A review by the_vegan_bookworm
Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

I was really disappointed by this book! Going into it, Colin and Penelope were 2 of my favourite characters in the other Bridgerton books. But after reading it, they just felt lackluster and flat in this book.

It seemed like Quinn wasn't sure how to set up the romance between Colin and Penelope, so she borrowed a lot of themes from The Viscount Who Loved Me. Unfortunately, these themes didn't translate well.
Making Colin someone with a temper was poorly executed, and it felt like Quinn spent a lot of time justifying this choice (perhaps because it felt like it came out of nowhere). Where the hot-headedness felt believable with other characters like Anthony, it felt like a strange choice with Colin and turned him into a particularly flat and rude character. As well, where discussing how unpopular Kate was felt natural in The Viscount Who Loved Me (mainly because it wasn't the book's primary focus), it was obnoxious with Penelope. It almost felt like Quinn went out of her way to emphasize how terrible Penelope was perceived to be, which wasn't necessary and came off as cruel.


The relationship as a whole felt really reluctant and lacking romance. I didn't feel any kind of genuine spark between Colin and Penelope, and I expected more genuine build-up in the friends to lovers dynamic. Instead, it felt like Colin was talking himself into getting with Penelope despite all these perceived issues he had with her. Without the build-up and chemistry between the two, the romance felt like it came out of nowhere and gave feelings of obligation instead of passion.

I think part of the reason the romance wasn't successful is that Quinn dedicated so much time to the Lady Whistledown plot. Given that there was so much going on with that subplot, Quinn couldn't dedicate enough attention to the romance between Colin and Penelope. Instead of choosing one or the other to focus on, Quinn was left with 2 boring subplots in 1 novel.


This book still gets 2.25 stars, because it's a lighthearted read and contains the usual fun of the other Bridgerton books. In my opinion, however, it's not one of the better books of the series.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings