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Booklog 11/2023: Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Connie Brockway: The Lady Most Willing
This is a bit of historical fluff written by three authors about three, possibly four love stories. The action takes place in a few days during a snowstorm when all the protagonists are locked into a dank and chilly Scottish castle by the laird who is determined that his two nephews will marry proper Scottish lasses so that when one of them inherits his castle, their heirs will be properly Scottish. So he kidnaps three eligible girls and gets another one by mistake and also a duke who happened to be napping in the stolen coach. It’s all wildly improbable but good hearted fun. And yes, you don’t need me to tell you that everyone gets a happy ever after. It’s not Bridgerton, but it’s a light read.
Subtitled A Novel in Three Parts and written by three authors, this didn't quite work for me, but I admit that I don't know whether I'd have thought that if I'd believed it to be all the work of one author. 
Charles Wycombe, Earl of Billington, needs a wife before his thirtieth birthday or he'll lose his fortune. Ellie Lyndon need a way out before her soon-to-be-new stepmother marries her off to the village idiot. It's a marriage-of-convenience plot in which the two of them find love after they are wed. Not as good as Quinn's later novels, but still worth reading.
Henrietta (Henry) Barrett wears breeches instead of dresses and manages her elderly guardian's Cornish estate better than any male steward could, however when her uncle dies, the estate and title passes to a distant relative, William Dunford, London's most elusive bachelor. Dunford, it appears, has not inherited Stannage Park, but he's inherited Henry as his ward. Feeling obligated he takes her to London and launches her into the London season where she becomes the darling of the ton and – to Dunford's dismay – more attractive than he could have thought possible. This is one of Julia Quinn's early books, but definitely worth a read.
This is the story of The Lost Duke of Wyndham, told from the point of view of the 'sitting' duke. Essentially the current duke of Wyndham is challenged when Jack Audley, another candidate for the title, rocks up and is recognised by their harridan grandmother. The Lost Duke of Wyndham told the tale from the newcomer's point of view and this is from Wyndham's (or is he plain Mr Thomas Cavendish?). I hadn't been intending to read this once I'd read the first one - after all, I knew how the story ended - but sufficient time had elapsed and I'd forgotten a lot of the detail, so it was worth a read. This is Julia Quinn, so yes, there's a romance. Thomas has been engaged to his fiancee since they were both children, pledged by their respective fathers, and he's been putting off committing to marriage, but just as he starts to appreciate Amelia (and she him), it suddenly appears that he might not be the duke, and Amelia has been brought up to be a duchess.
Richard Kenworthy has less than a month to find a bride – though we don't know why until quite a way into the novel. He heads for London during the season. At the annual Smythe-Smith musicale he fixes his attention on Iris, gritting her teeth and playing her 'cello through the ordeal of performing in the worst quartet ever to torture willing listeners. Iris, pale skinned and pale haired, is used to being ignored, so when Richard pays her some attention she's flattered but suspicious. Then he proposes after barely a few days, and immediately (before she's even said yes) compromises her so the wedding will have to go ahead, and quickly. She freely admits to herself that she would probably have accepted the proposal, but she's miffed at HAVING to marry – just because of a kiss. Anyhow marry they do. Richard whisks Iris off to his country estate in Yorkshire and proceeds to be charming, but without consummating the marriage. Yes there's a reason. It's pretty bonkers and Iris eventually solves the problem. No spoilers. This does fit into the Smythe-Smith quartet, but the first three were woven in and around each other and this one is tagged on to the end and is pretty much a standalone. It's a light, fast read and up to Julia Quinn's usual standard.
I often save Julia Quinn books for when I'm reeling from reading a particularly mind-bending science fiction or grimdark fantasy but this is the year of Covid 19 and comfort reading is the thing, so I thought I'd read all Julia Quinn's four Smythe-Smith books back to back. I mean – four Regency romances in a row – what's that all about? This is the third Smythe-Smith book and concerns Hugh Prentice – seriously injured (ruined leg) in a duel in one of the previous books – and Lady Sarah Pleinsworth. Sarah hates Hugh on principle. The duel caused Sarah's cousin, Daniel, to flee the country for three years, and she blames the scandal on her lack of success at finding a husband.
The second in the Smythe-Smith quartet of books which are a spinoff from Ms Quinn's Bridgerton books. It's the Smythe-Smith musicale again, and Daniel Smythe-Smith returns from exile to see an unknown pianist taking part. He's instantly smitten, but he's an Earl and Anne is a governess with past she would prefer to keep hidden. But Daniel is not to be put off, even though someone keeps trying to kill him. But who is the real target? Again, a witty and bright read. The same core characters reappear, but this time the focus is on Daniel.
If you're familiar with Julia Quinn's Bridgerton Novels you'll remember that they are occasionally required to politely turn up and applaud at the worst concert ever featuring the unmarried Smythe-Smith girls in what their fond mama believes to be a musicale, but which most people would call torture. Daniel Smythe-Smith, Marcus Holroyd's best friend, had to flee the country after an unfortunate duel leaving Marcus to make sure his little sister, Honoria, doesn't make a bad marriage when the time comes. It takes Marcus and Honoria some time to realise what's right under their noses, of course, which is half the fun, Ms Quinn writes witty dialogue with plenty of comedic moments. This is the first of a new four-part series, and I decided to read them all in one go. Highly recommended.
Annabel Winslow is from the poorest country branch of a good family, so when her grandmother invites her to London for a season, in order to find a husband who will fund her brothers' education and her sisters' dowries, Annabel has to agree. She doesn't realise she's being set up to marry the hideously lecherous old Earl of Newbury who wants nothing more than to get a male heir so that his nephew never inherits the title. The nephew in question is charmer, Sebastien Grey, rake about town, and the person most despised by Newbury. Of course Annabel and Grey fall for each other, but she still might have to marry the slobbery old earl because he's Grandfather's friend and they've done a deal. In the end it's Grandmother who comes to the rescue, but I'm not going to say any more for fear of spoilers. Yes, of course you know it's all going to work out, but the fun is in seeing how. I'm gradually reading my way through Ms Quinn's back catalogue. She strikes a good balance between romance, sex and fun, with a good line in witty dialogue.
Alexander Ridgely, Duke of Ashbourne versus Emma Dunster, American shipping heiress. This does feel like a battle – of wills if nothing else. Alex does not want to marry until he absolutely must to ensure the succession. He's 29 now and is quite happy to have at least anther decade of carefree batchelorhood. Emma has been persuaded to travel to England to enjoy one London season with her cousins, but she fully intends to return to Boston to (eventually) take over her father's shipping business (even though her gender will put her at a serious disadvantage). So when the two fall instantly in lust this creates a big problem. Alex is a controlling arse at first – all he wants is sex and doesn't deem to mind that Emma is an innocent. (There were times when I really didn't like Alex.) Emma is young (20) in inexperienced, and she lets her hormones turn her brain to mush. Both families are desperately trying to match-make. There's also a second half plot that seems a bit unrealistic… but what am I talking about? Is Regency Romance ever realistic? This was Julia Quinn's first published novel (1995) so it's perhaps not surprising that her later ones are better. This is a bit unsubtle, with a few historical missteps, but nothing dreadful. It's interesting to see where she started out.
Gregory is the youngest of the eight Bridgerton siblings and the only unmarried one. He believes in true love - why not when all his siblings have found love-matches? So when invited to his oldest brother's houseparty he spots the incomparable Hermione Watson, he knows she's the one for him. Sadly Miss Watson doesn't seem equally smitten, so he turns to her friend Lady Lucinda Abernathy for help, not realising until it's almost too late that Lucy, with her sharp wit and sunny personality is the one for him. What a pity Lucy is already engaged and her cold-hearted uncle is not about to let her back out. What's a poor besotted gentleman to do?
Julia Quinn is always reliable. She writes witty regency romance that has now been filmed for television (as Bridgerton). Violet Bridgerton is the (widowed) mama to eight childen named in alphabetical order from Anthony to Gregory. This book is how the youngest female Bridgerton gets her man. Hyacinth Bridgerton is somewhat different. She's smart, outspoken and (to her siblings) somewhat annoying. She's had several seasons but failed to attract a suitable proposal of marriage (though there have been a few unsuitable ones). She's staunch friends with the eccentric and irascible Lady Danbury, so when Lady Danbury's rakish grandson, Gareth St Clair, is in need of a translator to unlock the secrets of his other grandmother's diary, Hyacinth volunteers. Gareth is hiding one family secret, but the diary contains another, and it holds the key to Hyacinth and Gareth's future, or does it?
A second-time-around story for Francesca Bridgerton and Michael Stirling. Michael, an infamous rake, falls in love with Francesca on the day before her wedding to his beloved cousin, John, so he hides his feelings and becomes her friend… until, unexpectedly, his cousin John dies. Michael inherits the family fortune and title, and unwilling to take advantage of John's widow (despite his feelings) takes himself off to India. Four years later he returns. Francesca, newly out of half-mourning, has decided to look for a husband, and Michael's mother is urging him to look for a wife. We know which way it's heading but it's the route it takes that makes it interesting. Julia Quinn's Bridgerton novels are always entertaining.
Julia Quinn might not always be totally historically accurate, but she's immensely good fun and handles her historical romances with a light touch and great dollops of good-hearted humour, which makes her always very readable. This is the newly published fourth book in the Rokesbys series, set in the generation before her Epic Bridgerton eight parter. Georgiana Bridgerton's reputation is in tatters because she was kidnapped