When He Was Wicked

Rating:
Summary: A departure for Quinn
Review: As an avid fan of the Bridgerton series, I was anxiously awaiting this latest entry, When He Was Wicked. I was immediately impressed by the poignancy of the Merry Rake, Michael Stirling, being irretrievably, deeply in love with the one woman who was forbidden to him, his cousin's wife, Francesca. Unfortunately, for this reader, the plot went downhill from there. The main reason I enjoy Quinn's books is her patented wicked sense of humor. There was almost none in this book, unless you count the somewhat ironic remarks that precede each chapter. This book was a study of basic human nature, and as such, was an enjoyable read. It was not, however, what I expected from a romance novel by Julia Quinn. While it all ended well, with Michael and Francesca marrying and discovering their love for each other, the torturous path that they took to get there was unecessarily full of angst.

Rating:
Summary: Quite frankly, I'm wondering if JQ wrote this....
Review: Don't get me wrong, I ADORE Julia Quinn and her writing, but I found When He Was Wicked a bit lacking. Okay, a whole lot of lacking. It was missing the "Quinn charm" I loved so much in her other books. This book seems . . . unreal. I mean, Francesca loses her husband, years of mourning, then she falls for his cousin. I mean, when does that happen in life? I also missed some of the wit she has in her other books. I just found it quite boring, although I liked maybe one or two parts. I wouldn't recommend it, but you would get so frustrated that you'd scream and burn the book if you read it.

Rating:
Summary: romantic and fun
Review: I love the Bridgerton's!!!!! These are not only love stories, they make you laugh out loud. You cannot help but love the characters in these books, I especially love the family get togethers. I wonder whats going to happen to Hyacinth?

Rating:
Summary: Could have been great, but there was something missing.
Review: I love the stories of unrequited and impossible love. When I read the synopsis of this book, I though that possibly it was going to be my favorite Bridgerton book. After all what is more heartwrenchingly romantic than a hero who has secretly loved his cousin wife since the moment he met her, but knows that he could never have her? And there were really poignant moments that even managed to bring me to tears.

What went wrong then? In the first place, at times it was difficult to understand why Michael fell in love with Francesca so quickly, deeply and undonditionally. The book just says he did, but I guess I don't believe in "love" at first sight. Atraction? Yes, but a deeper attachement takes more time to develop.

The other thing I didn't like (and this is a criticism I had for "Romancing Mister Bridgerton" as well) is that their first kiss is described from Francesca's perspective instead of Michael's. I don't know why Julia Quinn always does that. One has been reading about how Michael loves her and desires her and longs to kiss her, but when the much awaited moment arrives when he, finally!, kisses her, we don't know how he felt, because the book shifts to Francesca's point of view. Isn't that frustrating? I think Julia Quinn could have gotten more feeling out of that important moment in the plot by simply narrating it from Michael's perspective. She can describe later what Francesca felt, but in that moment the most important thing is what Michael is feeling, not Francesca.

And lastly, I don't like that Francesca is never very convincing in her love for Michael. Almost until the end of the book there is not love mentioned on her part. She doesn't even admit it to herself. She just says that she feels desire for Michael but John is the only man she has ever trully loved. It's not until Michael gets ill and she believes he might die that she can bring herself to admit that she loves him. But since she spends the rest of the novel oblivious to this feeling, it doesn't sound convincing.

Other than that, the novel is not bad. Michael is a great character and the love story beautiful.

Rating:
Summary: Poignant love story ( and different from her others)...
Review: I loved this book. I've read the other reviews and can definitely understand if people were expecting a book that copied the other Bridgerton books, they might be disappointed.
Instead of the light-hearted banter, she has told a very moving story of what it's like to lose a loved one and find love again. Francesca and Michael were the closest people in her husband, John's life, and I thought Julia did a wonderful job of showing their grief and how they worked through their individual fears to find each other.

Francesca is not like the other Bridgertons, as she herself states in the book on occasion. What she IS is a grieving widow, who loved her husband, mourned him for four years, and is beginning to feel things for his cousin that scare her.

Michael Stirling was a wonderfully sweet, passionate man who lives with incredible guilt for all he gained at his cousin's death. And the one thing he loves above all is the one thing he feels he has no right to ever have - Francesca.

I was impressed by the manner Ms. Quinn did this story. She didn't skirt the issue of their grief and mourning. Instead, she embraced it in a way that makes you feel for both Francesca and Michael. She developed their relationship from the friendship it had been in a careful, understandably slow way...all in all, I felt it was a very rich, very fulfilling story.

Rating:
Summary: Another great book by Julia Quinn
Review: I saw some negetive reviews about this book and couldn't believe it. I thought it was great and couldn't put it down. This was the last book I've read of Quinn's....unfortunately I'll have to wait until her new book comes out next year.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite JQ book!
Review: I think I'm in the minority, but I LOVED this book! Granted it was darker than her others, but I think it was appropriate. The love that Michael feels for Francesca is once in a lifetime.
The sex was hotter in this book than the others.
WHWW has been summed up already, so I'll end by saying it's definitely worth the read and by far my favorite of the Bridgerton series. Also loved Romancing Mister Bridgerton...

Rating:
Summary: Unjustly maligned - An Atypical but Very Good Quinn
Review: I'll repeat a statement I've read several times about this book: I'm glad I ignored the negative reviews. I also feel compelled to add my thoughts.

When He Was Wicked, as many reviewers have pointed out, is not a typical Bridgerton novel. There aren't as many laughs, the family plays a smaller role, and it tackles some pretty serious subject matter. I consider all these to be advantages - Quinn is trying new things, something that can't be said for many romance writers. For the most part, she gets it right.

I loved Michael - who wouldn't? And it was actually nice to find a hero already in love with the heroine rather than one who has to be dragged, kicking and fighting, to the realization that she's actually not half-bad... Francesca wasn't as well developed, and I do agree that there wasn't enough insight into who she was (thus the 4-star rating). But the problems the two face, grief and guilt, are very real, and very thoughtfully explored, and we get to see another side of the perpetually sunny Violet - about time!

If you're expecting a humorous book, don't bother reading this one - Quinn has plenty of other titles that will make you much happier. But I liked it, and I'd definitely recommend it.

Also recommended: The Duke and I, The Viscount Who Loved Me, An Offer from a Gentleman, and Minx. Though you can never go really wrong with Quinn.


Rating:
Summary: One of her Best - When he was Wicked
Review: I've read every one of her books and this one is spectacular. The love that Michael feels for Francesca can be felt through every page. It may be a little darker than what we are used to with Mrs. Quinn but it's a fun and erotic book. I would also recommend everyone to read the whole Bridgerton Series because every book is special in its own way. Is are all of her other books. Look for them you'll enjoy them as much as I did.

Rating:
Summary: Stupendous
Review: Quinn is one of my favourite authors and everything Michael did to keep himself from Francesca was both funny and warm. A must-read if you like subtly understated dialogue.