Rating: Summary: Delightful!!! What an amazing concept!! Review: Before I get too involved in my review, I have to say that Julia Quinn is the most clever writer to appear on the scene in years! I bought this book because I am a JQ fan and the wordsmith Lady Whistledown is a literary character you won't soon forget. Although we now know this clever one's identity (ha! ha!-did you really think I was gonna tell you?), it was good to have LW make a special appearance in this clever anthology.Now, that I've gotten that out of the way-I wanted to say that The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown is the most clever concept for an anthology that I have read in a long time!! Imagine four different authors with four distinct writing styles creating four different stories that take place simultaneouly with ALL of the characters from the different stories interacting with each other!!! That takes talent! And Julia Quinn, Susan Enoch, Karen Hawkins, and Mia Ryan definitely deliver! From the witty "36 Valentines" to the romantic "Two Hearts", you will find something for everyone! There is lots of humor here, too. I laughed til I cried at the ball with Lord Durham (you have to read to know what I mean-wink**). I wept for Lord Darington. I cheered for Royce and Liza. The witty exchange between David and Susannah is classic!! You must get yourself a copy of this book. You won't be able to put it down. Congratulations to all the authors on creating a new concept in anthologies.
Rating: Summary: The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown Review: I enjoyed this book tremendously. I didn't expect to because of the short stories. I can never get enough in a short story. I must say though I was impressed with the short stories and very impressed with how they were woven together.
Rating: Summary: Love Lady W! Review: I love Julia Quinn's Bridgerton Series, so I HAD to read this. I can tell you that I read the first two stories in one day, they were that interesting and made me interested in reading more books by Suzanne Enoch and Karen Hawkins. Julia's story was just as expected, a true page turner. But, the reason I didn't give it 5 stars is Mia Ryan.
I wanted to like her story because I thought it was great that all the four stories were intertwined between the four events of the Worth ball, the Keane play, the Skating party and the Valentine's ball. But, I could not get into Ryan's story. I did skim through it because I wanted to see the interactions, but it didn't grab me.
What did grab me was Suzanne's Anne Bishop finding out that the man she was promised to from birth was the man for her. Julia's Susannah finding her true love in the arms of her old love's brother! Karen's Liza and Royce finding out that you can be friends and you can be lovers. What was even better was reading the same scenes from different points of views. Seeing Anne Bishop flee and knock both Royce and Susannah to the ground and then seeing that scene from Royce and Susannah's POV.
Would I recommend this book? Yes and it is a MUST for all Julia Quinn fans. I keep wishing that maybe Lady Whistleton could make an appearance in the next Bridgerton Books, maybe Julia could get her to come out of retirement. Let's all hope because Lady Whistleton tells it as it is!
Rating: Summary: Delightful and charming; Nothing soul stirring though. Review: I loved this book, but short stories drive me crazy because I always want to read more about each character. I love how they interweaved all the characters!! That was so cute. If I remember correctly I liked Quinn and Ryan's stories the most and I think that I liked Hawkings's the least. But they were all really cute! "Lady Whistledown Strikes Back" has recently come out and features the same authors. This book is a cute spin-off (bad word, but I don't know how else to describe it) from the Bridgerton series - it is in the Bridgerton novel "Romancing Mr.Bridgerton" where Lady Whistledown's true identity is finally revealed.
Rating: Summary: TOO SHORT! :) Review: I loved this book, but short stories drive me crazy because I always want to read more about each character. I love how they interweaved all the characters!! That was so cute. If I remember correctly I liked Quinn and Ryan's stories the most and I think that I liked Hawkings's the least. But they were all really cute! "Lady Whistledown Strikes Back" has recently come out and features the same authors. This book is a cute spin-off (bad word, but I don't know how else to describe it) from the Bridgerton series - it is in the Bridgerton novel "Romancing Mr.Bridgerton" where Lady Whistledown's true identity is finally revealed.
Rating: Summary: Lady Whistledown is a Diamond Review: I read this anthology in just 4 hours, it was that good (well, I speed read, unfortunately). I have loved the mysterious Lady Whistledown all through the Bridgerton series. I was so disappointed with the loss of this wittiest of columnists society's foibles when she 'retired'. Then she popped back up to narrate these 4 stories - each with it's own flavor and just enough sensuality. Using Lady Whistledown to introduce chapters of stories by Suzanne Enoch, Karen Hawkins, Mia Ryan and Julia Quinn was genious. Each story is centered around Valentine's Day - the best time of year for romantics. The stories have intriguing characters who appear in each story briefly; their own stories entertwined. Suzanne Enoch has a betrothed-from-birth groom rushing to London to claim his bride when Lady Whistledown's column reports some rather indiscreet behaviour on the lady's part - I can only say that the story was very romantic. Karen Hawkins adds to the humor with her story of a rogue who begins to be disturbed when his life-long friend decides to marry, well, according to Lady Whistledown, someone comfortable. Mia Ryan's heroine kept me laughing with her habit of blurting out really odd observations - obviously says exactly what she is thinking at any given time. And her thoughts are chaotic as it is! But, finally, we have Julia Quinn's story, which can only be the best of the book. I can't spoil the surprise in this one, but it is one of my absolute favorite story lines, done in the way that only Julia Quinn can do to make it new, fresh and funny. This book is a must for your collection of keepers of the observations of Lady Whistledown and the 5* books she has narrated.
Rating: Summary: First anthology I've ever rated a 5! Review: I really, really enjoyed this one. This is an anthology, which I usually don't read at all. I generally can't get into the romance before it's already over & there's never enough of a side story to keep me interested. That definitely did not pertain to this one though. I only read this one because I love Julia Quinn's Lady Whistledown & it had been recommended. I just loved how they entertwined the stories. Not only that, but I liked each story individually. Every one of the characters were enjoyable, some witty, some more serious - but always entertaining. I have never read Karen Hawkins or Mia Ryan - but I hope these stories are accurate examples of their books; If so, then I've found 2 new authors. If you like Julia Quinn type Regencys, I bet you'll like this one also.
Rating: Summary: First anthology I've ever rated a 5! Review: I really, really enjoyed this one. This is an anthology, which I usually don't read at all. I generally can't get into the romance before it's already over & there's never enough of a side story to keep me interested. That definitely did not pertain to this one though. I only read this one because I love Julia Quinn's Lady Whistledown & it had been recommended. I just loved how they entertwined the stories. Not only that, but I liked each story individually. Every one of the characters were enjoyable, some witty, some more serious - but always entertaining. I have never read Karen Hawkins or Mia Ryan - but I hope these stories are accurate examples of their books; If so, then I've found 2 new authors. If you like Julia Quinn type Regencys, I bet you'll like this one also.
Rating: Summary: georgette heyer fans beware! Review: I was tempted to read this thinking I might find something similer to Georgette Heyer, considering this novel boasted being a "regency romance" I was instead shocked, not only because it comes no where close to the quality of Georgette Heyers work, but also because this is no different then the other trashy steamy romance novels that talk about explict sex instead of romance. Only imagine that in a stiff and formal era these novels are supposed to be set in, the main male and female charecters manage to have sex while they are courting (sheesh!). Georgette Heyer would turn in her grave! Perhaps these esteemed(..?) writers should devote some time to studying the era they claim to be writing about. Unless you like trashy novels, stay as far from this as you can! Neither in vocabulary nor taste is this book even close to being a quality read. Would not recomend this to anyone!
Rating: Summary: An anthology of the highest caliber Review: Julia Quinn drew me to this book, but I was more than pleased with each of the four novellas included. Unlike most anthologies, the quality was top-notch all the way through, even though each story had its own strengths. My first experience with the other authors was pleasant enough to have me looking for their books for my to-be-read pile. Having Quinn's Lady Whistledown weave the stories together is an added delight. Moreover, the stories do mesh quite well, with characters from each of the novellas making appearances in the other three. While Suzanne Enoch's "One True Love" is a charming romance, well-written and enjoyable, I found it to be the weakest of the four offerings. The quality of all the works, however, means that even the weakest link is remarkably good. My only real criticism is that the story didn't stay with me once I moved on to the next one; thus, it simply wasn't as memorable as the others. Nevertheless, Lady Anne Bishop and the Marquis of Halfurst are a well-matched pair and it was great fun watching the Marquis claim his errant fiancé. His romantic gesture with the daffodils was really well cone, although the proposal left me a little flat. "Two Hearts" by Karen Hawkins pits the boldly delightful spinster Elizabeth Pritchard against her lifelong friend, the roguish Royce Pemberley. What a delight to watch Elizabeth realize that at 31, she does want a husband to share her life and love with; even more delightful is watching Royce realize that his old chum is a desirable woman and he may very well lose her. Their confusion and consternation over the changing nature of their relationship is almost palpable, and Liza's bovine-loving suitor is a gem of the eye-rolling variety. Royce's declaration, in front of other no less, is possibly the most romantic in the book; it has the same joyous tears of Emma Thompson's performance in Sense & Sensibility. Mia Ryan's "A Dozen Kisses" had me laughing out loud as Lady Caroline Starling said all sorts of things that never should have left her lips and the Marquis of Darington constantly said things less than what he meant. His difficulty in saying what he means after a war injury was handled beautifully, lending him both gentle sympathy and personal courage. Although his friend was somewhat sketchily drawn, Caroline's mother was well done (the hateful woman). At times, the story sags just a touch when it becomes more serious, but when Dare finally writes to her all that he cannot manage to speak ... ahhhhh..... And Caroline's impetuousness always hits the right notes. There's a reason Julia Quinn is my favorite romance author--she never misses. "Thirty-six Valentines" contains both the sly wit and the emotional depth that always sets Quinn's work apart. When Susannah Ballister is dumped by her suitor who would expect his older brother to sweep her off her feet? A single kindness, one that reestablishes her in society, sets the stage for romance. In the process, Susannah and David, the Earl of Renminster, both learn a great deal about themselves, and Susannah sees in David what no one else, even his brother, has discovered. As for the 36 Valentines...well, we wouldn't want to spoil the story. This is a buyer and a keeper. The best anthology it has ever been my pleasure to read.
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