When He Was Wicked

Bridgertons #6

by Julia Quinn

In every life there is a turning point.

A moment so tremendous, so sharp and breathtaking, that one knows one's life will never be the same. For Michael Stirling, London's most infamous rake, that moment came the first time he laid eyes on Francesca Bridgerton.

After a lifetime of chasing women, of smiling slyly as they chased him, of allowing himself to be caught but never permitting his heart to become engaged, he took one look at Francesca Bridgerton and fell so fast and hard into love it was a wonder he managed to remain standing. Unfortunately for Michael, however, Francesca's surname was to remain Bridgerton for only a mere thirty-six hours longer -- the occasion of their meeting was, lamentably, a supper celebrating her imminent wedding to his cousin.

But that was then . . . Now Michael is the earl and Francesca is free, but still she thinks of him as nothing other than her dear friend and confidant. Michael dares not speak to her of his love . . . until one dangerous night, when she steps innocently into his arms, and passion proves stronger than even the most wicked of secrets . . .

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Regency

11 pages, Audible Audio

First published June 29, 2004

About the author

#1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn loves to dispel the myth that smart women don't read (or write) romance, and and if you watch reruns of the game show The Weakest Link you might just catch her winning the $79,000 jackpot. She displayed a decided lack of knowledge about baseball, country music, and plush toys, but she is proud to say that she aced all things British and literary, answered all of her history and geography questions correctly, and knew that there was a Da Vinci long before there was a code.

A graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges, Ms. Quinn is one of only sixteen members of Romance Writers of America’s Hall of Fame. Her books have been translated into 32 languages, and she lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest.

The Bridgertons, her popular series of historical romance, is currently in production by Shondaland as a Netflix original series starring Julie Andrews, Phoebe Dynevor, and Rége-Jean Page.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

2021
2.5 stars

Ok, so the first time I read this book (11 years ago) I didn't like it.
But I'm trying to read as many of Quinn's Bridgerton books as I can get my hands on, and quite honestly, have enjoyed all of the other stories so far.
I thought maybe I just read it wrong back in the day.
No.
I still didn't care for this one. I'm bumping it up to 2.5 stars because I thoroughly enjoyed Rosalyn Landor's narration of the audiobook and it is well-written, but I disliked everything about the plot.



First, I thought it was weird that Michael fell instantly in love the moment he laid eyes on Francesca, which was made doubly weird when she didn't notice him at all. Yes, she was marrying his cousin and I liked that she was faithfully in love with her husband. But. The fact that she felt nothing but friendship for Michael and it was all just a one-sided crush on his part for years? I can't decide whether it was creepy or sad.
But either way...no.



Also, Michael is supposedly this notorious rake. Except you never actually see him do anything even remotely rake-y. He just pines away for Francesca while his cousin is alive, and then pines away more when his cousin dies.
And all you hear is that "women are still talking" about what a rake Michael was back in the day.



Francesca's husband, whom she loves very much, dies suddenly very early on in the story. And the rest of the book is just these two feeling guilty, pushing each other away, grieving, and then feeling a bit more guilty. It's depressing.
Michael finally decides to pursue Francesca after she decides that she wants to remarry so she can have children. It takes FOREVER for Michael to get to the wooing.
And then once he does, Francesca won't agree to marry him! WTF? Like, you want to remarry, and you keep saying Michael is your best friend, and he's ASKING you to marry him, so what the hell makes more sense than to just do that?
The ending of this is so long and drawn out for no other reason than to just be looooooong and drawn out. I couldn't stand Francesca by the end of the book.



The 2nd epilogue is included in this book, but her infertility problems didn't make me like it any better. She magically ends up getting pregnant once she learns to be happy and stop stressing over not getting pregnant. Ta-da!
I would have appreciated the epilogue more if she had decided that life was fine without children and the story had ended, or if she had adopted a child.
And can I just say that it's FUCKING WEIRD that she kept her pregnancy a complete secret from her family until a YEAR later? Is there something I don't know? Did they actually adopt this kid and you don't find that out until another book?
Ugh. This story is just...
It's my least favorite Bridgerton book so far.

2010
2 stars
I didn't enjoy this one. Yeah, there was the 'Happily Ever After' at the end, but it just didn't do work for me. The story was a mess of guilt, with a side helping of more guilt. Not my cuppa.

[Layla · Rating 3 out of 5]

If the show gets canceled without a Francesca season I'm deleting my Netflix subscription

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars – Historical/Regency Romance

I’ll be honest, this is the book that attracted me to Julia Quinn’s Bridgertons to begin with and the story that I was most looking forward to reading in the series. I mean, with a title like “When He Was Wicked”? Well, I knew I simply couldn’t pass it up. Although I really liked this, surprisingly, it’s not my favorite of the series. That honor is still tied between the breathtaking, fairy tale romance An Offer From a Gentleman and the sweet, whimsical Romancing Mister Bridgerton, both of which I loved immensely.

The main reason I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as I’d hoped is because I found the heroine, Francesca, rather frustrating. Of course I felt sorry for her being widowed young and for the pain and grief she endured, but her wishy-washy attitude toward Michael really annoyed me at times. It seemed as if she sensed his hidden feelings and deep yearning all along and that she liked having him at her emotional and sensual beck and call. I honestly didn’t feel like she gave him much in return with her companionship, other than managing his estate, until towards the end that is, and there were times that I really wondered why the heck he was so completely enamored of her. But then who can possibly predict what attracts one person to another or claims to know the great, elusive mystery that is love, anyway? It is certainly not I, my friends.

Michael is such a loyal, caring, to die for, wickedly sexy, dirty talkin’ (oh my, yes!) hero, and his unrequited love for Francesca broke my heart several times over. And the love scenes? WOWZA! Let’s just say that the title is absolutely fitting. It has an endearingly sweet, deeply touching, and achingly romantic ending that brought some serious tears to my eyes, soothed my irritation with Francesca, and improved my overall enjoyment and rating. And I highly recommend reading the second epilogue, When He Was Wicked: The Epilogue II, which gives a beautiful glimpse into their future and solidifies that they truly belong together. 5 stars!

Oh, and one final thought. If I had a nickel for every time Francesca uttered the phrase “I don’t know” in this, I’d be able to buy a book! That drove me crazy!

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book recounts the age-old tale of falling in love with your best friend's girl...but what happens when you get your chance at her hand, albeit at the loss of your best friend through his untimely death?

This is a beautiful Regency romance on grief, loss, and moving on. I've read and mostly loved all the books featuring the Bridgerton family, and this is the book I return to time after time because I think it is the best in the series. It is written in your typical inestimable Julia Quinn style, so expect to burst out in giggles every so often, but it is one of her more serious and well-written novels. The topic is not touched on lightly, the pain, the guilt, the resignation and denial are all there; you want stages of grief, you got it. It's a 5-hanky book. Possibly more, depending on the quality of your handkerchiefs (lace won't hold up here).

The characters are intricate and well described, complex in their thoughts and believable in how they mature. It's not a perfect book; I had some problems with the characters and plot, but overall, it is very well-written and remains one of my favorites in the Regency genre. The writing. THE WRITING. Did I mention the writing? It flows so naturally, so eloquently without being flowery and prosaic. Julia Quinn's earlier works have the ability to make me laugh, cry, swoon, and this ranks among her best.

Michael has been in love with Francesca since he saw her, which ordinarily wouldn't be a bad thing since he's a very eligible bachelor...but they met at Francesca's engagement party. To Michael's cousin and best friend. What makes it worse for him is that they are so compatible; unlike his other conquests, he truly enjoys her company; Francesca and Michael end up liking each other immensely. They wind up becoming good friends after her marriage to his cousin; he hides his pain and feelings for her through his usual light-hearted debauchery. They laugh together, tease each other, have fun together, all the while with Francesca blissfully happy in her marriage with her Lord John and blithely oblivious at the pain Michael is suffering despite his outwardly vivacious facade.

His love for her is confounding, love at first sight, as clichéd as it may sound...but unlike the usual story when the hero/heroine falls inexplicably in love, Julia Quinn has a lovely way of putting his abstract and inexplicable attraction to Francesca in words:

"It wasn’t her hair, that rich, lush wave of chestnut that he was rarely so privileged as to see down. And it wasn’t even her eyes, so radiantly blue that men had been moved to write poetry—much, Michael recalled, to John’s everlasting amusement. It wasn’t even in the shape of her face or the structure of her bones; if that were the case, he’d have been obsessed with the loveliness of all the Bridgerton girls; such peas in a pod they were, at least on the outside.
It was something in the way she moved.
Something in the way she breathed.
Something in the way she merely was."

Tell me you don't get a lump in your throat after reading that.

And Michael would never dream of betraying his cousin, his best friend. He loves John as much as he loves Francesca, and betraying either of them would be an unimaginably atrocious act. Michael is willing to and is determined to spend his life devoted to maintaining the happiness of the two people he loves most in life. So imagine how torn he feels when his chance inevitably come in a way he never would have dreamed of or wished for: John dies (NOT A SPOILER). He now has the chance to make Francesca his? Dare he take it? No. He flees all the way to India because he couldn't find a way to deal with his grief, much less with Francesca's, on top of his conflicting emotions for her, and doesn't return until he felt "he could be with Francesca in friendship, without feeling as if he were a thief, plotting to steal what he’d coveted for so long," which only took him several years. Michael is not a perfect character, lest I make him sound like too much of a martyr. He's a coward at times, running away from his feelings and his responsibilities when he inherits the earldom upon his cousin's death, and to be honest, I wanted to smack him repeatedly, particularly towards the end of the book, when he starts acting like a patronizing asshole towards Francesca. However, his love for Franesca remains constant, and I can't find it in my heart to dislike him much.

Francesca is a wonderful character. Spirited and bright, having grown up in the loud and lively Bridgerton bosom. She likes Michael, she loves John. Lest the reader believes her relationship with John was terrible, in a book setting her up to inevitably be with Michael in the end, it's not. She loves her marriage and her husband.

"He was her kindred spirit, so like her in so many ways. But it had, in a strange sort of fashion, been a relief to exit her mother’s home, to escape to a more serene existence with John, whose sense of humor was precisely like hers.
He understood her, he anticipated her.
He completed her."

Obviously, she suffers upon her husband's death, but it comes as a double loss when she miscarries his child. Within a short time, she lost her husband, her unborn child, then her friend Michael through his flight to India, but she survives and comes to terms with the loss. What is harder for her to come to terms with is her growing feelings for Michael, whom she has always seen as akin to a brother. Until one day when she, in turn looks at him.

"But suddenly… But now…
She’d looked at him, and she’d seen something entirely new.
She’d seen a man.
And it scared the very devil out of her."

...then she, too, runs away.

Here are two people trying to move on with their life, trying to get past their grief, trying to ignore their growing attraction for each other. Trying not to fall in love, trying not to forget the man they both loved so much, the one who will always be a part of them. Both of them have so much to deal with in reconciling that their love is not a betrayal of memory or trust or friendship, and the book does a tremendous job of portraying that.

I also loved the presence of Violet Bridgerton in this novel. She is the matriarch of the Bridgerton clan, mother to eight young children, and it is she in whom Francesca turns to for advice and comfort at her own loss. Violet knows only too well what Francesca went through, having been widowed herself at a young age. Even if she does not get much screen time, I so enjoyed seeing her reveal a little bit of herself and her own grief. We have only ever seen Violet as the steel-cored matriarch who has raised eight young children on her own, and given not much thought to what she must have been suffering all these years. I loved seeing her through the veneer of perfection, giving her own advice to Francesca here.

Some latter parts of the book were weak; Michael and Francesca spent as much time fighting with each other as with themselves, and I grew frustrated with both. However, this book remains one of the best Regency romances on my shelf, and I highly recommend it.

[Isa Cantos (Crónicas de una Merodeadora) · Rating 4 out of 5]

”It was the one dream he’d never permitted himself to consider”.

La verdad no sabía qué esperar de este libro de Francesca porque, en el fondo, es quizá a la hermana que menos se menciona en las otras historias. Pero lo bueno es que me llevé una gratísima sorpresa con ella y, por supuesto, con Michael.

En El Corazón de una Bridgerton todo empieza cuando Francesca pierde repentinamente a su esposo John. El conde de Kilmartin muere y la deja únicamente con Michael, quien ha sido el mejor amigo de los dos desde hace muchísimos años. En medio del duelo, Francesca va a tener que hacerse cargo de las propiedades y, eventualmente, de encontrar un nuevo marido que la ayude a cumplir uno de sus más grandes sueños. Michael, por otra parte, siempre ha amado a Francesca y se ha odiado cada día de su vida por ello. Después de todo, ¿qué hombre decente se enamoraría de la esposa de su mejor amigo? Sin embargo, tras la muerte de John, Michael se va a enfrentar de nuevo a sus sentimientos y, quizá, a los de Francesca.

No saben cuánto amé la fórmula de esta historia. Hay algo en la idea de un hombre enamorado de una mujer que no puede tener que, sin duda, me mantuvo enganchadísima de principio a fin. Además, Julia Quinn es una maestra en el arte de la tensión y en hacer que sus personajes, a pesar de la época, no se precipiten y piensen muchísimo en las consecuencias que tendrán sus actos. Y es que, por supuesto, tanto Francesca como Michael tienen un montón en lo que pensar. Ambos saben, muy en el fondo, que quieren estar juntos, pero se mantienen alejados por respeto a la memoria de John.

Me encantaron todas las pequeñas discusiones, los gestos y las frases reveladoras que, poco a poco, se les iban saliendo e iban demostrando sus verdaderos sentimientos por el otro. Además, cuando llega el momento en el que por fin dejan todas las pretensiones y miedos de lado todo es maravilloso entre ellos. Y amé que, de todas las Bridgerton, Francesca fuera la más osada y empoderada durante aquellos momentos, if you know what I mean. Aunque, claro, tiene sentido porque ella ya estuvo casada. En fin. Fan de ella.

Y Michael… ay, Michael. Creo que es uno de los personajes masculinos de Julia Quinn más leales, entregados y absolutamente adorables que he leído hasta ahora. Sin duda se convirtió en uno de mis favoritos. Además, es escocés, así que nada puede ser más perfecto. ¡Ah! Y hay algo con respecto a él que es un spoiler y que me iba matando de la angustia sobre el final, pero menos mal la autora aclaró cierto aspecto de eso en su nota final.

En fin, que sigo con este camino de los Bridgerton y, honestamente, estoy empezando a preocuparme por cuando no me queden más libros de estos hermanos por leer.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

TW for miscarriage and death of a loved one.

Michael is EVERYTHING. I love a romance where the guy is pining over the girl and cannot get over her. In this one, Michael is in love with his cousin's wife. TALK ABOUT ANGST. When his cousin dies, Michael goes off to India and doesn't come back for four years.

I really loved how Francesca was genuinely in love with her husband and had never seen Michael in a romantic way until he came back from India and was in her life again. She had always known that Michael was a rake, but as soon as he was back looking for a wife and she decided that she was ready to remarry, the tension between those two was amazing! I could not get enough of their romance and banter and friendship.

I don't want to share too much else about the book, but I, as usual with this series, loved the family scenes and loved the romance. I couldn't put this book down and flew through the audiobook in only two days! Definitely a new favorite in the series!

[Fairuz ᥫ᭡. · Rating 4 out of 5]

OH. HELL. NO. 🚨 JUSTICE FOR MICHAEL STIRLING IMMEDIATELY. 🚨

The Bridgerton series? It’s OVER for me. I’m in freaking mourning. 🖤 Michael Stirling—THE love of my life, the tortured, devoted, heart-wrenching man who pined like no other—is GONE. WIPED OUT. REPLACED with some half-baked, hollow shell of a character. WHAT is even happening?! 😡

Netflix, you’ve got TWO YEARS to FIX THIS, or we are throwing hands. 🤺 Julia Quinn—HOW. DID. YOU. LET. THEM. RUIN. YOUR. OWN. BOOK?! You had ONE JOB, ONE JOB, and that was to keep Michael’s pain—his longing, his obsession—ALIVE. Instead, you just let them ERASE HIM and replace him with… whatever that was. I can’t even. 🤦‍♀️

Now, don’t even try to come at me with this queer romance agenda. I have NO PROBLEM with LGBTQ+ representation, like YES, bring it on, bring it ALL on! But to twist the aristocracy of the 1820s into this "no social consequences, same-sex marriage for the win" fantasy? At a time where just one illegitimate child could completely ruin someone’s reputation? Get real. 😤 If you wanted LGBTQ+ love stories, maybe write a new one instead of butchering Michael’s. You didn’t have to replace him with this nonsense. It’s DISRESPECTFUL to both the fans who loved his story and to the LGBTQ+ community, who deserves their own space in authentic storytelling, not some cheap move that feels like an afterthought.

Michael Stirling’s story wasn’t just some subplot. It was a story of GRIEF, of LOVE AFTER LOSS, of finding someone so devoted that it actually hurts. This wasn’t a joke. This was HIS story, and now it’s GONE. How are we even doing this? HOW?

I am beyond furious. Michael was the BEST Bridgerton hero, and they just tossed him out like some second-rate character. NOPE. Justice for Michael 🚨. He deserves BETTER. The fans deserve better. This whole situation is a mess, and if any of the When He Was Wicked girlies aren’t out there RIOTING, I don’t know what to say. This is an absolute disgrace. FIX IT.

In conclusion: if you wanted to do LGBTQ+ in historical settings, fine, but don’t take a beloved character, erase everything about his soul, and replace him with whatever that was as if his pining and tortured love didn’t deserve a real ending. If you wanted new characters, create new stories—don’t pull a bait-and-switch with a beloved series.

MICHAEL STIRLING WILL NOT BE ERASED. 🚨


─────୨ৎ─────────୨ৎ─────────୨ৎ─────

OH. MY. GOD. MICHAEL STIRLING, YOU MAGNETIC, FEROCIOUSLY IN LOVE, TORTURED SOUL OF A MAN—WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?! 😭🔥💘

When He Was Wicked is hands down the best book in the series for me, and I will not be taking questions at this time. 💅📢

First of all, Michael is my favorite Bridgerton hero, period. The way this man pines? The way he suffers in silence for YEARS because he fell head over heels in love with Francesca literally 36 hours before she married his cousin? I was unwell. 🫠 The level of yearning, the unspoken devotion, the emotional torture he put himself through—it was DELICIOUS. 😩💔 He wasn’t just in love; he was obsessed (in the best way). He worshiped the ground Francesca walked on, and honestly, men in historical romance need to take notes. 📝🖤

Francesca, on the other hand… girl, you tested my patience. 😤 I get that she loved John, and I respect that, but she was out here rejecting Michael over and over even after she realized she had feelings for him. LIKE, WHY?! 😭 He was literally on his knees for you. HE LEFT THE CONTINENT FOR FOUR YEARS BECAUSE HE COULDN’T STAND BEING NEAR YOU WITHOUT HAVING YOU. 😭💔 Just say yes and let the man breathe, PLEASE. 🙃

The slow burn in this book was torture, but in the best way. 🥵🔥 The tension was immaculate. The moment when Francesca finally saw Michael as something more than a friend? I wanted to throw confetti. 🎉 And don’t even get me started on the angst. 😭 This book is not just about romance—it’s about guilt, grief, longing, and finding love again when you least expect it. 🥺 And while Francesca’s guilt sometimes felt a bit overdone (girl, we GET IT, you loved John 😩), I still found her character arc so satisfying. 💖

Also, this is the spiciest Bridgerton book. 🌶️🔥 Julia Quinn said, “Oh, you wanted yearning? Let me give you scenes that will make you weak in the knees.” And she DID. The intimacy, the passion, the way Michael completely loses his mind over Francesca—it was everything. 😮‍💨

Final thoughts:
⭐ 4 stars because Francesca’s indecision made me want to shake her. 🤦‍♀️
🔥 Best book in the series. Don’t fight me on this. ⚔️
💀 Imagine being in a love triangle with a dead man. Couldn’t be me. 🙃
🖤 Michael Stirling, you will always be famous. 👏

Tropes:
✨ Unrequited love (for YEARS) 😭
✨ Best friend’s widow 💔
✨ Slow burn (and I mean painfully slow) 🫠
✨ Forced proximity 😵‍💫
✨ Pining hero who deserves the world 🥺

If you love emotionally tortured heroes, heart-wrenching pining, and love stories that hurt before they heal, this book is your meal. 🍽️😌

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 stars*

Finally, finally I get to join the Bridgerton love-train! After reading most of the books in the series and giving many low ratings, at last I found one that I adore. When He Was Wicked was the unrequited love, high sexual tension, friends-to-lovers book that I needed.

I have most of this series in paperback, and I have to say, though I'm a total Kindle reader devotee, I love having these romance-y romances in print. They feel more authentic that way, for some reason. Maybe it was my mood, maybe it was just a really well-done book, but either way, When He Was Wicked felt nearly perfect.

I tend to dislike Julia Quinn's male MCs, but I really loved Michael Sterling. I adored his broken-hearted rake persona, and I loved how respectful he was of his cousin and Francesca. Francesca was private and quiet, but I loved her slow-burn romance with Michael. Though he had loved her for years, I adored how her attraction unfolded over time and how she remained in love with John but opened her heart to Michael.

A swoony, heart-clenching romance, and, for me, by far the best in the Bridgerton series to date.

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[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

This thing between them, this bond—it wasn’t just passion, and it wasn’t wicked. It was love, and it was divine.

I am always here for a slow burn/friends to lovers/forbidden love story and When He Was Wicked combined all three for me. Michael is the best hero in this series and you can’t change my mind. Gah. I adored him. Francesca had moments where I was like come on girl… but I could relate to her in so many ways and I understood her reasoning. But Michael… that man loved her so much and there’s not much I love more than a completely devoted hero.

Now I don’t know if The Viscount Who Loved Me or When He Was Wicked is my favorite of the series, because I love them both so much! I guess it’s a good problem to have. I only hope the next two are as good as this one because it was dang near perfect for me. Sweet, swoony, angsty, and so romantic- this one is a must read!

Audio book source: Hoopla (library borrow)
Story Rating: 5 stars
Narrator: Rosalyn Landor
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Historical romance
Length: 11 hours and 30 minutes

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is sixth in a series, but the characters in this one are almost determinedly independent and isolated. Further, this happens pretty much simultaneous with both book 4 and book 5. There's a scene with Colin (book 4) in this one that appears in both, but that doesn't mean you need to read in any particular order.

I really liked the premise of this story. And Quinn takes a chapter or two to establish the reality of the emotional stakes so we see Michael, John and Francesca interacting and can see how close they are (in addition to Michael's dilemma knowing that he is in love with his best friend's wife). It's touching and was a great setup and I couldn't wait to read this story.

And then Quinn doused everything in gasoline and lit it on fire.

Okay, it wasn't that bad if all you want is a standard romance with characters who are emotional cowards trying to overcome their milquetoast idiocy so they can have a life that doesn't suck. But when Michael went all coward on us and fled the freaking country, I felt a deep foreboding. I really wish I had stopped at that point looking back. I had hope that Quinn would pull out of emotional weakness as the center point of the story arc. And I maintained that hope in the teeth of mounting evidence to the bitter end. Because I am apparently a fool. I console myself that at least I have more courage than boiled cabbage—a feat neither main character in this story managed.

I had worked up lots of rage in the final hours of reading this but I think I'll stop with the tortured cabbage analogy. Seriously, this is an immense squandering of that incredibly tight and impactful opening. So very sad. I'm giving it a second star for that lovely start and the continued family dynamics. But it's a weak second star the story probably doesn't really deserve.

A note about Steamy: There are three or four explicit sex scenes which gets close to the high end of my steam tolerance. It doesn't help that all but the last are founded in manipulation and shame.

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review:


This, the 6th installment of the Bridgerton series, is so different from the rest of the stories that it took me by surprise – a pleasant surprise. Having read and found the previous books lighter, funnier reads, I hadn’t expected to find this one much different. If there was ever any question as to Ms. Quinn’s ability to write a more intense, deeper story, When He Was Wicked has answered it with a resounding yes!

When He Was Wicked is the story of Michael Stirling, Rake Extraordinaire, who has finally met the one woman who makes him want to give up his wicked ways for a life filled with love and family.

It’s the story of Francesca Bridgerton, beautiful, sophisticated…everything Michael could want… except, there’s a small problem; she’s in love with and married to Michael’s cousin John, and while that keeps Michael from acting on his feelings, it doesn’t stop him from wanting her. Francesca loves Michael as a cousin, dear friend and confidant, but nothing more.

And then one tragic night, without any warning at all, Francesca finds herself widowed and devastated and needing Michael’s friendship more than ever, but because his feelings run so much deeper and he feels horribly guilty because of it, he won’t allow himself to become any more vulnerable to her than he already is…

But one night, when loneliness and desire can no longer be denied, they find themselves being swept away by a kiss that holds more passion, more pleasure and more fulfillment than anything either of them had ever felt before. This one kiss, they both knew, had changed their lives forever. Feeling that she was somehow betraying John’s memory by caring for Michael this way, Francesca runs away to Scotland to gather her thoughts. Michael is having none of that now that his feelings are finally out in the open, and decides to pursue her and win her however it takes. He tries reasoning with her, wooing her, all to no avail. So, what’s a reformed rake to do? Seduce her, of course! And seduce her, he does. Pulling out all the stops he does whatever he has to do to make her give into her feelings and see that what they have is not something to feel guilty or ashamed of, rather something to be cherished.

While I love all of the books in the Bridgerton series, When He Was Wicked had something…more. The sexual tension in this book is amazing, as are the intimate scenes themselves. If you’re looking for a romance novel with depth, conflict, passion, and a happily ever after ending, this is the book for you.

Though it is part of the series, this story is separate enough from the rest of the Bridgerton’s lives to easily be read as a stand-alone novel. I hope to find more stories of this caliber amongst Ms. Quinn’s writings.

[Imme [trying to crawl out of hiatus] van Gorp · Rating 4 out of 5]

|| 3.5 stars ||

Oh, this was quite a big twist to what a lot of these books have been like so far. It felt truly very different somehow, and I’m pretty sure it was all because of the difference in who had the upper-hand in the relationship.

I can honestly and wholeheartedly say that Michael was a much better love interest than any of the heroes who came before him in this series. He truly worshipped Francesca and he was insanely in love with her. This man had been pining for her for years, obsessing over every little thing she did or said, yearning for the barest touch or slightest hint of attention. He seemed to think she hung the moon and the stars and never treated her in any way that would suggest he did not.

However, he did try his hardest to never let her discover his amorous feelings towards her, but not for any silly reason; Francesca used to be married to his cousin, a man he considered his brother and very best friend, so naturally Michael felt immense guilt for the way he felt towards the man’s wife. Especially since his feelings towards Francesca had started long before her first husband, his best friend, had died… It made sense why Michael would be wary of trying to “steal” Frannie after the poor man’s death, even more so since Francesca never gave him the impression she felt the same.
And the reason he never got that impression was probably because she genuinely didn’t feel the same. In a shocking twist of events; the heroine was not pining for the hero all this time too. Not only had she fully loved her first husband with all her heart when he was alive, but even after his death, she genuinely only ever saw Michael as a close friend and it took a lot of time for her to see him in a romantic light. Actually, I would go as far as to say that it took her too long. Frannie did want to remarry, and I didn’t quite understand why she refused Michael’s proposal the first time, let alone the hundreds of times he asked her afterwards, and especially after he opened up to her and told her how he has loved her for years! Like, girl, what more do you want??
Anyway, like I said, this book was clearly much different.


'Bridgertons' series:
1. The Duke and I - 3.5 stars
2. The Viscount Who Loved Me - 2.0 stars
3. An Offer From a Gentleman - 3.5 stars
4. Romancing Mister Bridgerton - 3.5 stars
5. To Sir Phillip, With Love - 3.0 stars
6. When He Was Wicked - 3.5 stars
7. It’s in His Kiss - 2.0 stars
8. On the Way to the Wedding - 2.5 stars

[Flo Camus · Rating 5 out of 5]

[4.8⭐] 𝙀𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙯𝙤́𝙣 𝙙𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙖 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙤𝙣 es una novela histórica romántica escrita por Julia Quinn en el año 2003. La trama se centra en Francesca Bridgerton, la sexta de los ocho hermanos de la familia Bridgerton, quien enfrenta un trágico destino tras la pérdida de su primer esposo, John Stirling, conde de Kilmartin. A medida que Francesca intenta reconstruir su vida, descubre que Michael Stirling, primo y mejor amigo de su difunto esposo, ha estado enamorado de ella durante años. Entre el luto, la culpa y el deseo, ambos se ven obligados a confrontar sus emociones mientras el amor surge en medio de la pérdida y el dolor.


Este es por lejos mi libro favorito de toda la saga. En esta entrega, Queen logra ofrecernos una historia profundamente emotiva y con un enfoque mucho más maduro, donde el desarrollo de los personajes es el eje central. Además, se aleja de las fórmulas habituales de la saga, aportando una trama distinta que resulta tan inesperada como cautivadora.  

Francesca y Michael son, sin lugar a dudas, los protagonistas mejor construidos de la saga. Francesca es una mujer que ha experimentado la felicidad del matrimonio y el dolor de la pérdida, destaca por ser reflexiva, inteligente y firme en sus convicciones, aunque a menudo lucha contra sus propias inseguridades. Por otro lado, Michael es un personaje complejo y entrañable, marcado por la culpa, el amor reprimido y una batalla interna que lo hace aún más humano. La forma en que la autora desarrolla sus conflictos emocionales y su relación es simplemente encantadora

Lo que más disfruté de este libro es su tono. A diferencia de sus otras novelas, no está plagado de humor sarcástico, sino que se centra en los sentimientos profundos y las reflexiones personales de los protagonistas. Esta elección narrativa le otorga un aire de madurez que no había encontrado en los libros anteriores. La escritora nos sumerge en los pensamientos y emociones tanto de Francesca como de Michael, haciéndonos partícipes de primera mano de sus miedos, inseguridades, anhelos y, finalmente, de su amor.  

La trama también es un punto a destacar: un amor prohibido, la pérdida de un ser querido, el conflicto entre el deber y el deseo… Todo esto está tratado con una sensibilidad que logra enganchar desde la primera página. La evolución de la relación entre Francesca y Michael es lenta, cargada de tensiones y dudas, pero también de momentos profundamente románticos que hacen que no puedas dejar de leer. Es un amor que se cuece a fuego lento, pero sabemos desde el inicio que Michael es el que se enamora primero (me encanta el tropo de he falls first).

Si bien la primera mitad del libro me pareció perfecta, sí tuve algunas frustraciones con la segunda mitad. La negativa de Francesca a aceptar sus sentimientos por Michael llega a ser repetitiva y exasperante, lo que ralentiza un poco el ritmo. Ella ya ha asumido que buscará un nuevo marido ya que quiere tener hijos, pero esas idas y venidas de parte de Francesca no hacían más que irritarme. Ya se había acostado con él y seguía negando por completo toda química que hubiera entre ambos. Por cierto, quiero agregar que este es el libro con más escenas sexuales de la saga (lo menciono porque hay varias lectoras a las que les gusta el spicy).
A pesar de ello, diría que esto no arruina lo extraordinario del libro en su conjunto porque cada página está cargada de una intensidad emocional que me tuvo completamente enganchada.  


Finalmente, puedo decir que 𝙀𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙯𝙤́𝙣 𝙙𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙖 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙤𝙣 no solo es mi novela favorita de la saga, sino también una de las historias de romance histórico a la que más cariño le he tomado. Julia Quinn demuestra una vez más su habilidad para crear personajes complejos y tramas que nos hacen reír, llorar y soñar. Si buscas una historia que te toque el corazón, este libro es para ti.

[myo ⋆｡˚ ❀ * · Rating 4 out of 5]

michael’s kinda feral but that made it all the more fun

[Maria Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vamos a ver, esto no es serio; que me he pasado la mayor parte de la novela con un: "ay, Dios mío, ay, Dios mío, ay, Dios mío..." en los labios; tanto que parecía estar en la iglesia justo cuando repartían los pecados. ¡Todos para mí!, parecía decir. O, bueno, seamos realistas, todos lo que se dice todos, no, solo los de la carne, que con esos ya tengo para ir tirando. ⠀
⠀
De verdad, qué manera de hacernos sufrir (entiéndase "disfrutar" en argot romántico). Pero ¿por qué la autora nos hace esto? Este sin vivir, este suspirar, este no sé qué de no sé cuando. Este "ay, Dios mío" convertido en página, porque si fuera en carne estaría yo aquí ahora. Y, sí, puedes decirme que estoy siendo demasiado frívola, pero cualquiera puede decir un Te amo, un te quiero o estoy enamorado de ti, con cara de burro degollado. Pero el poder ir más allá de estas frases y lograr que alguien se estremezca es muy difícil. Casi, me atrevería a decir, que es un trabajo de Titan. Porque, seamos realistas, es más fácil quedarse en lo conocido, en un te quiero, que expresar lo que uno realmente siente. Y justamente esto, lo Titan, lo encontramos entre las páginas de esta novela, que a más de una ya nos gustaría que fuera de carne y hueso. ⠀
⠀
Así que sí, escribo una reseña frívola, y me encanta hacerlo, porque puedo, porque he leído y pecado de pensamiento.

[NMmomof4 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

Overall Opinion: This was fun and sexy, but left me wanting. The ending downright sucked. I liked this couple and I wanted to experience their HEA not just assume they fully get there! I really liked Francesca in the previous books, but sadly in this book I just often felt annoyed with her. Michael was a gem and I’m glad Francesca finally saw the light in the end. But, overall, I was just underwhelmed and bummed.

On a side note, I am super stoked to see the teaser for a new Netflix series about the Bridgertons!! Look super good and done by the same creator of Grey’s Anatomy — what?! Yes please!

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Francesca and Michael’s story. Michael has loved Francesca since he met her and she married his best friend and cousin. When his cousin dies, he is suddenly the new Earl and has to deal with his guilt on a new level. Francesca mourned her beloved husband for four years and missed her best friend, Michael, when he abandoned her after her husband died. She has decided that she wants children and that she must enter society again to get a new husband. Michael happens to return from India at the same time and they have to navigate their friendship back to what it was before their loss while also dealing with feelings of guilt and, for Francesca, new attraction. There is some funny banter, some sexy times, and some drama...and they get a HEA ending.

Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Francesca and Michael in 3rd person narrative.

Overall Pace of Story: Alright until the abrupt ending. I never skimmed.

Instalove: No, friends to love (H is in love from the start)

H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Michael. I liked him. I appreciated how he cared for the h from afar (and loved how he was with the h’s mom!)

h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Francesca. I liked her but then her pushing away the H got old.

Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed

Push/Pull: Yes The h pushes away a good bit and I’d say the H is the main pursuer of the relationship

Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.

Descriptive sex: Yes

OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes The h’s dead husband was the H’s cousin and best friend and causes guilt for both of them

Sex scene with OW or OM: No

Cheating: No

Separation: Never when they are what I consider ‘together’

Possible Triggers: Yes Loss of a spouse (on page) and miscarriage

Closure: This ended super abruptly with what I would call a HEA though it ends just after the h finally shares “ILYs” and are married. I am super disappointed in this ending though! Why not give us some time with them as an actual freakin’ couple?! Why not give us children that they both wanted?? This is the main reason for my lower rating.

Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers

- Does Not have cheating
- Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
- Does have the h pushing the H away
- Does Not have a separation between the h and H
- Does Not have abuse
- Does have a HEA ending (see above)

[Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Francesca has been hovering in the background throughout the previous books. Did we ever even meet her ... she married and moved to Scotland but tragic circumstances rendered her "free" and Michael, who has loved her forever, is in a position to declare his love ... Michael, who "took one look at Francesca Bridgerton and fell so fast and hard into love it was a wonder he managed to remain standing." But guilt and society expectations are things that stand in the way of true happiness ...


Michael, the Merry Rake who has spent his life flitting from woman to woman and living the life of a happy bachelor ... Michael ... gosh, I don't think I swooned over a hero quite like this in a long time. I don't know what it was about him. He just endeared himself to me ...

He would never escape her, this woman. He would never escape her, and he could never have her.

It was impossible. Quite simply wrong. There was too much there. Too much had happened ...

"What, Francesca?" he asked ruthlessly. "What do you think of me?"

"I think you are one of the finest men I know," she said softly.

Damn. Trust her to unman him with a single sentence. He stared at her, just stared at her, trying to figure out what the hell she'd meant by that.

For all his toughness and "man about town" attitude, Michael yearns for Francesca's approval.

His lips touched hers in the barest, softest hint of a caress. It was the sort of kiss that seduced with subtlety, sent tingles through her body and left her desperate for more ...

I can see how Francesca would frustrate some people. But I can totally understand her reasons. Nowadays, people don't really care of other's opinions but back in the 19th century, of course one cared what others thought ... one wrong move and you could be a pariah and banished from society. So, yes, Francesca was sort of coming and going and just couldn't make up her mind but I forgive her for it ... I am understanding like that (you know who you are - those of you that she drove batty. I shall mention no names)!! LOL. And Michael was worth waiting for ... swoon.

Because it had never been like this.
That had been his body.
This was his soul.

Francesca flees to Scotland, to Kilmartin House, when things get a little bit too much for her.

“I think you're going to break more hearts this spring than I'll be able to count."
"It isn't your job to count them," he said, his voice quiet and hard.
"No, it isn't, is it?" She looked over at him and smiled wryly. "But I'm going to end up doing it all the same, won't I?"
"And why is that?"
She didn't seem to have an answer to that, and then, just when he was sure she would say no more, she whispered, "Because I won't be able to stop myself.”

A wonderful tale. Each book has been at least 4 and 5 stars for me. I think Ms Quinn is a fantastic author. The narrator, Rosalyn Landor deserves a shout out too ... she brings the pages to life! How she can stay so calm while reading some of the passages is beyond me ... Ms Quinn knows how to write a sensual scene ... no doubt about that.


There was one letter written by Janet Stirling, dowager Countess of Kilmartin, to Michael Stirling at the end of the book. If that doesn't bring a tear to your eye, I don't know what will ...

"Thank you, Michael ..."

A wonderful series. Highly recommended.

[Bibiana In Bookland · Rating 5 out of 5]

He disfrutado muchísimo de la historia de Michael y Francesca. Ellos dos han sido increíbles. Me ha gustado mucho que fueran amigos desde hacía tiempo, esa camadería y ver cómo poco a poco iba evolucionando, pero a un ritmo lento y natural. Michael ha sido un amor, me encantaba las partes en las que veíamos la historia desde su punto de vista. Ha sido un libro súper intenso, divertido, lleno de pasión, de amistad y de amor. Maravilloso !!

[Katrina Passick Lumsden · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Fanning myself*

Goodness.

This book should get two stars from me, but here's an interesting fact; Michael Stirling rates an entire star on his own. I found myself frustrated with Francesca's behavior. It's not that I couldn't understand it, just that it dragged on for far too long. I've noticed that a propensity to draw out a story is one of the weaknesses in Quinn's writing. This isn't the only book of hers I've read that had me heaving a sigh, rolling my eyes, and uttering -



But if you can get past the drawn out melodrama, Michael Stirling is quite a hunk o' man meat, and reading about him is certainly no chore.

[r. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had two primary concerns going into When He Was Wicked: 1) I was curious to see what Quinn would do with a heroine who GASP isn't a virgin!!1 and 2) I was pretty sure she'd never given more than like five minutes thought to Francesca until it was time to write this book.

Francesca was (prior to this book and following it, honestly) the Invisible Bridgerton. I'm fairly certain that she's only ever present in a scene once in the previous five books, and that's a scene wherein Simon Bassett can't tell her and Eloise apart, so it's entirely possible (and likely since the dialogue in the scene was very, very Eloise) that she literally never had a single line of dialogue before her own book. On top of that she's rarely, if ever, mentioned except in the most casual passing fashion, and the only specific reference to her goings-on that I can recall is when Penelope Featherington reflects on the fact that Francesca was married and soon after widowed at some point in the rather large time gap between An Offer from a Gentleman and Romancing Mr. Bridgerton.

Quinn's solution for Concern #2 was simple: she immediately establishes Francesca as an independent and reserved soul who, while she loves her massive, boisterous family, generally prefers being off and away from them doing her own thing. How convenient!

While that's a perfectly fine personality archetype and Francesca is, indeed, a perfectly fine character, the disconnection from the rest of the Bridgertons necessitated by it means that a huge draw of the series -- the interplay between the Bridgerton family -- is almost wholly absent from the book. Julia Quinn pretty obviously struggles a bit around the middle of the novel attempting to make up for this deficiency by inserting Colin into Michael's half of the narrative essentially for no other reason than to troll him and, I imagine, add some interest by including an appearance from a beloved character. And while it did predictably, delight me, Colin doesn't really belong in this narrative. Indeed, the contrast between how forced his appearance is in this book and how perfectly it fit in To Sir Phillip, with Love is stark. Colin, Eloise, and Francesca's stories all take place concurrently, but while Colin and Eloise's complement each other narratively, structurally, and emotionally, Francesca's, much like Francesca herself, is clearly an afterthought.

Which isn't to say that Francesca is in any way unbearable, again, she's perfectly fine! Or that the book itself is. It's not. Now, Michael isn't all that exciting given how many ~rakes~ we've seen at this point -- almost all of them more interesting than him -- and while his pining for Francesca surprisingly never turns the corner to gross, let's not pretend anyone really cares all that much about his manpain. However, his interactions with Francesca are passably charming -- though, honestly, actually moreso before they become involved. But the book as a whole is just... flat. Francesca's closed off nature (and, again, Quinn's obvious lack of interest in her) makes her almost inscrutable as a character at times, and even though she's the lead, you never quite feel like you've gotten into her head. The emotion in the early portion of the book, when she's with John and immediately following his death, is strong and affecting, but after that it just sort of flounders and never really picks up again. Likely because it skips ahead to when she's pretty much over it (or as over it as anyone can be).

Then the book just dives into her and Michael and their attraction, which is when we finally get to Concern #1. As a widow, Francesca is the only female romantic lead in the Bridgerton series who is not virginal upon her first encounter with the male lead, and I was extremely excited to see how Julia Quinn handled a woman who isn't just learning and stands hopelessly ignorant about the needs and desires of her own body (not that there's anything wrong with that, nor to say that Quinn doesn't actually do pretty well with regard to portraying the various ladies' sexual awakenings, as I think that she does). It turns out, Quinn pretty much just dives in. But much like I actually liked Francesca and Michael's banter more before they became involved, I mostly found them much sexier before... they actually had sex. Whereas the other heroines in the series are, as mentioned, blushing virgins finding out what this and this and that does, Quinn pretty much takes Francesca straight to dominatrix porn star, which cool. And yet! Not doing much for me, personally, alas.

But points for trying. I guess that's my feeling on this book as a whole actually. Points for trying, but ehhh.

I'd probably have to count this the weakest in the series.

[Millie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t you just hate it when you’re in a love triangle with a dead man? Yeah, same.



Plot
Francesca is the sixth Bridgerton, an incomparable of her season, married at 20, widowed at 22. Michael was a rake, and he’s in love with his cousin’s wife—now widow. The book revolves around their guilt, their self-discovery, and their desire for something they couldn’t have: Frannie, a baby; Micahel, his cousin’s wife.

When John died, Michael's life changed. He left the title, estates, fortune, everything... to him. Well, almost everything. The only thing he actually wanted- Francesca- is not for the taking. He was so freaked out, that he ran away for four years.



Dynamic & Characters
The tension is like an elastic band stretching slowly, and when it snapped you received all the love you wanted. This is a slowburn. But once they're in, they're all in baby! Though I kinda wish they let go of their restraints a bit sooner.

As a character, I admit Francesca and Michael have astounding chemistry. All compliments I give to Michael, who loved her enough for the both of them. Frannie, however, took her precious time deciding. And I don't blame her for feeling guilty. I just wished she had done it off-page, in the four-year time gap-- NOT now when she's actively searching for a second husband. I think for most of the book, their guilt towards John became the star of the plot. John is a big part of the story, but he is only present for one chapter.



This brings me to my final point: I think the main problem with the book is its dependency on John. If John is such a big part of the book, if you want the readers to understand Frannie's loss and guilt, you have to put more of John's character and involvement. Maybe not outright scenes, but just a few romantic facts of the two years Frannie was married. We need to feel an attachment to John to feel the guilt from Frannie's pov, instead of being glossed over all the time and summarised in sentences such as "I loved John". Well, we get that she loved John, but what makes her love John so much?? If John isn't such a big plot device, then maybe the lack of information is okay. But he's in every chapter, lingering like a ghost. I need to be invested in that relationship a bit more to understand her guilt, is all I'm saying.



This is why I don't blame people for disliking Frannie. She really took her time and played with Michael's feelings. Before we get into this, I'll warn you: I have a bias toward unloved children. Maybe that's why I'm more forgiving towards Frannie. Aside from the fact that I hate her being indecisive, I actually like her as a character. Not as far as being the favourite heroine in the series, but close enough. She rarely appeared in the series, she's quiet, and reserved, and yet, she's the most successful one in terms of finding love. She's the incomparable of her season. She got married so quickly to John. Michael, the most rakish hero in Bridgerton imo, fell in love upon his first meeting. When she finished mourning her first husband, she gets swarmed by offers immediately. She was just universally loved. It's truly a wonder why her family rarely mentioned her.

Imagine being so wonderful, beautiful, kind, witty, and humorous that you leave broken-hearted men everywhere you go. That's Francesca. She is destined to be the Countess of Kilmartin, and both heirs fell completely in love with her. And they both got her.



Conclusion
This book is not a comfort read. But I did read it in a day. Michael and Francesca are the most fascinating characters in Bridgerton for me. Maybe it's because they have the most heartbreaking journey towards their love. Michael is a hero filled with his love for the heroine that it hurts, and maybe that's what makes this story a bit more emotional: our sympathy towards Michael and his love.
Though it has a couple of flaws, I do admit I enjoyed it (or more like emotionally invested) and therefore I decided this is the second best Bridgerton book I've read.
If you’re a masochist and are drawn to unrequited love, here is your meal.

[Book Wonderland · Rating 2 out of 5]

*2.5 stars

This book is my least favorite of the series.
Francesca is the worst Bridgerton for sure. She was really annoying in this book. I really hated how she was fooling Michael, because she couldn't made up her mind! She was constantly running away (literally!) from her feelings.

[chan ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

not entirely sure how to rate this one...

it's strange to think that the second epilogue of a book is somehow better than the entirety of the novel itself but that's sort of where i'm at here. i was endlessly frustrated by the drama in this book which is seriously strange because it was a recipe for success in my eyes. i'm HERE for angst and lusting after your dead cousin's widow is certainly angsty.

but the heroine sorta ruined it, sorry francesca. this man has been pining for you for YEARS and you're gonna sleep with him time and again and then lament the "wrongness" of sleeping with your dead husband's cousin? idk. she felt too wishy washy. the lead up was PLENTY. i didn't need her not willing to admit her love for him when he was clearly and vocally head over heels.

it was a super pleasant listening experience and the smut was surprisingly solid. but like most books by julia quinn i'm left a little unsatisfied. never so unsatisfied as to turn down another library loaned audiobook but like, never-gonna-get-more-than-3-stars unsatisfied.

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly think this might be the best book in the series. I’m sad we won’t get to see this storyline play out on the show. They will need to change a lot to make it work with the new direction they’re going in. I would have really liked to see a new Darcy esq. hottie introduced, but oh well. I feel like the remaining cast lacks true chemistry and the show is losing a bit of its appeal. I wonder how they will handle the issue of the succession of the Earldom. Maybe a baby? The only thing that struck me as odd was that they would have any qualms about marrying someone who was married to a deceased relative. That seems like a very modern idea to me and I wish Quinn would have written it a little more realistically for the time period. They could still have had issues with it on a personal level without the implication that it was taboo.
_______________________________________________

Picking back up where I left off - I read the first five books with the intention of staying ahead of the show but since they’re going off script they’ve caught up to me after only 3 seasons. 🫠

[Phrynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 6 and it is Francesca's turn. But she is already married you say? Yes indeed she is but life has a funny way of turning things upside down when you least expect it.

This was not my favourite book of the series so far. Basically I felt it was too long because the focus couple came together too soon and the rest of the book seemed very forced. There were some very long and very steamy sex scenes too which added little to the actual story.

Colin and Violet were the best characters in my opinion. They played small but important parts which were much more interesting than the two main players who basically stormed around denying each other and running off to either India or Scotland.

I have made it sound like a bad book. It wasn't. It was entertaining and fun, just not as good as some of the earlier books!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

In every life there is a turning point.
A moment so tremendous, so sharp and clear that one feels as if one's been hit in the chest, all the breath knocked out, and one knows, absolutely knows without the merest hint of a shadow of a doubt that one's life will never be the same.

I was all over the place in my mind trying to rate this one. I did really enjoy it, despite my updates suggesting otherwise. The hero Michael Stirling was a fabulous character. He totally made up for the foolishness that was Francesca. I may have been just a little hard on her and her namby-pamby ways. She was, after all, grieving for her dead husband, who just happened to be Michael's cousin and best-friend. But in all honestly, I don't think I would have vacillated half as long over the issue.

It was another great episode in the Bridgerton saga. And if you read this, don't stop without reading the second epilogue. It was literally the cherry on top that squeezed that extra half star out of me.

[Dilushani Jayalath · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could love these books the way I did in the past years but something in me has changed over the years and the exciting aspect of it is gone. Now I see them for what it is. Manhandling of women and the constant screaming and venting out of anger is not quite my cup of tea so excuse me for not liking this as much. Yet there is a tiny part of me that still holds a small liking for the genre thus there are parts that really got my heart to beat a little faster. But unfortunately that part was overruled by the part that was sick of the eight male chauvinism. Hopefully there will come a day that I would find a book that I actually liked in terms of this genre.

[Izzie (semi-hiatus) McFussy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread 8/13/24
I’m not one to revisit a book, but in the midst of a slump I needed a sure thing. Indeed, this was it. I fell in love with Francesca, Michael, and JQ’s writing all over again.

DM to Michael Stirling: I. Am. Yours. 😍

My one fear is a book not living up to my memory of it—better to let it RIP. Not a problem. This story held up magnificently.

Two things I noticed was that Quinn’s writing was more anachronistic than I had remembered, and perhaps her personality intruded too much into the narrative. But the way her sentences glide and pirouette across the page, capturing the essence of Regency England more than made up for it.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+
Original review 01/09/22
I can’t gush enough about this story. It ticked all the romance boxes on my list. Michael’s love for Francesca was perfection. There was one particular steamy seduction scene that raised the bar for any future romances in my future. I don’t think of angst and Julia Quinn in the same breath, but she did it oh so right in this one. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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[Floripiquita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Menos humorística que entregas anteriores y con una protagonista que es la menos Bridgerton de los Bridgertons, a su favor juega que sale Colin -eso siempre será un must en esta serie- y que tiene a uno de esos protagonistas masculinos que te cautivan y te roban el corazón. ¡Qué maravilloso personaje es Michael Stirling (‪🔥‬😍‪🔥‬😍‪🔥‬así te pasas toda la lectura con él), como se las gasta dentro y fuera de la cama y qué bien ha sabido transmitir Julia Quinn sus sentimientos por Francesca! Pena que ella sea lo más indeciso que te puedas echar a la cara y que la autora despache el descubrimiento de su amor por ese pedazo de escocés de forma apresurada y casi en el último párrafo.

#RetoJulia #RetoRita4

#popsugar2020. Reto 50: Un libro cuy@ protagonista tenga veintitantos años

[zainab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Francesca Bridgerton, a person you almost don't know from the other parts. The only thing you learn is that she lives in Scotland and is a widow. But after four years in mourning, she finally wants to marry again, because she wants a baby. A wish that seems almost impossible. If it weren't for her best friend and cousin of her late husband, Michael. When he turns her life upside down and then proposes unexpectedly, she is torn between her love for John and these new feelings for Michael.
The story itself, is very well told and it is a nice change from London to be in Scotland for a change. However, there is one thing that is dealt with more, whole chapters and that bothers me personally more.....