I will have to say that I am beyond glad that I decided to read the series. I absolutely love the Bridgertons and everyone who recommends this series for a reason. The family is large and boisterous and loving. The banter between the siblings is off the wall leading me to laugh throughout. Even if I didn’t love all of the romances in this series, I fell head over heels in love with the family. So here are the reviews for all eight of the books in the Bridgertons series by Julia Quinn!
Again the Magic | Lisa Kleypas | Wallflowers #0.5Source: Library
If I'm being honest, I love a good forbidden romance. Historical romance is the perfect place for this trope because there is so many different ways in which two characters can be separated. It might be because I've read far more historical romances but I truly loved Again the Magic this time. She is the daughter of a nobleman and he is the servant at her home and if there's a forbidden romance, this would be it. I appreciated that we see the beginning of the romance between these two especially as it starts with them being so young. We have to tackle the idea that maybe this is just a childhood infatuation and nothing more. Or, as we find in this story, neither McKenna and Aline have forgotten each other many years later.
John McKenna--called McKenna--continued to be one of my favorite love interests in this series. I hadn't noticed how much he'd cared for Aline when they'd been younger until now. Not only did he never push her for anything, he even allowed her to explore their connection in a way that worked for her. When he's forced to leave the estate and Aline, something in his snaps. He becomes angry and ruthless and now has a thirst to prove himself. When he meets Aline again, however, all of his walls come crashing down. Even though he's still brooding and ruthless but deep down he's still that young man in love whose heart was broken. I just loved all of the longing looks and moments between them where the chemistry was thick enough to cut with a knife.
I also really felt for Aline this time around. I previously couldn't really understand why she wouldn't just communicate to McKenna, especially after she knew he still loved her. Now, though, I understand her better. Do I still wish that she'd communicated with McKenna? Yes, I do. Do I understand why she felt like she couldn't tell McKenna? Yes, I do. It's just complicated considering that beauty was such a big part of society so that's something to consider.
Overall, I enjoyed this story a lot more this time around than I did the last time I read it. I understood bother characters more and I was rooting for them as well. I loved the forbidden romance, I loved the banter and the gazes and I loved how much both characters were eventually willing to fight for each other.
Annabelle, like many women in the 1800s, has to find a husband before she becomes too old. But for Annabelle and her family, it's even more important that she finds a husband who has money as they don't have much to live on. She's seen her mother do a lot of things to make sure they have money to survive and she wants to free her mother of those burdens. And thus, she can't fall for Simon Hunt no matter how drawn she is to him. Simon's a butchers son whose worked himself to a position in a society that can't ignore his money. But he's incredibly kind to Annabelle and she finds herself falling in love with him. One of my favorite moments of any romance story happens in this story: after Annabelle falls sick, Simon is there to make sure she's alright. They begin a game of chess and it's the little moments between the two that allows their walls to fall between them.
I think what I really loved about this novel is something people might find weird: I liked seeing how society in the 1800s still had a focus on birthright and linage. It’s interesting to see that regardless of how much money Simon has and how well known he is in an industry that is growing everyday, the fact that he has no title does not allow him to receive the respect he wants. Annabelle, though she doesn't want to admit it, cares more about where she stands in society than Simon. While they love each other, they do have to understand how these differences in their wants and needs with affect their lives together. But in the end, I loved seeing that for Annabelle, her love for Simon was worth more than her standing in society.
Overall, I really enjoyed Secrets of a Summer Night. It was an excellent beginning to the Wallflower series (since Again the Magic is considered a prequel) and I can't wait for the rest of the series. I loved seeing Annabelle and Simon fall in love with each other. Seeing Annabelle find friends in the other three Wallflowers, however, was one of my favorite parts of this entire novel. If there's one thing I've learned about my tastes in books--especially historical romances--is the presence of great friendships
Lady Aline Marsden was brought up for one reason: to make an advantageous marriage to a member of her own class. Instead, she willingly gave her innocence to John McKenna, a servant on her father's estate. Their passionate transgression was unforgivable—John was sent away, and Aline was left to live in the countryside…an exile from London society.As someone who re-reads books--especially historical romances--regularly, I was hesitant to pick up Again the Magic. McKenna and Aline were favorites of mine the first time I read this series but during another re-read, I found myself not caring about them as much. I didn't like McKenna's attitude and Aline was incredibly frustrating because of her inability to communicate.
…and he took her love.
Now McKenna has made his fortune, and he has returned—more boldly handsome and more mesmerizing than before. His ruthless plan is to take revenge on the woman who shattered his dreams of love. But the magic between them burns as bright as ever. And now he must decide whether to let vengeance take its toll…or risk everything for his first, and only, love.
If I'm being honest, I love a good forbidden romance. Historical romance is the perfect place for this trope because there is so many different ways in which two characters can be separated. It might be because I've read far more historical romances but I truly loved Again the Magic this time. She is the daughter of a nobleman and he is the servant at her home and if there's a forbidden romance, this would be it. I appreciated that we see the beginning of the romance between these two especially as it starts with them being so young. We have to tackle the idea that maybe this is just a childhood infatuation and nothing more. Or, as we find in this story, neither McKenna and Aline have forgotten each other many years later.
John McKenna--called McKenna--continued to be one of my favorite love interests in this series. I hadn't noticed how much he'd cared for Aline when they'd been younger until now. Not only did he never push her for anything, he even allowed her to explore their connection in a way that worked for her. When he's forced to leave the estate and Aline, something in his snaps. He becomes angry and ruthless and now has a thirst to prove himself. When he meets Aline again, however, all of his walls come crashing down. Even though he's still brooding and ruthless but deep down he's still that young man in love whose heart was broken. I just loved all of the longing looks and moments between them where the chemistry was thick enough to cut with a knife.
I also really felt for Aline this time around. I previously couldn't really understand why she wouldn't just communicate to McKenna, especially after she knew he still loved her. Now, though, I understand her better. Do I still wish that she'd communicated with McKenna? Yes, I do. Do I understand why she felt like she couldn't tell McKenna? Yes, I do. It's just complicated considering that beauty was such a big part of society so that's something to consider.
Overall, I enjoyed this story a lot more this time around than I did the last time I read it. I understood bother characters more and I was rooting for them as well. I loved the forbidden romance, I loved the banter and the gazes and I loved how much both characters were eventually willing to fight for each other.
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Source: Library
Four young ladies enter London society with one common goal: they must use their feminine wit and wiles to find a husband. So a daring husband-hunting scheme is born.There is something about Secrets of a Summer Night that just leaves me feeling giddy inside. Aside from being well written and such a great introduction to this series, I really love the central romance. Annabelle is such a sweet woman but she's also incredibly fierce. Watching her not only fall in love with Simon but also with what she wants in her life was such a pleasure. More so, however, is the friendship that blossoms between our four heroines that I loved immensely. It's not my favorite by far in this series but Lisa Kleypas shines none the less.
Annabelle Peyton, determined to save her family from disaster, decides to use her beauty and wit to tempt a suitable nobleman into making an offer of marriage. But Annabelle's most intriguing -- and persistent -- admirer, wealthy, powerful Simon Hunt, has made it clear that while he will introduce her to irresistible pleasure he will not offer marriage. Annabelle is determined to resist his unthinkable proposition ... but it is impossible in the face of such skillful seduction.
Her friends, looking to help, conspire to entice a more suitable gentleman to offer for Annabelle, for only then will she be safe from Simon -- and her own longings. But on one summer night, Annabelle succumbs to Simon's passionate embrace and tempting kisses ... and she discovers that love is the most dangerous game of all.
Annabelle, like many women in the 1800s, has to find a husband before she becomes too old. But for Annabelle and her family, it's even more important that she finds a husband who has money as they don't have much to live on. She's seen her mother do a lot of things to make sure they have money to survive and she wants to free her mother of those burdens. And thus, she can't fall for Simon Hunt no matter how drawn she is to him. Simon's a butchers son whose worked himself to a position in a society that can't ignore his money. But he's incredibly kind to Annabelle and she finds herself falling in love with him. One of my favorite moments of any romance story happens in this story: after Annabelle falls sick, Simon is there to make sure she's alright. They begin a game of chess and it's the little moments between the two that allows their walls to fall between them.
I think what I really loved about this novel is something people might find weird: I liked seeing how society in the 1800s still had a focus on birthright and linage. It’s interesting to see that regardless of how much money Simon has and how well known he is in an industry that is growing everyday, the fact that he has no title does not allow him to receive the respect he wants. Annabelle, though she doesn't want to admit it, cares more about where she stands in society than Simon. While they love each other, they do have to understand how these differences in their wants and needs with affect their lives together. But in the end, I loved seeing that for Annabelle, her love for Simon was worth more than her standing in society.
Overall, I really enjoyed Secrets of a Summer Night. It was an excellent beginning to the Wallflower series (since Again the Magic is considered a prequel) and I can't wait for the rest of the series. I loved seeing Annabelle and Simon fall in love with each other. Seeing Annabelle find friends in the other three Wallflowers, however, was one of my favorite parts of this entire novel. If there's one thing I've learned about my tastes in books--especially historical romances--is the presence of great friendships
Wallflowers Series:
Prequel Book: Again the Magic
First Book: Secrets of a Summer Night
Second Book: It Happened One Autumn
Third Book: Devil in Winter
Fourth Book: Scandal in Spring
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