Review: Romancing Mister Bridgerton

Romancing Mister Bridgerton

Julia Quinn

Series or Stand Alone: Bridgerton series, book four

Release Date: July 2002

Publisher: Avon

Pages: 370

Author Site: http://www.juliaquinn.com/

My Rating: 4/5

Source: Paperbackswap.com

Synopsis:

[from goodreads.com]

Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend's brother for...well, it feels like forever. After half a lifetime of watching Colin Bridgerton from afar, she thinks she knows everything about him, until she stumbles across his deepest secret...and fears she doesn't know him at all.

Colin Bridgerton is tired of being thought nothing but an empty-headed charmer, tired of everyone's preoccupation with the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown, who can't seem to publish an edition without mentioning him in the first paragraph. But when Colin returns to London from a trip aboard he discovers nothing in his life is quite the same -- especially Penelope Featherington! The girl haunting his dreams. But when he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide...is she his biggest threat -- or his promise of a happy ending?
 

Review:

Ever since Colin Bridgerton first entered a scene in the Brigderton series I just HAD to know how his story would be. When I found out that he was paired with Penelope Featherington I nearly had a giddy fan-girl moment. He's charmingly funny and she's a shy wallflower that I knew had some spunk buried somewhere inside - a recipe for an excellent read! So with that all said I have to say I didn't quite enjoy it as much as I thought I would. That might be a personal thing though because I read the book the same month I had my daughter. I definitely think I'll be re-reading it in the future. But for right now I still liked it.

Colin is the third Bridgerton out of a total of eight and has come to be one of my favorites. He always has something cute or charming to say. However in this installment Colin is tired of being known as the charmer and nothing else. Just ask Lady Whistledown, who refuses to exclude him from almost every publication of her column. His older brothers have all made a place for themselves in the world with their respective talents and Colin feels lost. Not only is this a love story for him but also one of self-discovery.

And who better to help Colin figure out who he is than Miss Penelope Featherington. Penelope who has been in love with Colin since childhood. Penelope who has endured years of bittersweet torture by having Eloise Bridgerton as a best friend, which then grants her so many occasions to be around Colin. She is a great character that I know many readers can relate to. A girl with a subtle spark that sits on the sidelines while the world of the ton twirls around her. I've always liked her in the previous novels. This is her story just as much as Colin's. She was never a weak woman; even when she was an awkward, somewhat overweight, young girl first becoming available for marriage proposals. There was always something about her that spoke volumes of a character I wanted to get to know. And her story didn't let me down in that department. Completely witty and charming in her own right, Penelope is a character to love...and it only takes Colin a little over half the book to realize that =)

The huge secret revealed in the novel is one I can't comment on without spoiling it for those who are not familar with the series or who have yet to read the third book. However, just a forewarning, I will most likely discuss said secret with the fourth book's review...Let's just say it involves the one and only Lady Whistledown and the commotion her and her column's always seem to bring the ton. Okay, so I commented on it...whoops.

ROMANCING MISTER BRIDGERTON is filled with humor as Lady Danbury tries, and almost succeeds, to steal the show from the main characters on more than one occasion. She has quickly claimed a piece of my heart as she helps Penelope stand up for herself and not be ashamed of who she is. She does this all oh so cleverly with not-so-subtle hints that made me laugh out loud and that warmed my heart at the same time. And of course the novel would be nothing without the rest of the Bridgerton gang.

I'm SO ready for the next installment - TO SIR PHILLIP, WITH LOVE. Eloise has certainly made me curious on how things will turn out for her. And I'm sure I will be getting attached to yet another Bridgerton with the completion of her story.