Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

'Romancing Mister Bridgerton' is part of a serial of books, which this particular one is the fourth instalment. However, in my opinion, it can be read as a singular entity, as I have come to find that I accidentally started this series on the third book, 'An Offer From a Gentleman'.

In the Bridgerton series, Quinn delves deep into high society of the ton and the peaks and troughs of being on the 'marriage mart'. The Bridgertons consist of eight siblings, each named after the next letter in the alphabet: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory and Hyacinth. However, in the context of this book, the sibling which the story is based is on Colin.

However, the other main protagonist in the book is Penelope. Penelope is someone who is considered to be one day a spinster, rather than married off to anyone of interest to the ton. In fact, it is assumed by her mother that she will grow old and look after her when she is much older. But this is not something which Penelope wants in her heart. Far from it actually.

Even though being a member of the ton can be seen as being a blessing in this time, it can also be a curse for someone such as herself. As she is considered as being a wallflower and given the most hideous clothes during her time of the marriage mart season, she has simply been regarded by other society members, as well as possible suitors that they would not believe her to be a good match. But Penelope is so much more than their opinions of her, which has attracted not only the person of her affection, but one of the most eligible bachelors in society, Colin Bridgerton.

But this story is not without struggle. Things come to light, drama unfolds and romance blossoms in some of the most unexpected of ways.

Personally, I found this book to be one of the better books in Quinn's Bridgerton series. It feels more real, more material and something that could possibly be relevant to the present day. Colin made me laugh out loud so many times to his reactions of how people were around him, to the point that I had to explain why I was laughing so much. Penelope was one of the better protagonists, as it feels as though she has a lot to lose, but yet still has society by the tips of her fingers, as they have not come to know her in the way that she should.

I'm glad that Quinn used less cliché's compared to other books within her series and I am glad that she gave the underdog the story that she deserves. I'm a little bit sad that I won't get to find out what is next for Penelope except for the epilogues that have been provided. She is definitely an interesting character indeed and one I cannot wait to see on the small screen.

I gave this book a four star rating due to how even though this seems like one of the better books that Quinn has written, I am still a bit annoyed that there isn't any more to read on these two particular people. In some ways, the book felt a bit formulaic and from reading other books she has written, I have begun to see a pattern of how her stories tend to end. But hey, you can't always win as they say.

The Do-Over by Lynn Painter

If you are in the mood for a sweet romance that gives Groundhog Day and Ferris Bueller vibes then this book is for you. What happens if you wake up to the same Valentine’s Day and everything always goes not to plan? What if you are someone who likes to plan and not share how you are really feeling? Emilie, our female protagonist is very much a stickler for planning and keeping to societal norms. She never really speaks her mind. But this Valentine’s Day is different. She is different. I found that the book itself is quirky and fun. It does have moments of sadness but there is a lot of heart in terms of how it is done. There could have been more time with other characters that are mentioned throughout but at the end of the day it is very much a Young Adult piece. There is nothing wrong with that. Would I read it again? Possibly if I want a Valentines themed book. It was also very quick to read for those who are not into big tomes. Rating: 4 Stars

The Unbreakable Code

I found now with reading the second one-off thriller books, that they have very similar qualities. I know, they are done by the exact same author. But just think, why is there always a person in a certain role to take the antagonist side? Well, just a thought anyway. So i hope you have all been sound this last week, because this week i'm taking you back to Dan Brown with his book ' Digital Fortress '. Whoo hoo! All in a days work. Sorry about before, i think i was in a deep idea of thought- i sometimes do that, like most people. But never mind that, you didn't click on this page to hear me babble on about myself- oh no. It's time for the big judgement and whether your in the right mind to try it out afterwards! Genre: Conspiracy, Thriller Publisher: Corgi Year Of Publish: First published 1998 Pages: 512 Of course this would be the UK version. But would you be able to break the unbreakable code? So i bet you're wondering what is this all about? Well,...

A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston

I’ve been following Ashley Poston’s work for a while. At first it was the comic con series back in 2020 when she first became known to me during COVID. After I read the series I forgot about her for a while. It was only when I went into my local Waterstones to pick up The Dead Romantics she came back under my radar. She is now one of my must buys if a new book comes out. Her take of the romantic genre has always been fresh and interesting with some form of magical realism. A Novel Love Story follows our heroine Elsy, otherwise referred to as Eileen. Unlucky in love she struggles to try new things. Instead, she is comforted by her favourite book series by her favourite author, Rachel Flowers. On her way to a cabin retreat by herself, she finds her car broken down in a town that is somewhat familiar to her favourite book series. I’m not going to lie, compared to Poston’s earlier novels this book took some time for me to get into. There have been numerous occasions where I’ve had to...