Reviews with content warning for Sexism - The Viscount Who Loved Me

Title: The Viscount Who Loved Me
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: Bridgertons #2
Genre: Historical Romance
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: December 5, 2000

T H R E E • W O R D S

Readable • Entertaining • Chauvinistic

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Anthony Bridgerton hasn't just decided to marry—he's even chosen a wife! The only obstacle is his intended's older sister, Kate Sheffield—the most meddlesome woman ever to grace a London ballroom. The spirited schemer is driving Anthony mad with her determination to stop the betrothal, but when he closes his eyes at night, Kate is the woman haunting his increasingly erotic dreams...

Contrary to popular belief, Kate is quite sure that reformed rakes do not make the best husbands—and Anthony Bridgerton is the most wicked rogue of them all. Kate is determined to protect her sister—but she fears her own heart is vulnerable. And when Anthony's lips touch hers, she's suddenly afraid she might not be able to resist the reprehensible rake herself...

💭 T H O U G H T S

Regency era romance isn't a genre I'd typically have an interest in, however, after starting Julia Quinn's hit series, The Bridgertons, in 2022 I was pleasantly surprised and decided to continue with book two.

It's a tad difficult to take these books too seriously. At times they are downright ridiculous, and of course, require the suspension of reality, yet they are highly entertaining. I cannot say I was drawn into Anthony and Kate's story, although I did appreciate Anthony's hesitancy to marriage. There is so much vanity within these pages that eventually it gets redundant. Kate seemed like a likeable enough lady, and I was satisfied with her HEA.

For me, these books are nothing amazing, yet they are highly readable and always provided an entertaining experience. I can definitely understand why the Netflix adaption is so widely loved (even though I've been told it's very different). When I am in need of a quick, lighthearted read I'll likely continue with book three.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of the series
• Regency era enthusiasts

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"You have to live each hour as if it's your last and each day as if you were immortal."

"You can't shun new challenge or hide yourself from love just because you think you might not be here to carry your dreams to completion. In the end, you'll have just as many regrets as did my father."

"It means that love isn't about being afraid that it will all be snatched away. Love's about finding the one person who makes your heart complete, who makes you a better person than you ever dreamed you could be. It's about looking in the eyes of your wife and knowing, all the way to your bones, that she's simply the best person you've ever known."

Content Warnings

annahamburger's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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phillyhufflepunk's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.25

I liked this one better than the Duke and I, however I didn't love

the mentions of desired violence after they first met. Anthony thinks to him how much he wants to hurt her in spite of her being a lady, and Kate thinks about how she's afraid of him, simply for being found in his office.

Still less repetitive than the first book and the further I read, the better I liked it.

Notes: There were a few weird spelling/grammar mishaps. This edition also had the 2nd epilogue in the back.

Content Warnings

lct's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.5

Content Warnings

isthenamebookwormtoobasic's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

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

2.0

season 2 of the show has my whole heart, they are my comfort watch and i've been in love with the couple ever since that first look netflix shared, so i can't really hate the book and i do genuinely believe the author has some potential... but this book has the same problems the rest of the series has - pages and more pages of loud and proud misogyny without holding itself or the characters accountable for it (which is one of the main points in s2), an uncomfortable understanding of consent and absolutely no diversity or originality whatsoever. it's basically a copy & paste of the duke and i, pacing, plot, sex etc., just slightly more intriguing and slightly less offensive. it disgusted me how

anthony takes kate's choice not to sleep with him away from her, even just verbally, but since she ends up agreeing to it bc she WANTS to - EVENTHOUGH THAT DOESN'T MAKE HIS WORDS OR VIEWS IN ANY WAY ACCEPTABLE AND ANY LESS MANIPULATIVE!!! -, what passed between them can't be considered rape, unlike in the duke and i... i still hated every bit of that conversation tho, especially bc kate, who is sold to us as a strong-willed and emancipated woman, ends up feeling bad FOR HIM and there is no indication that we as readers aren't supposed to as well. it makes all their intimacy a moment later seem invasive and like he forced it upon her, even when that clearly wasn't the author's intention. i actually think that fact makes it all the creepier.

aside from those big issues, i often had a hard time taking the book seriously. where they were pining and struggling in the show, they were just kind of... unhinged in the book? the banter was fun at times, but always either too much or too little. most of what made the show so good was missing, including that slowburn chemistry. but to finally give credit where it is due, their characters and their trauma were just as perfectly written for each other and that does pay off in some chapters, especially towards the end. and they're not just well-suited, they're individually well-thought-out as well. i think julia quinn could make better use of what is clearly some sort of strong suit here for more characters... and focus on her descriptions and declarations of love instead of toxic masculinity bc those hold quite some power, which is why they are the only parts of the book's plot that work so well on-screen. i would be lying if i said i didn't enjoy the book at all, but as would i if i didn't acknowledge its many faults. it could be so, so much better and the show proves it - so i'd rather recommend that.

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