Author: Julia Quinn
Publisher: Avon
Date of publication: March 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...
I was really happy to pick up another amusing and sweet historical romance. Because of Miss Bridgerton is a very sweet friends to lovers story. It's kind of a prequel to to the Bridgerton series as it takes place years before that series. Focusing mainly on the Rokesby family. this is "Billie" and George's story.
I had a lot of fun reading this one. The banter between George and Billie was so good and easy. I loved them together and enjoyed watching them slowly realize their feelings for each other. One of the funniest scenes was the croquet scene. It had several laugh out loud moments. The other characters in the book rounded out the story nicely. I love how the two families were so close to each other. If you are in the mood for a story about two people who don't seem to fit finding home in each other, this is the story for you. I definitely recommend it.
Author: Julia Quinn
First published in 1995 by Avon
There are two things everyone knows about Alexander Ridgely. One, he's the Duke of Ashbourne. And two, he has no plans to marry anytime soon...
That is until a redheaded American throws herself in front of a carriage to save his young nephew's life. She's everything Alex never thought a woman could be—smart and funny, principled and brave. But she's a servant, completely unsuitable for a highborn duke—unless, perhaps, she's not quite what she seems...
American heiress Emma Dunster might be surrounded by Englishmen, but that doesn't mean she intends to marry one—even if she has agreed to participate in one London Season. When she slipped out of her cousins' home, dressed as a kitchen maid, all she wanted was one last taste of anonymity before her debut. She never dreamed she'd find herself in the arms of a dangerously handsome duke... or that he'd be quite so upset when he discovered her true identity. But true love tends to blossom just when one least expects it, and passion can melt even the most stubborn of hearts.
I have pretty mixed feelings about this Splendid. While I didn't love book, I did enjoy it. The characters were fun and there was plenty of humor. Emma is a great character and her antics wqere amusing. I loved the way Emma and Alex became friends before they became lovers. I loved their banter and their HEA was fun. The secondary characters were also endearing, especially Belle and Dunford.
What I didn't like was the length. I listened to the audio and It took forever to get through it. It was really too long. It could have used some serious editing. There were several scenes that really didn't do much to advance the story and could have been left out. I also thought, at times, Emma sounded too much like a modern american given the year this takes place. But that probably a bit nit picky. IN all, it was a fun story and worth checking out.
