# 1 New York Times Bestseller
A special TV Tie-In edition to BRIDGERTON, a series created by Shondaland for Netflix, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn: the story of Anthony Bridgerton in the second of her beloved Regency-set novels featuring the charming, powerful Bridgerton family.
ANTHONY’S STORY
This time the gossip columnists have it wrong. London’s most elusive … family.
ANTHONY’S STORY
This time the gossip columnists have it wrong. London’s most elusive bachelor 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 do 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…
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Audio Review
I can not even tell you how much I loved this book! Anthony Bridgerton has this idea that he will die young like his father, so he intends to marry someone that he won’t fall in love with. We all know how well that always works out. The enemies-to-lovers thing they have going on was so much fun to follow. How Kate got into her compromising position had me crying from laughter! Their banter is hilarious! And I look forward to getting more bits of them in the future Bridgerton books!
Story
Spice
Swoon
Angst
Narration
What can I say about this book?
It all started from a bee sting? LOL
While I didn’t love The Viscount Who Loved Me as much as the first book in the series, it’s still immensely enjoyable. I think the problem for me was pacing. Some parts dragged along unnecessarily and I tended to lose interest. Those bumps in the road did not prevent the wonderful characters and witty enemies to lovers storyline from shining through, however.
I adored Kate Sheffield. She is overlooked in favor of her younger sister in terms of beauty, grace, and suitors. Rather than it making her bitter or jealous, Kate has nothing but love for Edwina and is extremely protective. Anthony Bridgerton has his mind set on wedding Edwina, but Kate is determined that the rake will not get within a foot of Edwina.
Kate is a worthy opponent for Anthony. They are equally matched in intellect and wit. The book has a lot of entertaining physical comedy. The scene where Anthony and Kate become a couple is especially hilarious, as is the family’s fiercely competitive lawn game that is similar to croquet.
There are still plenty more Bridgertons who need to find love. I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.
Solid romance story.
Not quite as good as the first, but fun reading. Again, the dialogue is realistic, witty, and keeps the story moving.
This is maybe one of my favorites of the series, even though arguably nothing very outlandish occurs (as compared to 4, 5, 7) — this one was just so darn FUNNY, I was up into the wee hours of the night loudly cackling and waking up the whole house because I just couldn’t stop reading and laughing. Anthony is so ham-handed and controlling throughout, I must admit, but despite that I still found myself liking him and cheering for Kate as they fell in love and battled for the Black Mallet of Death.
The Viscount Who Loved Me:
Julia Quinn (Bridgertons #2)
“Love’s about finding the one person who makes your heart complete. Who makes you a better person than you ever dreamed you could be. It’s about looking in the eyes of your wife and knowing all the way to your bones that she’s simply the best person you’ve ever known.”
The Viscount Who Loved Me is Julia Quinn’s hysterical, enemies-to-lovers romance is my favorite of the entire series. Her writing is phenomenal and transports you to a different era–one with lavish ball gowns, glimmering balls, and overall, a world I wish I lived in.
I don’t remember a book in which I laughed quite as much as I did in this one. Ever since we met him in The Duke & I, I knew Anthony Bridgerton–head of the Bridgerton family and notorious rake–would be my absolute favorite. He’s a famed womanizer, roguishly handsome, and a man who would do anything to keep his mother happy. Saddled with enormous responsibility from a young age, his father’s death affected him the most. But, he got to see that kind of love–you know, “Mom and Dad kind of love”. He’s arrogant and cocky but there’s so much more to him that was incredible to unveil.
Anthony’s bid to settle down with the diamond of the season, Edwina Sheffield, presents with a problem: her older sister Kate. A spitfire, sassy, take-no-shit woman who is the only person who doesn’t immediately fall to Anthony’s undeniable charm. She is so protective of her sister and it’s evident in how she wants absolutely nothing but the best for her.
The banter between Kate & Anthony is absolutely hysterical. It made me laugh through and through. A proper enemies-to-lovers with undeniable chemistry that made my heart warm.
If there was a Historic RomCam genre, The Bridgerton Series would be fit perfectly in there. I found myself chuckling to myself through most of the book. The Bridgertons are a large boisterous family, uncommon in the British nobility, the product of a “love match”. This is a fun, very entertaining read.
This is the story of Anthony, the first born. He was only 18 years old, when his father, whom he idolized, suddenly dying from anaphylaxis shock after being stung by a bee at the age of 38. Anthony was then convinced that he could never surpass the greatness of his father and would therefore not live past the age of 38. He therefore refused to put himself in the position of loving someone, knowing that it was doomed.
As he approaches the age of 30, he decides it is time to marry, but his 3 qualifications: 1- reasonably attractive, 2- not stupid, and not someone he could fall in love with. He decides, sight unseen on Edwina Sheffield, the Incomparable of 1814. However, Edwina has announced that she would not marry any man who her older half sister Kate does not approve of and Kate does not approve of Anthony’s rake reputation. As Anthony spends more time with Kate, they form a friendship, until a bee flies in and pushes them together.
I’m totally addicted to the series. 🙂
In the second book, Anthony Bridgerton decides that is time to take a wife. He doesn’t want to find love, because he is convinced that he won’t live long, but want to find someone who fits his criteria and have an heir.
He picks the perfect wife. Only problem, her older sister. They are very close and Kate will have to approve the union before she says yes to anyone. Only problem Kate hates him. 🙂 He spends quite a lot of time convincing her, just enough that they both start to catch feelings and when they are found in a very compromising situation, there is nothing left but to marry.
The only thing left is to convince Kate that she is the one he loved from the start. 🙂
It’s fluffy, fast paces, addicting. 🙂
Another great book by Julia Quinn!! This is the second book of the Bridgerton series and follows Anthony, a eternal bachelor and Kate, a woman who does not desire to get married EVER! When these two meet, it’s an enemies-to-lovers romance. They despise each other at first, but soon learn the fire that they each possess (that originally drives them each crazy!) is what they admire most about the other. Absolutely loved this book (as I knew I would!) Great job Julia Quinn!!
Oh My Lord….literally!
I loved this second book more than the first and it was purely due to the connection between Anthony and Kate. They were so much alike in how they valued family to their sense of humor and their vulnerabilities. If I wasn’t swooning at Anthony, or having empathy to their afflictions, I was laughing at their antics.
Lord Bridgerton holds his family close to his heart, and his father was his best friend. The day he died, Anthony may have gained his title, but he lost so much more and was left with a feeling of dread at his own impending death. Kate too had experienced losing a loved one, first her mother at aged three then her father in her late teens. She lives moderately with her step mother and half sister whom she adores both immensely. They come to London for the coming out season for both girls to find a husband. Kate has no grand desires for herself, but is adamant she will find the best suitor for her sister, and it’s not Lord Bridgerton, he’s a rake!
I couldn’t get enough from this couple, they ticked every box for me in reading a romance. I adore characters with flaws and they over come them, but I appreciate them more if they hold their family above anything else. But what made it the best for me is the humor they had together, I could resonate with the banter in my own relationship. I did get to read the second epilogue with my copy, and even though it doesn’t add too much to the overall storyline, I still loved it. Being a traditionalist, it was fun to find out that they kept up their game of Pall Mall and made it an annual event. The lengths they go to to secure the Mallet of Death and to win the overall game is hilarious!
Next up is the second eldest son, Benedict. I don’t know too much about him but being a Bridgerton, I know he will be loyal and witty, so I can’t wait.
I love the logic of a child that we get to see at the very beginning of the book, before dealing with the adult version of an overbearing, pain in the… older brother.
No, Anthony liked to think that his relationship with his father was special simply because he’d known him the longest. After all, no matter how long Benedict had known their father, Anthony would always have two years on him.
I really like how Anthony and Kate’s enemies-to-lovers story builds. They are each vulnerable and insecure about different things while putting on faces for the rest of the world. They also each have a fear caused by a past event that has shaped their lives in many ways.
Their banter is fantastic and often had me chuckling aloud. The games of Pall Mall (which we now call croquet) are probably the best indication of their spirit and ability to best each other before finding common ground. It is quite entertaining!
I went between audio and the written word. Rosalyn Landor was the narrator. She does a good job but I would have preferred dual narrators. I’m greedy that way.
Story: 4 stars
Narration: 3.5 stars
I love that each of these books centers around a different Bridgerton sibling, but that we still get to see how the previous siblings are doing as well. I love this kind of family series that allows us, as readers, to mature and grow along with the characters. It makes the reader feel a part of this world, sort of an honorary Bridgerton.
Antony’s story is the second in the series, and I found it quite a bit deeper than the first book in the series. Covering phobias on both the male and female main characters, there was a lot of emotion and trauma to deal with. I think the author did a very good job, and I really appreciated the afterword from the author about Antony’s fear covered in the story.
Because it is far too often not the case, I also very much appreciated the positive light that surrounded stepmothers in this particular story. The relationship between stepmother and stepdaughter was painted with caring and love and though she was called by her first name, she was quite obviously a very real mother to our main character.
I’ve still not seen any of the episodes of the new TV Show based on this series, so my reviews are only of my thoughts on the books.
I enjoyed The Viscount Who Loved Me. I loved the pall-mall scene best. I was laughing out loud. I loved Kate. At time Antony was a bit annoying but he redeemed himself. I am so happy we still saw the wonderful Bridgerton family humor in this book. Their relationship and bond is my favorite part of this series so far.
Once Upon A Time, I only read historical romances and Julia Quinn was one of my favorite authors. After watching Bridgerton, I picked up this book and lost myself in its pages. I can’t believe I let over a decade pass from when I last read Julia’s books….I look forward to binge reading as many as I can now. TBR and enjoy!
This is my second time reading this book, and I still think I like it even more than the first book!! Kate is so relatable as a character, nothing against Daphne but I think Kate is definitely more interesting. It’s really great to see Anthony’s character development through the book as well, and to know there is more depth to him than we got to see in The Duke & I. I’ve been doing my reread on audio and if you enjoy audiobooks (or want to give the book a try in a different format) I would recommend it!
Anthony was such a forceful personality in The Duke and I that I wasn’t sure how he’d be as a hero in his own book, The Viscount Who Loved Me. I shouldn’t have wondered. He blew away my expectations.
Just like The Duke and I, once again I listened to this novel via an audiobook. When Kate has her nightmare, Ms. Landor, the narrator, was so effective and so emotional, I know my mouth was hanging open in shock, I felt the chills go up my spine, and my breath caught in my throat. It was so REAL! And Anthony was wonderful with her. It affected him as well, and he was determined to help Kate. I know I’m jumping the gun by mentioning something later in the book but that scene was so amazing, and profound and effective, I had to start with it. That scene sealed this story with a rating of 5 stars.
Now, to go back to the beginning, Anthony decided it was time to find a wife. His choice would normally make sense, until a reader understands that he’s being driven by a traumatic event from his past. Here’s the point – it’s a real thing. It’s not his imagination. What is even more amazing is that Ms. Quinn actually explains why she had Anthony do as he did in the wrap up after the novel ends. I can personally attest to that emotional response because my own dad and his brother thought the exact same way. In the back of their minds as they married and lived their lives, there was an age concern, will they live past that milestone, or will genetics win out? It’s a powerful motivator for good or ill. Ms. Quinn used it as a very effective internal plot conflict and because I knew it was a real emotional response in real life, it made the story come alive and it felt very relevant.
The novel isn’t so dark and heavy handed, despite the first couple of paragraphs in my review. Those were the things that touched me deeply on a personal level. But the majority of the book is wonderfully romantic, and with the Bridgerton family playing Pall Mall, hilarity, hijinks and fun is a guarantee. Pay attention to the Mallet of Death because in the audio version there is a second epilogue and Pall Mall provides a significant backdrop that made me laugh uncontrollably too many times to count. I truly mean that. I laughed out loud, giggled, snorted and grinned from ear to ear so long, it hurt. Ms. Quinn has a wicked sense of humor!
What I find interesting about this story is that the intense moments when the true conflicts show up happen after the hero and heroine get married. It’s fascinating. In most romance books, they end after the hero and heroine get their HEA which usually has an ‘I love you’ and off they go. Not so with this novel. No, the author did something different. It’s when people move in together, when they see each other first thing in the morning and the last at night, when all the little quirks and personal habits start showing up and they react. That’s when the true learning of a married relationship starts. That’s what I believe Ms. Quinn does in this novel and it works. It’s wonderful and I can’t say enough good things about it.
The Viscount Who Loves Me is awesome, and whether you read it in print or listen to it in audio, Ms. Quinn has penned a wonderful romance that should not be missed.
Both the hero, Antony, and the heroine, Kate, were very entertaining. I especially loved the croquet match (even though they call it by another name) Antony usually uses the “Mallet of Death”, but Kate, who was new to the game got the mallet first. You have to read the book to find out what happens, but it is the best sporting event in a romance book.
It is a beautiful story of enemies to lovers! Another Bridgerton success!! Amazing!!
I love Julia Quinn books. I don’t love them for their complexity, or their deep, moral lessons. I love them for their simple love stories and Bridgerton entertainment. This was exactly what I needed.
Anthony, first of all, drives me crazy. I found myself wanting to slap him more than once. I mean, the bee sting scene? I literally rolled my eyes (you’ll know what I’m talking about when you read the book). I’m not really complaining, though, because I totally listened to this book for the romance. Anthony and Kate both seemed complex to me in their characters’ personalities, which is always a plus. However, I did feel like a lot of this book was a repeat of The Duke and I. While I did really love reading Anthony and Kate’s story, a lot of it threw me off.
While this book felt a little underdeveloped in the plot aspect, it still gave me what I needed in the romantic, period-drama way that I was looking for. Of course, though—once again—Lady Whistledown stole the show.
Favorite quote: “‘A man with charm is an entertaining thing, and a man with looks is, of course, a sight to behold, but a man with honor—ah, he is the one, dear reader, to which young ladies should flock.’”