Reviews with content warning for War - Because of Miss Bridgerton

Honestly was a lot of fun and I was really invested. Loved how it started out, very much displayed their dynamic well and the growth of their relationship was very natural to me. Ilove how self aware George is of his feelings and how Billie does mature but does not loose herself in what is expected of her. Plus I loved the subtle twists in the plot.
The pall mall was my fav bit, with the mallet of death being given its name its a nice reference to TVWLM as well as how excited berbrooke was to just be involved. He was dun comedic relief. I could go on but I'm afraid I'll waffle. What a fun time, would def reccomend

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julesadventurezone's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

If you manage to read past the first third where nothing much happens except that Billie Bridgerton keeps telling the reader that she's Not Like Other Girls, then it's an okay book. It's a slowburn and I wasn't particularly wowed by the love interest but I did enjoy the gender nonconformity of Billie's and also the fact that other women's characterisation didn't suffer too much from being Other Girls.
Another reviewer said that this book has strong consent so I feel compelled to point out

that the first kiss between the main characters happens after he ignores SEVERAL soft "no"s and kisses her very forcefully. She is not upset about it after that but that's not what I would call strong consent.

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angelofthetardis's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Billed as the first Bridgerton prequel, this book tells the story of Billie Bridgerton who, if I've got my family tree right, should be Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne et. Al's paternal Aunt. Raised by liberal parents, she is commonly seen riding astride about the family estate, wearing breeches, and doing a better job of running the place than her father or his steward. Lifelong friends with the middle sons of the titled family next door, she can see herself perhaps one day accepting a proposal from one or the other. As long as she doesn't have to have much to do with the oldest brother and heir to the Rokesby fortune, George...

I bought this (and the others in the Rokesby series) on a whim, purely because they are described as prequels to Bridgerton. After reading that series, I had middling expectations; I just hoped for a gentle, happy, easy read in that familiar style. And actually, my expectations have been far surpassed; this is certainly my favourite Julia Quinn book to date. It doesn't take itself too seriously, the characters and relationships launch themselves off of the page and it's probably the most relatable. In some respects, I feel like it's the closest match in tone to the Bridgerton TV series; all of the Georgian grandeur you'd expect, brought right up to date to give a 21st Century audience the ability to understand their 18th/19th Century counterparts.

The constant back and forth between the three principal characters; Billie, George and Andrew, is an absolute joy to read. It's pitched perfectly; part banter, part good natured teasing, part flirtation, and the energy sparks from it with no effort from the reader whatsoever. And best of all it doesn't tail off - the bounce it brings to the prose is sustained and effective from beginning to end.

Similarly, the romance element is there all the way through, but it's kept quite subtle until fairly late on in the story. Now, it doesn't take a genuis to work out what happens partnership-wise, but it's quite a nice gradual realisation and development, rather than the 'thunderbolt' that quite often annoys me. As for the spice, it's fairly minimal and I'd say less detailed than a lot of the Bridgerton novels.

I loved the examination of Billie's character and the fact that she isn't a typical debutante. I'd say that Eloise in the TV series pulls quite a lot of characterisation from Billie (although not the breeches, at least not yet!) as that independent streak is definitely a shared trait. While I'm not entirely convinced that there were many aristocratic families that would have countenanced a daughter or wife acting as Billie does, I did enjoy the fact that it seems giving your children a long leash to discover themselves appears to be a Bridgerton family tradition rather than a reaction from Edmund (and Violet) to a restricted childhood of their own.

I was planning to put this in the local book swap when I finished, but have 100% changed my mind and it'll be going on my bookshelf as soon as I can make some space!

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meghanm404's review

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funny lighthearted sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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pagesfromhome's review

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Absolutely loved this! A great prequel to a great series.

I loved the characters of Billie and George (particularly Billie). As always, Quinn does an excellent job of building familial relationships that just make you envious. A perfect amount of snark and bickering, but never for a second doubting the match. All in all, no complaints!

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