Jennie's B(ook)log

Title: On the Way to the Wedding
Author: Julia Quinn
Published: 2006, Avon
Category: Historical Romance
Rating: 5/10

This is the last book in Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series. Eight books about eight alphabetically named siblings--Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth. I think I've read them all, but then they all kind of run together in my head. I might have missed Daphne, as I can't remember anything at all about that one.

I've read some reviews around blogland, and most people are not happy. I think it must be horribly stressful for writers of much-beloved series like this. A lot of people are invested in it to a scary degree. I didn't hate it like some people did, but it wasn't great either. Good thing I'm not a RFG.

All of Quinn's books are very light and fluffy. At the best, they have a sparkling kind of wit that is delightful and rarely found elsewhere. But for me, they can easily cross over into the silly. I can't read her very often, but she seemed appropriate for a holiday weekend. :)

This one is Gregory's story. He falls in love at first sight with a beauty, Hermione. But, though he can hardly believe it, it turns out that she doesn't feel the same way. Hermione's friend Lucy decides to help him court Hermione. Then Lucy falls in love with Gregory and Gregory falls in love with Lucy, but she is already engaged and has to marry someone else to save the family. High jinks ensue.

Good points:

• I liked that the love-at-first-sight turned out to be false. I actually do not believe in love at first sight. (Don't hate me!!) I think it's a total crock. You may be very attracted to someone the instant you see them, and I'm sure that that can often turn into love. But making it into something that can be instanteous, I think belittles the idea of love.
• The prologue rocked. Great way to set up the book.

Bad points:

• Why does Lucy turn into such a loser at the end??? SPOILER ALERT. Why does she marry Haselby? If she had any backbone at all, she would have found a way to get out of it. Instead she just goes ahead like a moron, thinking she can't do anything about it.
• Why does Gregory just keep saying "I love you" like it's the cure-all for everything? He must tell Lucy that a hundred times in the book. Yes, we all like to hear it, but it loses its impact if you never say why you love them. He just sounded like an idiot, like those were the only three words in his vocabulary.
• What was with the epilogue? Anyone else think that was weird? Poor Lucy! Jesus, Gregory, give the girl a break.

My favorite Bridgerton book is actually Eloise's story, To Sir Philip, With Love, though I seem to be the only one.