Review: The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgertons, #2) by Julia Quinn

                                                       

Print Length: 455 pages

Publisher: Avon (April 28, 2015)

From Goodreads.com: This time the gossip columnists have it wrong. London’s most elusive bachelor 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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My Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

I am going to be honest here and say that I read this novel simply because I had watched Bridgerton season two on Netflix, and there was much about that season that bored me. So I fully expected to be bored this book as well, except I wasn't. 

Let me start by saying that I have no issues whatsoever with the casting of Kate and Edwina in the show, as not only are both of those actresses lovely, but I honestly think they made the characters more interesting. However, I also much preferred the way Anthony and Kate were forced together in the book over that weird not-quite a love triangle that the show provided (I still cringe thinking about it to be honest). 

And that is the end of where I am going to compare the two because aside from those two things I found them to be quite different (which is probably a good thing in some aspects). 

In the beginning, I loved Anthony and Kate. The way they constantly got under each other's skin and let it be known in no uncertain terms the dislike they had for one another was entertaining and made for some truly laugh out loud moments. As did Anthony's interactions with his brother Colin. And that pall mall scene with everyone? *chef's kiss* 

But as this story progressed I began to see some things that I didn't like. To begin with, not only was Anthony in possession of some absurd notion that he would die before he reached the age his father had (for no other reason than because he couldn't fathom exceeding him in anything) , but seemed to possess not only a temper, but such a ridiculous sense of entitlement that I almost wished Kate would have been ruined instead of stuck with him. Throughout their time together we see him berate her, quite literally kick her, and even lunge for her throat while declaring he was going to murder her. And that was all BEFORE they got married. Sadly, that was when he showed his truly despicable side as she asked him for a week's reprieve before they consummated their marriage and he at first became belligerent with her telling her he didn't want to wait, but then turned it around to that he "couldn't wait" and managed to talk his way into getting what he wanted anyway. 

Which brings me to Kate. And yes, I'm going to start with that scene. I get it. It was hard for her to live in her younger sister's shadow for so long, being over-looked altogether, or treated as an after-thought, but for goodness sakes the way she shut down when being called beautiful was just too over-the-top. By this point it was obvious Anthony desired her if nothing else, so the way she overreacted was annoying. In fact, it seemed like as soon as they got married the backbone went out of her entirely which was disappointing to see. Where was that strong-willed woman who stood up to him (and for herself) before the ring was put on her finger? She also had some childhood trauma that was a bit..... out there, but even that didn't explain her sudden change in behavior. 

Thankfully, they do manage to overcome their respective issues, but I just wish we had gotten more happily-ever-after in between the bouts of insecurity and neurosis.