To Sir Phillip, With Love

By Julia Quinn

Published by Piatkus

What it’s about?

From Goodreads:

Sir Phillip knew from his correspondence with his dead wife’s distant cousin that Eloise Bridgerton was a spinster, and so he’d proposed, figuring that she’d be homely and unassuming, and more than a little desperate for an offer of marriage. Except . . . she wasn’t. The beautiful woman on his doorstep was anything but quiet, and when she stopped talking long enough to close her mouth, all he wanted to do was kiss her…

Eloise Bridgerton couldn’t marry a man she had never met! But then she started thinking… and wondering… and before she knew it, she was in a hired carriage in the middle of the night, on her way to meet the man she hoped might be her perfect match. Except… he wasn’t. Her perfect husband wouldn’t be so moody and ill-mannered. And he certainly should have mentioned that he had two young – and decidedly unruly – children, as much in need of a mother as Phillip is in need of a wife.

What I think:

I love Eloise.

Her friendship with Penelope Feathington is one of the best tings about the Bridgerton series. While the rest of the Ton are getting married and having babies, Penelope and Eloise watch from the side lines. Intelligent and witty, Eloise is privileged enough to not need to marry for money and the protection of the Bridgerton name means she does not need to fear becoming a spinster.

And then Penelope gets married to Colin.

And while she is, of course, happy for her friend, their relationship changes and Eloise finds herself feeling lonely. She no longer finds comfort in her single status and the role of spinster aunt to the ever-increasing tribe of Bridgertons is less appealing.

I loved that Eloise takes her fate into her own hands, heading to the countryside to meet Sir Phillip Crane, the widow of a distant cousin that she has started up a pen pal friendship with. despite the fact that she has never met him, his offer of marriage is certainly tempting and makes the very sensible decision to spend some time with him and get to know each other.

When she gets there, he is not at all what she expect. And she is not at all what he expected either. Sparks fly and there are misunderstandings galore as Eloise works out what it is she does want for her further.

I love the antics of Phillip’s twins Oliver and Amanda who are cheeky and naughty but no match for a Bridgerton. Eloise’s kind and caring nature make her the perfect step-mother for the twins and her developing relationship with them is really heart-warming.

This is another fun, Bridgerton romance. And while I understand that some readers may be disappointed that Eloise succumbs to romance and marriage, I for one and pleased that she gets her own happily ever after and that it one that she finds for herself.