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Disappointed...Just OK
“I am most definitely a Julia Quinn fan. I love her Bridgerton series. But Hyacinth's story was boring....and the ending unbelievably disappointing. NOT a "must read".”
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-07-04. -
Mixed feelings on this one...
“I tried real hard not to compare "It's In His Kiss" to "When He Was Wicked" because there has never been another novel (in my opinion) to compare with that one. But this one stood on its own and kept me entertained throughout. "It's In His Kiss" is a romantic and comical read, and definitely worth the time and money.”
An amazon user wrote this on 2008-11-18. -
0 of 1 members found this review helpful.
Absolutely Awful
“I bought this book at Walden Books it was reduced to $5.99 with 50% off of that price. Now I know why it was so cheap, its just that bad. The characters are weak, the hero trys to be strong but is a wimp. The strongest character is his grandmother. The romance scenes are terrible, I actually finished this in a couple hours, because I skipped ahead in the hopes that it would get better, no such luck. Don't waste your money and this author sucks.”
An amazon user wrote this on 2008-10-13. -
Seventh in the Bridgerton series
“Julia Quinn has a light and chatty writing style which, although initially charming, has now begun to grate on me. 'It's In His Kiss' is the seventh in her Bridgerton series and, for this reader at least, that particular series has become rather tired. Although this book doesn't refer very often to other members of the family apart from Hyacinth Bridgerton's mother, and so consequently can be read and understood by those who haven't read any of the previous books, it feels like a rather dull younger sister, as if the author has run out of steam a little.
An amazon user wrote this on 2008-08-28.
Hyacinth Bridgerton is unmarried at twenty two years old and seems to be getting less attention from possible suitors as time goes on. When the rake Gareth St Clair talks to her she finds him interesting and Gareth is surprised to discover that Hyacinth has much more to her than most of the society women he meets. With Gareth's grandmother Lady Danbury encouraging Hyacinth and Gareth to spend time together, Gareth begins to see possibilities of a future with Hyacinth. But will the rift with his father mean that a spanner is thrown into the works and will he be able to secure Hyacinth's commitment to him before she discovers he's not quite who she thought he was?
There's a subplot in this story of a search from some hidden treasure which worked reasonably but which was also rather unlikely. The vast majority of the book is made up of 'sportive' conversations between Hyacinth and Gareth. The dialogue reads like the dialogue in every other Julia Quinn novel and, having read a Mary Balogh novel before this one, this reader found that it no longer provides enjoyment. Yes, these are lighthearted novels, but they are so full of dialogue and behavioural inaccuracies that they irritate me. When compared to the quality writing and deep characterisation of a Mary Balogh novel this one felt far too lightweight. I didn't feel entirely convinced by any of the main characters, particularly of the future fidelity of Gareth, and the overall plot was rather too thin for this reader.” -
1 of 4 members found this review helpful.
Three and a half puffs of meringue.
“If I were to compare this book to a cookie recipe, I would call it a forgotten cookie. You know what those are, don't you? Little puffs of meringue that you cook in a very low heat oven and then turn the heat off and forget them until they dry out and become firm, usually overnight.
An amazon user wrote this on 2008-08-03.
I was just fascinated to read of all the high expectations unfulfilled and disappointments expressed regarding this book. Thankfully I didn't read the reviews until I had finished the book. I wonder if Julia Quinn has ever gotten over all the uncomplimentary things reviewers have expressed about this book. Really, it just wasn't deserving of all that hard feeling. Was it the best book in the Bridgerton series, probably not. Was it the worst historical romance book I've ever read, positively not. I think we as readers hold our favorite authors to a standard which we would never be able to achieve ourselves and then are disappointed when they prove their mortality.
Now, about the book. Since there are something like 97 other reviews already written I think I can move along rather rapidly here. Hyacinth Bridgerton is the youngest of the eight Bridgerton children. She has been somewhat spoiled (oh, well, she has been very spoiled) and allowed to be rather eccentric for a young woman of a prominent family in the top of London society. She is noted for her quick wit, her fearless nature and her high intellect. Now here I must confess Ms Quinn fell down quite painfully. Never, not once, did I see any evidence of Hyacinth being intelligent. Mouthy, yes. Stubborn, yes. Daring, yes. Intelligent, no. She takes on the task of doing the translation of a diary written entirely in Italian and yet admits (to herself) that she can't do the job perfectly because she doesn't actually speak Italian fluently. She fooled some of the people some of the time, but....ultimately she didn't fool the readers. I never read one "intelligent" conversation which Hyacinth engaged in with anyone. I think Ms Quinn mixed up wit with intellect.
Gareth St. Clair is the hero of the piece and comes off as being much more fully developed than Hyacinth. He had a reason for his angst. He didn't do a very honorable thing when he set out to compromise Hyacinth in order to ensure her marriage to him but at least he had a reason for doing it. Ms Quinn wrote him as a rake, she had to make him do something rake-like. Otherwise, he was just too much of a sympathetic character so he needed something to put his character into character.
I don't think this book is the best in the Bridgerton series but I'm going to cut this author some slack. Whoever made the decision to have eight siblings and write a story for each one must have begun to rue the day quite quickly. By the time she got around to Hyacinth I think she had just run out of steam. If we are disappointed in this book, that's a shame, but she didn't commit any criminal act and it was my choice to buy the book and read it. I don't think I would ever recommend this book as anything except a continuation toward the end of the Bridgerton saga. I do find myself in agreement about the Epilogue. That girl child of Hyacinth's is portrayed (in just a few short lines) as not being a very nice child. Much, much more time needed to be spent on planning and executing that Epilogue. It was very much not to my liking. ”
