The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown Anthology

Lady Whistledown Tells All!

The new year has arrived in London, as the elusive Regency-era gossip observes in her ever-popular paper, romance is in the air....

In my quest to read everything connected to the Bridgerton books, I am left with just two more entries (not counting the 2nd epilogues that were put out online a while ago). Those two books are the Lady Whistledown anthologies, of which this book is the first.

Each of the stories feature commentary by Lady Whistledown, and revolve around a couple of different social events where the characters basically interact with each other, even if it is only in the form of knocking each other over whilst ice skating, attending the theatre or dancing together briefly at a ball. Other than that, all the stories are independent from each other. Of the authors in the anthology I have previously read Julia Quinn (obviously!) and Suzanne Enoch. The other two were new to me.

My favourites were from the two authors I have read before - Julia Quinn and Suzanne Enoch. My least favourite was from Mia Ryan but there were still glimmers in there to think that maybe she is okay as an author.

When the scandalous actions of his beautiful fiancée are recorded in Lady Whistledown's column, a concerned groom-to-be rushes back to London to win his lady's heart once and forever, in Suzanne Enoch's enchanting romantic gem.

The anthology gets off to a cracking start with the scandalous going-ons of Lady Anne Bishop. Lady Anne has been engaged to Max, the Marquis of Halfurst, since infancy, yet they have not spent any time together for a very long time. The lovely lady has been acting in a less than circumspect fashion and when her fiance reads about it in the society pages he decides enough is enough. It is time to claim his prize.

Society is abuzz when the Season's most promising debutante is jilted by her intended -- only to be swept away by the deceitful rogue's dashing older brother -- in New York Times bestseller Julia Quinn's witty, charming, and heartfelt tale.

When Susannah Ballister was dumped unceremoniously by Clive Mann-Formsby, she was heartbroken, so the thought of meeting up with Clive and his new wife terrifies her. At one time the only thing that might have terrified her more was the thought of meeting Clive's very sombre and serious older brother, David. Now that David is looking for a wife, it seems that he has decided that she is the one, even though he opposed her engagement to his brother.

Karen Hawkins captivates with an enduring story of a handsome rogue whose lifelong friendship -- and his heart -- are tested when the lovely lady in question sets her cap for someone else.

I am quite partial to the friends to lovers storyline, particularly in anthologies, because it means that the story can move forward quite a bit quicker than it can if the two main characters have only just met. When Liza Pritchard decides that she really wants to shed her spinster role, and sets her cap on marriage, Sir Royce Pendlebury realises that he wants something very different - he wants her. The dialogue between these two was quite good, again due to the fact that they were first and foremost friends....right up until the moment when they realised what they felt for each other.

A dazzling and delightful tale by Mia Ryan has a young woman cast out of her home by an insufferable yet charming marquis -- who intends to take possession not only of the house ... but its former occupant as well!

Lady Caroline Starling has been nursing very strong feelings against Lord Darington, ever since she knew that they were about to be evicted from their home by him. Yet when she meets him and feels an attraction for him, it seems as though there is much for her to learn, about the circumstances behind that eviction, and particularly behind Lord Darington's own war injury ravaged past.




I am expecting to read the second Lady Whistledown book in the next week or so! I hope it is as enjoyable as this one was. By the way, I should also confess that I am posting this review now because I am using it to enter the Fly It Forward contest at TGTBTU!

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