The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown

Rating:
Summary: stay away for georgette heyer fans
Review: Neither the vocabulary nor the writing suggests anything that is even remotely quality penmanship. Hardly any research seems to have been done on the customs of the regency before the author(s) decided to ambitiously embark on writing about it. For all the propriety of the period, Ms Enoch's hero and herione seem to have none.
Very poor writing that reminds one more of the steamy novels that are a dime a dozen. If you like that kind of work then this book is for you. For a quality read and writing that reflects the authors true interest and painstaking research on the period being written about read anything by Georgette Heyer or even Clare Darcy.

Rating:
Summary: This is so wonderful
Review: Regencies are made for such collaborative work! I've seen it done in a particular universe for science fiction and fantasy, but always thought historical authors more conservative.
I'm so pleased that Julia Quinn et al have decided to share characters and universes. I liked the way characters from each of the stories shared major events and were mentioned in other stories, all without encroaching onto the other plots - there must have been a lot of updating going on here.
The stories were great, too.
I'd buy more of the same.

Rating:
Summary: Delightful and charming; Nothing soul stirring though.
Review: So many anthologies contain abysmal stories that I began this one with great trepidation - but found myself in the middle of some enjoyable and charming romances! I loved the tie-in of each story to a skating party and a Valentine ball. I loved the "observations" of Lady Whistledown. I greatly admired her in all the Quinn Bridgerton novels. Each story was so unique and some had unique heroes and heroines. I will not recite what each story was about - other reviewers have done that quite adequately.

My favorite and the one I felt was different from the usual genre was Mia Ryan's "A Dozen Kisses." What a sweet, touching romance between a wounded (in the head - not physically showing) Lord and a rather sad, wounded (by circumstances) young woman. Linney and Terrance were enchanting to get to know in this rather short entry! I truly wished it was longer, just because I wanted more!

All the other stories stood out in various ways. I forgot that I was not reading a Regency anthology as each heroine found themselves in ummm ... various compromising positions with their loves ... so keep in mind this is not a "G" rated anthology. None of the stories stirred my soul, but it is hard to do that in the limited pages given each storyline. Highly recommend this, especially for those who just can't get enough of Lady Whistledown.

Rating:
Summary: Winning character ensemble provides hours of pure enjoyment
Review: The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown is the most delightful romance anthology I've ever read. Full of passion, humor and expert storytelling, these four interconnected Regency stories should not be missed.

The reader is treated to the incomparable, irrepressible Lady Whistledown-the wry, wise and compassionate gossip columnist created by Julia Quinn for her magnificent Bridgerton family series. Lady Whistledown shares her wonderfully entertaining observations at the beginning of every chapter of each novella. She is also mentioned in each narrative, her personality because one unifying force in the book, along with theme, place and time.

All four stories take place during the last three weeks leading up to Valentine's Day 1814 in London-so dreadfully cold that the Thames freezes over and aristocratic families flee to town for winter festivities, some right on the Thames! The stories feature the same cast of characters and 3 common events that all characters attend: a night at the theatre, an ice skating party on the Thames and a Valentine's Day ball. Each story is told from the point of view of a different couple who experiences these events and in the meantime falls in love.

In Suzanne Enoch's One True Love, the very independent and intelligent Lady Anne Bishop is enjoying a smashing social life when Maximillian, Marquis of Halfurst, suddenly appears all the way from his estate in Yorkshire to claim her. Having been betrothed to Max since she was an infant yet never before met him, the last thing Anne wants to do is marry him and move so far away from her beloved London.

Max is anxious to return to his beloved Yorkshire but not without Anne, the woman who captures his attention and his passion in a way none other ever has. In the battle of wills that ensues, the reader and Anne come to love the sexy and strong-charactered Marquis, who is a breath of fresh air compared with the other man of Anne's close acquaintance who hopes to capture the beautiful and strong-willed Anne for himself. This is a lovely romance with a satisfying resolution to the couple's seemingly insurmountable dilemma.

In Karen Hawkins' Two Hearts, the supremely confident and flamboyant Liza Pritchard decides it's time to marry so chooses a safe, reliable and boring man while her lifelong best friend, the quintessential rake Sir Royce Pemberley, is determined to stop her from making such a fatal mistake. The lively banter between the two is a joy to watch as each slowly realizes that there can be only one really passionate and happy match for them: what they could have with each other. The friendship between them is just as fun as the passion in this highly enjoyable, quick-witted romance.

In Mia Ryan's A Dozen Kisses, Lady Caroline Starling accidentally meets and falls for Lord Darington, the apparently heartless aristocrat who ejected Caroline and her mother from their lifelong country home after Caroline's father died and he inherited the title. But Dare is actually very different from what his stern and laconic demeanor would indicate and harbors a secret that explains all. This is a warm and passionate romance.

While all the foregoing are very enjoyable, my favorite of the lot is Julia Quinn's contribution, Thirty-Six Valentines. Somehow Julia, with her highly intelligent, discerning and deft touch is able to go just that little bit deeper into character and emotion that makes her work so vibrant, moving and astonishingly real.

Susannah Ballister, having been abruptly jilted last summer by the handsome and charismatic Clive Mann-Formsby-who informed her of his treachery by publicly announcing his engagement to someone else-bravely holds her head high while privately nursing her wounded pride. The last person she wants to have anything to do with besides the now very married Clive is his older brother David, the Earl of Renminster, who admittedly opposed the match.

But David, who at first befriends Susannah just to make amends for his totally self-centered brother, is captivated by the strong and frankly outspoken beauty. She touches him in ways no one else ever has and brings out a lighter side of his personality that longs for release.

For her part, as Susannah comes to know the reserved yet deep, complex and even humorous person that David can be, she realizes that her heart is in more danger than ever. She had superficial fun with Clive, but it is David whom she really loves-and he is even more out of her reach than Clive was.
On the other side, it is equally fascinating to see into David's heart, how he flowers as a person with Susannah and comes to love her with a fervent passion he never thought possible. And the way he tries to court her wins the reader's heart all over again.

In sum, The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown assembles four very strong and highly enjoyable stories in an appealing setting and winning character ensemble that provides hours of pure enjoyment to the reader. No lover of historical romance-or of any fast-paced, colorful and very sexy read-should miss this delightful anthology.

Rating:
Summary: Lady Whistledown triumphs - again!
Review: This Regency romance gem of an anthology orchestrated by New York Times bestseller Julia Quinn comes timely in the schmaltzy Valentine season. These four interconnected romance tied by a skating event and Lady Shelbourne's grand Valentine ball are consistently engaging through the observations of Quinn's popular gossip columnist Lady Whistledown that opens every chapter of each story. These four leading ladies gamely joins in the season of scandals and romance starting with the meltingly romantic One True Love by Suzanne Enoch where Lady Anne Bishop is surprised by a sudden visit from her nonchalant childhood betrothed - the Marquis of Halfurst who is determined to pursue her and claim her surrendering heart from his rival Lord Howard. Karen Hawkins fashions her story with timeless chemistry in a conventional tale of how the gauche Liz Pritchard finally gets her friend Royce Pemberley to confront his feelings towards her when she intends to marry the bland rancher Lord Durham in Two Hearts. Ingenue Mia Ryans throws in a delightful fluff A Dozen Kisses where the simpering Caroline Starling attracts the dashing Lord Darington - the man who evicted her mother and her from the house.

Just when you thought the enjoyment was too good to be true, the always- reliable Julia Quinn waltzes in with the most refreshing tale out of the quartet - Thirty-six Valentines with her splendid acumen of wits, humour and passion. Susannah Ballister, after suffering a humiliating thwarted proposal from Clive Mann-Formsby finds a second chance in his reclusive brother Earl of Reminister, David. Ms. Quinn weaves her saccharine romance through a memorable skating affair, a seductive theatrical evening at Theatre Royal and the denouement of feelings between the brothers. The consistency of the four simultaneous romance is a rarity and the pleasure derived from the read is positively infectious from the chutzpah and energy of the four writers. Who ever said Regency Romance was a bore?

Rating:
Summary: not georgette heyer? honestly, were you EXPECTING it to be?
Review: Though this was touted as a Regency romance, the authors in question did not stray from their usual style, and so I don't see why the Heyer fans are so upset. If they want Heyer, they should go read HEYER.

I enjoyed all of the stories, though I confess that Suzanne Enoch's was lacking. Mia Ryan's was my favourite, but Karen Hawkins and Julia Quinn were as delightfully witty and lovely as always.