Customer Rating: 
Summary: Incredibly entertaining!
Comment: Now in London for the season, Kate is more determined to help her sister find a husband than to find one for herself. She doesn't believe than any man would find her attractive and demure enough to ever want her. But when she learns that Anthony Bridgerton has in mind to ask for her sister's hand, she's dead set against it. She believe Anthony is the worst sort of rake, and while love doesn't have to be present right off the bat, she doesn't want her sister in a loveless marriage where her heart would be broken by a faithless husband.
After her sister, Edwina, announces casually that she won't marry unless she has her sister's approval, things turn difficult. And Anthony will do what is necessary.
They find each other completely impossible to deal with, not wanting to like each other at all. Anthony believes that Edwina would be the perfect bride. Kate believes that Anthony is all wrong for her sister - and is determined to keep them separated at all costs.
What she didn't count on was her attraction to him, nor was she counting on falling in love with him. And that, to her, only makes matters worse, for Anthony refuses to fall in love, believing that he will die young and doesn't want to leave behind a family who loved him to no end, like his father before him. While Anthony was just eighteen when his father died at the age of thirty-four from an apparent bee sting, Anthony is terrified of the same thing - and of falling in love.
An incredibly beautiful story. I loved watching Kate and Anthony `duel' each other, words and actions. The way the author writes them with such conviction makes them very real with definite personalities that, while they don't like each other, they are similar in ways that warms a reader's heart. From one disaster to another, the attraction between the two grows and while neither wants to admit it, this reader was cheering happily with a `ha-ha, just you wait and see' laugh. I'd have to say my favourite scene is the Pall Mall game, in which Anthony gets a taste of his own medicine.
Ms. Quinn writes superbly, sucking you right into the story of lives all around, while the main characters are still the focus. Descriptions are beautifully done - you can see everything lively in your mind, to what the characters are wearing, their demeanors and their surroundings.
I can't wait to get my hands on the third installment of the series!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Amazing-This One's a Keeper
Comment: Julia Quinn continually brings the reader one delightful tale after another. In The Viscount who Loved Me, Kate's character is a very realistic character, flawed in a way we can all relate to. Kate is the witty older sister with a beautiful, younger half sister she loves dearly (who, while at times a bit of a romantic ninny is really a very intelligent and kind girl). Kate isn't exactly adored by the ton, which is a fact I loved about her. Its the socially unappreciated we all really root for. Anthony is the handsome young viscount. Adored by the ton, he is rich, titled, handsome, and completely flawed. When Anthony decides to marry Edwina, as she would be the perfect wife: a beautiful one in which he didn't love Kate has a thing or to to say about her beloved younger sister being around the scoundrel. Anthony did not want to fall in love, but that was before Kate stumbled into his life...and got herself stung by a bee(this explained in the book!). Marriage to the Viscount? Oh, all the fun she has. If you like these types of romance novels-characters who are wonderfully developed, terribly human, and completely in love in a odd-girl-out-gets-the-guy tale-BUY THIS BOOK! Better yet, any fan of romance should buy this book. Enjoy!
Customer Rating:
Summary: My All Time Favorite
Comment: This is my all time favorite romance novel to date. I fell in love with both of the characters and laughed throughout the entire book. The characters are well developed and Quinn also develops their relationship extremely well. As their relationship grew, they both grew as individuals as well. I have read this book multiple times and I devour it each time.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Fun and enjoyable, even though I didn't like a few parts of the story.
Comment: It was fun seeing a relationship develop between Kate and Anthony. Kate disliked him from the start because he was a notorious rake. I enjoyed the clever bantering going on between the two of them. Eventually she learned Anthony's true nature and admirable qualities.
Because Anthony's father died early at age 38, Anthony feared that he too would die by age 38. In the Author's Note at the end of the book, the author explained that this fear is more common among men than it is among women. Therefore, readers might not be able to relate to it because it is more of a "guy thing." I can accept that, but I did not like Anthony's further interpretation that he must never fall in love because loving someone would "make him fear his own mortality" (page 323). Since he already feared he would die young, this reason for not loving was not logical. His decision to not fall in love was the basis for his actions, which did not work for me. See spoilers below.
Story brief: Anthony is 29 and thinks he has at most 9 years to live. He wants to marry someone to provide an heir, but he does not want to fall in love with her. He asks his brothers about available women who are pretty and intelligent. Even though he has never met her, he decides that he will marry Edwina who fits his requirements. Edwina trusts her older sister Kate and will only marry someone Kate approves of. Kate dislikes Anthony because of his reputation.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
Anthony's fear of loving was solved toward the end of the story, when Anthony had a rational realization, page 326. "He was going to be haunted by the premonition of his own death whether or not Kate knew of his love for her. Wouldn't he be happier during these last few years if he spent them loving her openly and honestly? He was going to die. Everyone died, he reminded himself. He was just going to have to do it sooner rather than later. But by God, he was going to enjoy his last years with every breath of his being." This realization was too convenient as a way to end his conflict. He could have and should have had this realization much earlier.
I also did not like the event that caused a separation after Kate and Anthony fell in love. Page 314, when in bed, Kate said "I hope we'll be like this always. Always and forever." "Anthony froze. Forever was a word that had no meaning. He had to get out of there." He left her.
I also agree with Avid Reader's review about Kate overhearing Anthony telling his former mistress that he intends to keep having mistresses after he is married. Anthony also kisses Kate. Kate never tells Edwina about either of these events, but she should have. Edwina was considering marriage to Anthony and needed to know. Edwina trusted Kate.
Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: three. Setting: 1814 London. Copyright: 2000. Genre: regency romance.
For a listing of my reviews of other Julia Quinn books, see my 3 star review of "The Duke and I" posted on 6/28/08.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Best of Julia Quinn
Comment: Of all the Bridgerton books, I feel this is her best story. Kate is not only smart but funny, sensitive and somehow more relatable with her fear of storms (I also have a fear of storms).
I so enjoyed that Anthony didn't just "get over" his fear of bees, or his belief that he would die early (as did his father, uncle, etc.), just because the story was coming to an end.
The story moved along at a good pace and the character development wasn't so over the top that it wasn't believable.
A truly enjoyable story!
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