Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

April - Julia Quinn

Julia Quinn is an award winning and bestselling American author of British Historical Romance. Her name is the pseudonym used by Julie Pottinger (born Julie Cotler in 1970), who says she chose her pseudonym so her Regency romances would be on bookshelves next to those of the successful romance writer Amanda Quick.

Julia was raised primarily in New England, although she spent much of her time in California after her parents divorced. Even as a small child she devoured books. Her father disagreed with her choices of reading material, Sweet Dreams and the Sweet Valley High books, and told her she could keep reading them only if she could prove that they were good for her. She promptly told him that she was studying them in order to write one herself. Challenged to prove that she meant her statement, she sat down at their early computer and wrote her first two chapters. After finishing her novel three years later, she submitted it to Sweet Dreams, but was rejected.

After graduating Harvard with a degree in Art History, Julia decided that she wanted to become a doctor, so she spent another two years taking science classes to fulfill the medical school prerequisites. To occupy herself during the long days of studying science, she began to write light-hearted Regency romance novels. After she was accepted to medical school but before she started her classes, her first two novels, Splendid and Dancing at Midnight, were sold at auction, and Julia decided to delay medical school for two years to concentrate on her writing. Both books were published in 1995. She finally entered Yale School of Medicine, but after only a few short months of studying medicine she realized that she preferred writing to dissections. She left medical school and devoted herself full-time to her writing.

Her books appear regularly on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, and have been translated into more than 25 languages. She has won multiple awards, including winning the Romance Writers of America RITA Award three out of four years, from 2007 through 2010. This stretch culminated in her being the youngest writer ever inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame in 2010.

Julia and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest area of the United States.

Julia Quinn's GR page is here: Julia Quinn


Challenge Task: Read one book written by our featured author, Julia Quinn.
Challenge Duration: The whole month of April.

To sign up:
Post your interest and the book you are planning to read.

You must also signify if you are:
A - I'm a big fan! I'm excited to read another of her books.
B - Familiar with her work, and wouldn't mind reading her again.
C - Totally new to this author. Will see how I like it.
D - Didn't like the last one I've read, but willing to give it another chance.

To complete:
Post the date when you've completed your book.

You must also say if, after reading:
A - would definitely look at her other books, since I've enjoyed this one very much.
B - could take it or leave it. Was not an unpleasant experience but I'm not burning rubber to get to her other books.
C - Oh well, I tried. Definitely not my cup of tea.

A little review of the book read is welcomed but not required.

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I'm an A and going to read (or rather listen to) The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy

I'm an A and I am going to listen to The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy too!

MountainKat wrote: "I'm an A and I am going to listen to The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy too!"

Me too! :D

I am C and I am going to read

Totally an A!

Can't decide yet if I want to read The Sum of All Kisses or Because of Miss Bridgerton.

Karen and MK - you guys up for a Secrets of Sir Richard buddy listen?

Dee wrote: "Karen and MK - you guys up for a Secrets of Sir Richard buddy listen?"

Maybe Dee, I'm not sure. Most of my reading during the PtP is scheduled around that, so sometimes it's hard to plan something like a buddy read. We'll have to see how things go.

I am an A.

I would like to read

Dee wrote: "Karen and MK - you guys up for a Secrets of Sir Richard buddy listen?"

If we can get the schedule worked out - sure! We could just open a thread and do it like the group buddy read. We can each read it when we can and use spoiler tags in the thread if needed. =)

I'm an A and I'm going to go with !

I'm definitely an A. I'm going to read

Hi everyone. I am a B and I will read It's In HIs Kiss

I am a B and I am going to read .

I'm an A - I won the Goodreads Giveaway for Because of Miss Bridgerton and finished it within a few days of delivery:)

I have The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy on my Nook that I will read.

I'm an A

I have one Bridgerton novel left to read, so I will read it this month.


On the Way to the Wedding

MountainKat wrote: "Dee wrote: "Karen and MK - you guys up for a Secrets of Sir Richard buddy listen?"

If we can get the schedule worked out - sure! We could just open a thread and do it like the group buddy read. We..."

i'm probably going to do it early-ish in the month

I'm probably a B - Loved a lot of her Bridgerton series but was only lukewarm on the Smythe-Smith Quartet.

I'm going to read her latest

I'm in. I'm an A and I'll be reading

Challenge Task: Read one book written by our featured author, Julia Quinn.
Challenge Duration: The whole month of April.

I'm in. I am a C- Totally new to this author. I plan on reading

I'm in. I'm an A and I'm going to read

Dee wrote: "i'm probably going to do it early-ish in the month"

Isn't it great when you miss a notification... I usually do too, so chances are good. I like to check a challenge off early! =P I'll open a thread tomorrow.

I'm an A, I already read most of her books. I planned to read The Lost Duke of Wyndham and I did finish reading it on 04/02 still an A and I would most likely read the other book in the series.

I finished 4/14

I have read most of her others or I would be an A (burning to get to her other books).

Subjectively, if I were to compare this book to her other books, I would review it as a 4 star book. The main characters were exquisitely drawn but the plot, the first half of the book, did not match the development of the characters. When the plot did pick up, however, it was a terrific story that unfolded well. Both Billie and George experience wonderful moments of self-realization and acceptance about themselves and each other that Quinn articulates well. I really love both the friends-to-lovers and the loathing-to-loving type of relationship development, which is well done here and probably why I ended the book thinking it a 4 star read.

Finished - I'm still a B reader. It has some nice touches but still not on the level of some of the middle Bridgerton books which were 4.5 -5 star. The first half dragged a little although the ending was strong. And a good set up for the next book.

3.5 stars.

MountainKat wrote: "Dee wrote: "i'm probably going to do it early-ish in the month"

Isn't it great when you miss a notification... I usually do too, so chances are good. I like to check a challenge off early! =P I'll..."

Ugh! I'm so sorry, I got distracted with wedding stuff and family and never opened a thread. I did finish listening to this last weekend, I can still open one - or we can discuss here. Let me know!

Either way, I enjoyed it, but it wasn't my favorite of the series. The narration was wonderful though! I started an A and I finish as an A. =)

MountainKat wrote: "Ugh! I'm so sorry, I got distracted with wedding stuff and family and never opened a thread. I did finish listening to this last weekend, I can still open one - or we can discuss here. Let me know!

Either way, I enjoyed it, but it wasn't my favorite of the series. The narration was wonderful though! I started an A and I finish as an A. =) "

I just finished it too...as I thought I might I got caught up in the PtP themes, and it worked for this week! I'd be happy to discuss though, if you're still planning on reading it, Dee!

I'm with you, Kat...not my favorite, but I still enjoyed it. Overall I'm still a solid A for the author, though!

Shelby wrote: "I'm an A and I'm going to go with !"

All finished and still an A. It was fun to start the Smythe-Smith series since I remember their musicale's from the Bridgerton series. :D

I didn't post before hand, but I'm an A.

I finished The Duke and I on 4/16/16. It was excellent, so I'm still an A.

I read Because of Miss Bridgerton and while enjoyable....I really struggled with liking Billie. I thought she was kind of childishly selfish. She was CLEARLY right and everyone else was wrong about everything and there was absolutely no other possible option. Ever. Under any circumstances. And I don't feel like she grew out of that enough by the end, though there was some progress. That said...I did love the bickering between her and George, and the awkward flirting. And I just loved George. It was interesting to read about a lord who was frustrated with his lot in life, who didn't also completely reject it out of hand.

So basically started an A, and am staying an A.

I finished last week. As others have said, I enjoyed it but it wasn't my favorite Julia Quinn. But that's a pretty tall order so don't read too much into that. This book was a fun comfort read type of book. I love the way JQ writes families.

I started as an A and I end as an A.

Finished . This was probably my least favorite so far. I loved it all the way up until Benedict finds out and then he annoyed me. But I will continue reading the series so I started as a B and will end as a B.