Review: Just Like Heaven

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Honoria Smythe-Smith is:

A) a really bad violinist

B) still miffed at being nicknamed “Bug” as a child

C) not in love with her older brother’s best friend

D) all of the above

Marcus Holroyd is:

A) the Earl of Chatteris

B) regrettably prone to sprained ankles

C) not in love with his best friend’s younger sister

D) all of the above

Together they:

A) eat quite a bit of chocolate cake

B) survive a deadly fever and the world’s worst musical performance

C) fall quite desperately in love

It’s Julia Quinn at her best, so you know the answer is . . .

D) all of the above

Genre: historical romance

Publication date: March 2023

Mature content: yes

 

Review: After reading almost all the books in the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn (I still need to read Gregory's story) and hearing about the Smythe-Smith musicale events in almost every single of those books, somehow I had very high expectations for Just Like Heaven. 

And...I found myself just a little bit disappointed. 

Don't get me wrong, it's still a fun book and a very entertaining story, but some parts felt completely silly and others not all that realistic (like when Marcus states he has no idea where Honoria's brother is in Italy - bot somehow Daniel has received word that it's already safe to return to England, which means someone does know how to reach him - someone other than his family or his best friend? Somehow that didn't make any sense to me). 

 

At the end of the book, both characters seem to have found the amazingly witty dialogues Julia Quinn's books are know for. That, and the happily ever after, make Just Like Heaven worth reading, but you need to endure a few dull moments to get there. 

In any case, I'm still curious about the other books in the series and I definitely want to read them all. 

 

Happy readings,

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