I’ve now grown accustomed to listening to audiobooks. I can even listen to new-to-me books on audio and keep up with what’s going on. But the tricky part comes when I procrastinate on writing up a review of what I listened to. With physical and e-books, I can just flip through the book and find things I highlighted to help refresh my memory of what I read and what I thought, but I don’t bookmark or take notes when listening to audiobooks, so discussing the book this long after listening to it will be a challenge.
Genre
Romance; Historical Fiction
Series
Bridgertons, book 2
Pubbed
2000
Quick summary
The second novel in the Bridgertons series focuses on Anthony, the eldest of the Bridgerton siblings. Anthony, a known rake around the ton, has decided to get married, but he doesn’t want to marry for love. You see, Anthony’s father died young and, since he’s nearing the age at which his father died, Anthony is convinced that he will die at the same age as well. As such, he does not what a wife who will endure the same heartache his mom did when her beloved, Anthony’s father, died. That’s why Anthony has his sight set on the beautiful Edwina, but first, he’ll have to convince Edwina’s older sister, Kate, that he’s a worthy suitor.
Due to the state of their finances, Kate and Edwina are introduced to society at the same time. However, because of Edwina’s beauty, all suitors flock to her. Protective of her sister, Kate intends to dissuade any suitor who doesn’t have her sister’s best intentions in mind, and that includes the supposed reformed rake, Anthony Bridgerton. The two often butt heads at first, but the more they get to know each other, the closer they get and find it hard to avoid constantly thinking of each other. But Kate is certain Anthony wouldn’t want to marry her and Anthony is sure he shouldn’t marry for love. (Goodreads)
My thoughts
Like many others, I started reading the Bridgerton books after seeing the TV show on Netflix. The cast, the clothes, the acting, the setting all hooked me to the TV series, so when I completed the first season, I looked to the books for more of the story.
The first book, The Duke & I, mirrors the TV series fairly closely, and I had a fun time listening to it on audio. I guess the show’s second season will mirror The Viscount Who Loved Me and will focus on Anthony instead. I wonder how they will pull it off because I’m rooting for Anthony to be with the lady he’s involved with now in the show, and I can’t remember if we’ve met Kate Sheffield yet in it.
But back to the book, since it’s the whole point of this review. The Viscount Who Loved Me was a delightful read, of course. I get the impression that these historical romances will always be lighthearted, comedic reads, and will most likely become books I turn to when I want something quick and easy.
As always, I loved Lady Whistledown’s voice and am dearly looking forward to when her identity is uncovered to the members of the ton. I wonder how they’ll take it. My favorite character (which goes for the first book as well) is Collin, and I can’t wait to get to the book that’s about him. He’s the trickster in the Bridgerton family, and I like how he pokes at his elder brother. As for the main characters, Anthony and Kate, I immediately took a liking to Kate, who’s smart and practical. However, I didn’t like Anthony much. He’s just a little too forceful too often.
For the most part, I enjoyed the time spent listening to this story. My favorite part was when Kate, Edwina, and the Bridgertons played their croquet game by the lake. (It’s called something else in the story, but I listened to the audiobook and now I can’t remember the name of it, so I call it croquet.) It was pretty funny. As for the part I liked the least, it was when Kate got stung by the bee and how events unfolded after that. I think Anthony frustrated me the most there. However, I appreciate the author’s note (I think of it as an author’s note but I can’t remember if it was called that in the audiobook. Ugh! So frustrating to think back on audiobooks sometimes) in which Quinn explains Anthony’s reactions there and why he would become convinced that he will die at the same age as his father.
As for the narrator, she did a great job, of course. It’s the same person who narrated the first book. I get the impression that she probably did all the Bridgerton books.
Overall: ★★★☆☆
It was fun and entertaining, and I look forward to seeing how this story will be portrayed in the TV show.
Buy | Borrow | Bypass
I mean, I don’t have a copy, but the series is fun so if it sounds like your sort of thing, then I recommend getting a copy.
Zezee with Books 
The croquet game may have been “pall mall” (paille maille)
Maybe “trucks” (trucco)
Or
jeu de mail.
Have you ever played?
I’ve played just once at a party, some moons ago.
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Yes!! Pall Mall!! Thank you! That’s what they said in the book. Pall Mall. I could not remember that at all.
I played it once a long time ago.
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I know what you mean about audiobooks. I’ve really embraced them over the last year or two. At first all I could read were non-fiction because I hated the acting and drama many fiction narrators put into their performance, but now I actually enjoy that element of most fiction audiobooks. But there are drawbacks and you’ve brougth up a big one. So hard to go back to something or quickly re-skim a section. Playing at 10x isn’t quite the same as flipping through those pages. 🙂
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I’m still getting used to the performance bit, lol. Often, I don’t like it, but some narrators do it well.
I’m impressed that you’ve managed to listen to audiobooks of nonfiction reads. I think I tend to highlight too much as I read, so that don’t work too well for me. Probably the only nonfic book I listened to was Dopesick by Beth Macy, which is about the opioid crisis. It’s REALLY good. That was one of few times I used the bookmark feature.
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I, like you got wind of the Bridgerton books after watching the Netflix series. I read the first one and plan on reading the second one too. I was rooting for him to be with the girl from the show too but I guess not. Thanks for the great review 🙂
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I’m now hoping they will deviating from the book on that bit.
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I get to read this sometime this summer! Currently not in my immediate stack of books but it’s such a good series to escape to hahaha. I agree with the Anthony character though, I didn’t love him in the first book either. I really want to get to Colin’s story though he’s great!
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These books are quick, fun reads. Perfect for summer I think.
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