wyvernfriend
Written on Jul 4, 2016
The final book in the Smythe-Smiths Quartet, a dazzlingly witty series by the bestselling author of Bridgerton.
Sir Richard Kenworthy has less than a month to find a bride . . . He knows he can't be too picky, but when he sees Iris Smythe-Smith hiding behind her cello at her family's infamous musicale, he thinks he might have struck gold. She's the type of girl you don't notice until the second-or third-look, but there's something about her, something simmering under the surface, and he knows she's the one.
Iris Smythe-Smith is used to being underestimated. With her pale hair and quiet, sly wit she tends to blend into the background, and she likes it that way. So when Richard Kenworthy demands an introduction, she is suspicious. He flirts, he charms, he gives every impression of a man falling in love, but she can't quite believe it's all true. When when he proposes, she feels certain that he's hiding something . . . even as her heart tells her to say yes.
Find out why readers love Julia Quinn . . .
'Light, pacy and full of feisty heroines' Guardian on the Bridgerton series
'Julia Quinn's Bridgerton books take all of the classic tropes we know and love . . . and gives them a thoroughly modern twist. I can't focus on anything else' Stylist
'Quinn is a master of historical romance' Entertainment Weekly
'A smart, funny touch' Time Magazine
- ISBN10 0748133895
- ISBN13 9780748133895
- Publish Date 27 January 2015
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
- Imprint Piatkus Books
- Edition Digital original
- Format eBook (EPUB)
- Pages 384
- Language English
Reviews
Amanda
Written on Feb 5, 2015
The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy takes a different... tone (for lack of a better word) than previous JQ books. There's still humor -- and the beginning of the book showcases this perfectly -- but it's muted, especially later on. Because RICHARD!
Anyway. Richard has secrets. And, like Iris, we don't know what they are until he chooses to reveal them. Which takes, approximately, forever. (Though maybe that's because I wanted to know RIGHT THAT VERY MOMENT and we're forced to wait. And wait. And wait some more.) It was GOOD. Well, his secrets weren't good, exactly, but they were good in that I wasn't able to guess the full extent of them. AND I LIKE THAT.
Sooooo. Normally I don't like when characters hold BIG SECRETS back from us, and Richard's secrets are a bit of a doozy, but JQ manages to make him care enough for Iris that we never completely, totally, 100% feel like he's the douchiest of douches. He's very aware of the situation.
As for Iris, she was awesome. For Richard, for his sisters, for everything. I only wish I had more time with her and them. Though I'm not sure if that's because I read this book in bits and pieces over a couple days (not my usual MO) or because I JUST WANT ALL THE JQ! It's probably more the latter.
Cocktails and Books
Written on Feb 2, 2015
I have hat a long standing love affair with Julia Quinn books. Turner, from The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheevers can still get me teary-eyed during his conversation with her newborn daughter and Colin Bridgerton, in any JQ book is my favorite hero. When I know a new JQ book is coming out, I become giddy with anticipation on what lies in the pages. So it saddens me to have not loved THE SECRETS OF SIR RICHARD KENWORTHY, the final book in the Smythe-Smith Quartet.
I liked Richard and Iris together. He may have had his plan in mind when he picked Iris, but I'd also like to think subconsciously he knew she was the woman for him. But their relationship lacked something. I know the weight of the secret Richard was carrying around was partly why he held part of himself back from Iris. But it felt like such a huge disservice to this couple. At times it seemed like Iris was nothing more than a lap dog to the Kenworthy family, since she was forced into Richard's little plan. I wanted her to stand up for herself. Not cave into Richard. To me, it shouldn't have taken a conversation with her youngest sister-in-law to finally snap out of it and gain some ground in her marriage.
The highlight of the book were the Pleinsworth cousins and their lovely showcase. While not quite as funny as other iterations of the cousins working on their play, it did have me laughing out loud...especially the unicorn with Henry VIII.
For any Julia Quinn fan, this is still a must read.
Rowena
Written on Dec 8, 2014