Thanks to Michelle for the heads up – there are two Julia Quinn historicals among the Kindle Daily Deals today at $1.99. Nice!
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The Duke and I
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn is $1.99 at Amazon today only (KDDs are so tempting, so evil). This is book 1 of the Bridgerton series, and is a fan favorite among historical readers. Simon, the hero, is similar to Dain from Lord of Scoundrels in that he has a miserable upbringing, and because the reader spends a lot of time in his head, he’s one of the more popular heroes as well.
Can there be any greater challenge to London’s Ambitious Mamas than an unmarried duke?—Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers, April 1813
By all accounts, Simon Basset is on the verge of proposing to his best friend’s sister—the lovely and almost-on-the-shelf—Daphne Bridgerton. But the two of them know the truth—it’s all an elaborate ruse to keep Simon free from marriage-minded society mothers. And as for Daphne, surely she will attract some worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable.
But as Daphne waltzes across ballroom after ballroom with Simon, it’s hard to remember that their courtship is a sham. Maybe it’s his devilish smile, certainly it’s the way his eyes seem to burn every time he looks at her . . . but somehow Daphne is falling for the dashing duke . . . for real! And now she must do the impossible and convince the handsome rogue that their clever little scheme deserves a slight alteration, and that nothing makes quite as much sense as falling in love.
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The Viscount Who Loved Me
The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn is $1.99 today only (11/1/15). This is book 2 of the Bridgerton series, and is the story of Anthony, the viscount mentioned in the title. (If you’re a Bridgerton fan, you can probably name all the children in order, too – which is the silly, fun type of knowledge that takes up residence in my brain.) Anthony decides to marry a woman he deems suitable, and then finds himself terribly attracted to her sister, Kate.
1814 promises to be another eventful season, but not, This Author believes, for Anthony Bridgerton, London’s most elusive bachelor, who has shown no indication that he plans to marry. And in all truth, why should he? When it comes to playing the consummate rake, nobody does it better…
–Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers, April 1814
But this time the gossip columnists have it wrong. 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’s 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’s 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…
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These deals are for the second epilogues, not the full length books:(
I just bought ‘The Duke and I’ and got the whole book, actually. I think this is my fave Bridgerton book so I’m happy happy happy!
@Jonetta (Ejaygirl)
The Duke and I WITH the 2nd epilogue is the whole book plus the epilogue originally published separately a few years later. The second is also the whole book with the additional epilogue. The Audible purchase is for the epilogue only.
Well, I almost bought this for the THIRD time. I bought it once but trusted Amazon’s little popup message to tell me if I already owned. I did BUT because the title was different (“with bonus material”) I wound up with two copies. Now a “with 2nd epilogue”! No thanks, I don’t think a extra few pages is worth it. Watch out for this.
@nightsmusic. Thanks!
I liked ‘The Duke and I’, but did find the heroine’s actions extremely problematic at one point. Like – hum, if the hero forced this on the heroine, I’d be chucking the book across the room with a huge NOPENOPENOPE.
@Tam – I agree, it’s not exactly non-con, but it’s really not good. I had a big problem with it too.
I liked The Duke and I until the heroine raped the hero. That totally ruined the book for, particularly because she was completely unapologetic. That book turned me off of Julia Quinn. I’ve liked several of her books but rape is a no go for me.
I agree with Lizzy. The rape in this book turned me off of Julia Quinn for life. Because it is rape. Continuing to have sex with somebody who has withdrawn consent is rape. Not only that, but she planned it, as shown in this excerpt:
“Daphne felt the strangest, most intoxicating surge of power. He was in her control, she realized. He was asleep, and probably still more than a little bit drunk, and she could do whatever she wanted with him.
She could have whatever she wanted.”
Would we consider a man who had sex with a woman who was intoxicated to the point of unconsciousness heroic? It’s not okay just because the victim is a man and the rapist is a woman. And don’t get me fucking started on the victim-blaming. Daphne is a goddamn psychopath, and it’s stressing me out just thinking about it.
@Cleo & Tam:
It’s funny – when I first read that book, I loved every single letter and piece of punctuation. Now that I’ve read it a few more times, and I’m 10+ years older, I struggle with that scene, too. I can see why my prior self thought it was all good, and I can see why my present self cringes a lot. I’m fluent in my own present discomfort and past acceptance, which is weird.
I also debated about adding a trigger warning to the description, and am still questioning my judgment. What do you think?
So glad to read that others had the same reaction I did to Duke and I, my first and last Julia Quinn. I felt really betrayed by that book in general–the first half was light and fun, and then it came HARD with the angst. But that scene felt like a real violation of author trust. Ugh.
It was the way the resolution was handled, too. I mean, it’s the eighteenth century, conceptions of consent are radically different – but the general gist seemed to be well, it’s okay to force somebody into conceiving a child they don’t want, they’ll eventually come around and it’ll be fine. Who doesn’t love babies, amiright?
I’m thinking about it now, and one of my favourite romances is the ‘Devil in Winter’, which also does the seduction-while-asleep thing. But somehow, that scene didn’t bother me nearly as much.
@SB Sarah – I know you’ve mentioned your feelings about this book before.
For me, I read the SEP where the heroine has sex with the hero while he’s asleep first and I just glossed over it, but then I read The Duke and I and it bothered me right away and then the SEP one bothered me too.
I do think it requires a trigger for non-con / dub-con.
@cleo:
Oh, I’d forgotten that SEP novel. And yes, I think you are right. Thank you for your input!