quinn book I will be reviewing for the blog.  

Julia Quinn has been sharing some excellent art and quotes in preparation for the release of her upcoming book, The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After.  Here is a quote from the second Bridgerton novel (Anthony Bridgerton's story),  The Viscount Who Loved Me.  This particular quote reminded me of some funny things that happen in this story.  I doubt Shel will ever be a historical romance fan but the situations in this one might just be funny enough to entertain her.

Julia Quinn has posted these lovely quotes for the first four (so far) Bridgerton books on her Facebook page.   I highly recommend you visit and check them out.  And while you are out there you should LIKE Ms.Quinn's page to get the latest news on her releases as well as the releases of many of her favorite authors.

Cheers!

Nat

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

* * * *

Can there be any greater challenge to London's Ambitious Mamas than an unmarried duke? 

--- Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1813

By all accounts, Simon Basset is on the verge of proposing to his best friend's sister, the lovely---and almost-on-the-shelf---Daphney Bridgerton. But the two of them know the truth--it's all an elaborate plan to keep Simon free from marriage-minded society mothers. And as for Daphne, surely she will attract some worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable.

But as Daphne waltzes across ballroom after ballroom with Simon, it's hard to remember that their courtship is a complete sham. Maybe it's his devilish smile, certainly it's the way his eyes seem to burn every time he looks at her...but somehow Daphne is falling for the dashing duke...for real! And now she must do the impossible and convince the handsome rogue that their clever little scheme deserves a slight alteration, and that nothing makes quite as much sense as falling in love...

Review:

The Duke and I is the first installment in Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series.  And it certainly sets the expectations high for the rest of the series.  

Simon Arthur Henry Fitzranulph Basset, Earl Clyvedon, at the tender age of 4, was deemed (by his father) inadequate to be the tenth Duke of Hastings.  The ninth Duke of Hastings made no secret to Simon that he believed his son was an idiot due to his stammer.  Fortunately, Simon was a stubborn little boy that chose to prove that his father was the idiot.  But regardless of his success in that matter, his father’s rejection affected him more than he cared to admit.  So much so that he has chosen to never marry.  Never have children.  And in the end, let the title that his father so adored fall back on the Crown.  

Daphne Bridgerton is the fourth of the Bridgerton siblings.  Easy to remember when they are named in alphabetical order – Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory and Hyacinth.  After two seasons and four less than palatable marriage offers, Daphne fears that she will always be considered the girl everyone wants to be friends with and never the girl every man wants to marry.  

When Simon meets Daphne at Lady Danbury’s ball, he sees the perfect opportunity to avoid the matchmaking mamas.  To avoid the marriage market, he and Daphne decide to embark on a mock courtship that should also lure in more suitors for her.  And it works!  Except now Simon is thinking about Daphne all the time and Daphne is not ashamed to admit to herself that she has fallen quite in love with the tenth Duke of Hastings.   

The Duke and I is a lovely start to the Bridgerton series.  Simon is the perfect aristocratic hero.  Funny and kind to those close to him.  Haughty and arrogant to strangers.  And underneath it all lays a loneliness and insecurity that provides the perfect amount of angst to his otherwise perfect character.  Daphne is just plain loveable.  With three older brothers, she is just as comfortable being friendly with the boys as she is with the girls.  Together they make a fun and loving couple that you root for until the end.

Another wonderful thing about this Bridgerton novel is that you get a little taste of every Bridgerton.  My favorite is that of the wonderful and amazing mother of them all, Violet Bridgerton.  We are given a wonderful view of the relationship Daphne has with Violet.  And nothing can compare with the “wedding night” conversation that Violet tries to have with Daphne.  Let’s just say that her ability to talk about sex is lacking.  So much so that we find in a later book that Eloise and Francesca pool their pin money to bribe a maid so they can get a decent account of what the wedding night is really all about.

Needless to say, I enjoyed the Duke and I.  It is a lovely romance highlighted by Quinn’s amazing genius humor and witty dialogue.  

Nat 

Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

* * * *
Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend's brother for... well, it feels like forever. After half a lifetime of watching Colin Bridgerton from afar, she thinks she knows everything about him, until she stumbles across his deepest secret... and fears she doesn't know him at all. 

Colin Bridgerton is tired of being thought nothing but an empty-headed charmer, tired of everyone's preoccupation with the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown, who can't seem to publish an edition without mentioning him in the first paragraph. 

But when Colin returns to London from a trip aboard, he discovers nothing in his life is quite the same, especially Penelope Featherington, the girl haunting his dreams! 

And when he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide... is she his biggest threat, or his promise of a happy ending?


Review:

I have been reluctant to review Julia Quinn’s book here.  Why, you might ask?  It’s not that there is anything wrong with them.  Quite the opposite actually.  I am absolutely smitten with Julia Quinn and all her stories.  I don’t remember which novel of hers that I read first.  I do know remember that it was a Bridgerton book.  And I do remember that I after reading it I began a quest to collect every single one of her books.  A quest that I am not ashamed to say I have successfully completed.  So my love of Julia won over the reluctance which means I am now going to bore you with all the reasons I love Mr. Bridgerton.

Not Lord Anthony Bridgerton (The Viscount That Loved Me)

Not Mr. Benedict Bridgerton (An Offer From a Gentleman)

No, I love Mr. Colin Bridgerton.  Because he is a mere third son with no prospects other than a nice income bestowed upon him by his eldest brother, the viscount.  And really, I can forgive the over indulgent income because who wants to read a story about the struggles of the poor aristocracy?  It is so much more fun to have a wealthy hero or heroine so you can focus on the love story that is in play.  At least that is what I think.

I also love Mr. Colin Bridgerton for all the same reasons Miss Penelope Featherington loves Mr. Colin Bridgerton.  And that is because he is funny and most importantly, he is kind.  Oh, we all know how much I love those NICE boys.  Or in this case, men.

Miss Penelope Featherington is a wallflower.  Her wit and intelligence are hidden from the public by her significant insecurities.  She has been bullied by the ton for not being pretty enough or popular enough.  The Bridgertons have been the one and only family to provide her true friendship and affection and have give her a ray of light in an otherwise dreary world of balls and dinners that she’d rather not attend.  Finally, at the “old” age of almost 28, Penelope finally has found some relief in that she is not expected to dance and flirt and look for a husband amongst a bunch of people that have never been kind to her.  She is content to sit back and laugh and chat with the other chaperones while her younger sister enjoys her own season.

Mr. Colin Bridgerton is home from yet another trip to Europe.  But this return is turning out to be much different than his other visits home.  His sister’s best friend, Miss Penelope Featherington has always been kind but she has also always just been there.  Like another sibling in his already large family of seven brothers and sisters (not counting him).  But after conversing with her at a ball, Colin is wondering why he has never realized how much fun Penelope is.  She is smart, funny and an all out joy to be around.  He finds himself not only thinking of her constantly but also ashamed of himself for not being mature enough recognize her beauty sooner.  On top of that, Colin is also struggling with his own insecurities and the lack of focus that has been troubling him for years.

If you can’t tell, this is one of my favorite Quinn novels.  I love this story because the issues these two characters have are so relatable.  Even in a modern age.  No, we don’t live in a world where a woman has to marry to have an imagined feeing of independence – thank God.  But we can all relate to feelings of insecurity and self doubt when it comes to life and relationships.   I also love that our heroine isn’t a young debutante that has barely reached twenty years of age.  Not that it’s uncommon to have an older heroine in historical romance.  It is just nice to read about two mature individuals that have unexpectedly found love in each other.

So obviously I recommend this to anyone that likes historical romance. BUT….even though I sit here and give it a glowing review, I will have to ask that you read the Bridgerton novels in order.  I know, I know.  How rude to ask that when I am not reviewing them in order.  And you know what?   You are right.  Go ahead.  I give you permission to read this one first.  There is a pretty big spoiler in Romancing Mr. Bridgerton.  It won’t spoil the first three books.  In fact it might enhance them knowing a secret that every Bridgerton (along with the rest of London) is dying to know.

Nat

A Peek in the Biblio-Bin (38)

Welcome to our Stacking the Shelves post! Stacking the Shelves (or as we like to call it, A Peek in the Biblio-Bin) has been created by the lovely ladies at Tynga Reviews.

Stacking the Shelves is a way for bloggers to share what books they have won, received for review, bought from the bookstore, borrowed from the library or friend, etc.

This is what we have in our bin this week. Tell us what's in your Biblio-bin!

Easy by Tammara Webber
Animal Attraction by Jill Shalvis
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout

Top Ten Books That Broke Nat's Heart A Little (or a lot)

This our first time participating in Top Ten Tuesday.  Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish .

It's no secret that I am a total sap when it comes to reading books so I thought it very fitting that I share with you....

Top Ten Books That Broke My Heart A Little (or a lot...)

If I Stay by Gail Forman -  Every page of this book broke my heart.  I am honestly not sure how I am still standing.

Where She Went by Gail Forman - How can the hot rockstar that has continued to love the girl that broke his heart in the most excruciating manner not be heart breaking?

Marley and Me by John Grogan - The only book that has made me cry more than this one is Gayle Forman's If I Stay.  Let's just say that I hugged our dear sweet dog for quite some time.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - Beth March.  Need I say more?  Oh and really Laurie and Jo?  Really?

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater - Not sure why but Sam's battle to keep his identity moved me more than I would have imagined. 

Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas - Romance novels don't make me cry but this one DID break my heart a little.  The classic tale of a footman falling in love with the aristocrat's daughter was told with enough intensity that I found myself holding my breath more often than not.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green - A story about teens and cancer.  Beautifully told by the great John Green.  Of course it broke my heart.

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn -  Michael is in love with his happily married cousin's wife.  Unrequited love of course causes broken hearts.  Particularly mine.

Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa - Oh Ash.  Your entire quest to become human was heart-wrenching. 

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Oh geez. Reasons this book broke my heart....Katniss, Prim, Rue, Peeta...should I keep going?

There you have it.  Books that broke my heart.   Now I think I need a tissue.....


~Nat