On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn (audio)

Book Description:
A funny thing happened...

Unlike most men of his acquaintance, Gregory Bridgerton believes in true love. And he is convinced that when he finds the woman of his dreams, he will know in an instant that she is the one. And that is exactly what happened. Except...

She wasn’t the one. In fact, the ravishing Miss Hermione Watson is in love with another. But her best friend, the ever-practical Lady Lucinda Abernathy, wants to save Hermione from a disastrous alliance, so she offers to help Gregory win her over. But in the process, Lucy falls in love. With Gregory! Except...

Lucy is engaged. And her uncle is not inclined to let her back out of the betrothal, even once Gregory comes to his senses and realizes that it is Lucy, with her sharp wit and sunny smile, who makes his heart sing. And now, on the way to the wedding, Gregory must risk everything to ensure that when it comes time to kiss the bride, he is the only man standing at the altar...

I'm a little sad, this is the last of the Bridgerton's novels for me, there are eight of them, and I loved every one. Witty, well written, faithful to the period, you can't go wrong with them. This one is about Gregory, the youngest son who never really thought falling in love would be hard, and figured it would happen to him eventually and he'd marry and be just as happy as all of his many siblings. But, he realizes that finding Mrs. Right wasn't quite as easy as he thought. Zeroing in on the incomparable, beautiful and sought after Hermoine Watson, he imagines he is in love with her upon first sight of the back of her neck. Little does he know that it's really her best friend, ordinary (in comparison to Hermoine) Lucy Abernathy who is the one to unwittingly steal his heart.

As usual in a Julia Quinn novel, the hero and heroine are often the last to know they are in love with each other, and this romance is no exception. Although the book's prologue gives us a big clue of what happens at the end, there are plenty of twists and turns and a touching moment between Gregory and his mother, the all-knowing and ever wise, Violet Bridgerton. She knows her son so well, her darling son and youngest of the boys. *sniff* *sniff* Quinn always includes a moment between Violet and one of her sons or daughters that makes my nose get that funny feeling and a few tears in my eyes. This book was no exception.

I really liked Lucy and Gregory together, they become friends and then co-conspirators when Hermoine and Lucy's brother are caught in a compromising position. At the same time, Lucy finds out that she is going to have to finally marry the man, Lord Hazelton, who she has been affianced to for years. Unfortunately, just around this same time she is realizing that she is falling for Gregory. By this time, Gregory is fast coming to the same conclusion, especially after witnessing the downfall of Hermoine. They have a passionate moment before leaving the country house party (where this has all been taking place) of his oldest brother Anthony and wife, Kate. I really enjoyed Kate's role in this book, however brief, for I really liked her in The Viscount Who Loved Me (Anthony's story, book 2).

Once Gregory and Lucy do finally get together romantically it is all the reader can hope for. Sizzling passion, tenderness and wanting and finally completion - very well done! But, it's not over at this point, there is still the sticky matter of Lucy's impending nuptials to Lord Hazelton!

I really enjoyed this book, and the audiobook of it with Simon Prebble is fantastic, I wholeheartedly recommend it! Good-bye Bridgerton's now onto the rest of Quinn's backlist. If anyone has any suggestions for me for another series like this - please post and let me know!

4/5

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