The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

The second book in the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn, following on from The Duke and I.

1814 promises to be another eventful season, but not, This Author believes, for Anthony Bridgerton, London's most elusive bachelor, who has shown no indication that he plans to marry. And in all truth, why should he? When it comes to playing the consummate rake, nobody does it better...

Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1814

But this time the gossip columnists have it wrong. Anthony Bridgerton hasn't just decided to marry, he's even chosen a wife! The only obstacle is his intended's older sister, Kate Sheffield, the most meddlesome woman ever to grace a London ballroom. The spirited schemer is driving Anthony mad with her determination to stop the betrothal, but when he closes his eyes at night, Kate's the woman haunting his increasingly erotic dreams...

Contrary to popular belief, Kate is quite sure that reformed rakes to not make the best husbands, and Anthony Bridgerton is the most wicked rogue of them all. Kate's determined to protect her sister, but she fears her own heart is vulnerable. And when Anthony's lips touch hers, she's suddenly afraid she might not be able to resist the reprehensible rake herself...

When Anthony Bridgerton decides to get married, it is a very simple matter. He simply found out who was considered the jewel of the season and that is the woman he would married. Simple...right? Well, it would have been except that the sister of the lady in question is determined that Anthony Bridgerton not marry her sister because she is determined that her sister should marry a man who would make her happy, not a notorious rake like Bridgerton.

So when they feel an attraction to each other they are both horrified, but as they gradually get to know each other their attraction grows. When they are found in a compromising situation, Anthony shocks the ton by marrying Miss Sheffield....the wrong Miss Sheffield...as everyone was expecting that he would marry Edwina Sheffield and not Kate Sheffield.

I really, really enjoyed this book! Julia Quinn managed to take a well worn plot and make it quite fresh. The compromising situation that Anthony and Kate were caught in was very entertaining, as was the family game of Pall-Mall that the two sisters participated in with the Bridgertons.

I liked both Kate and Anthony - Kate was strong and loyal, determined and yet when she had to face her fears she was definitely vulnerable, and it was really nice to see Anthony's caring side coming out there. When Anthony decided to get married, he was determined that it would be to a woman that he was attracted to, and that he liked but there was no way he was going to fall in love, so watching him do just that and trying to deal with it was a very enjoyable read.

I thought that this was a much more enjoyable book than The Duke and I. I have already been to the library to get the next book in the series!

I do have a question though. How did a non-rake fall in love in Regency times? It does seem as though one has to be a rake to actually be worthy of falling in love. Woe for the good man who hasn't been gambling and whoring for years!

Rating 4.5/5


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