Brighter Than the Sun by Julia Quinn

So this whole idea of retro reviews started because of this book. Sybil is talking to Julia Quinn this week (I don’t remember which day) and she suggested I review this book. I think it was something along the lines of “You should talk about that one book that you lurve. Really.” I’m not ashamed to say I’m a JQ fangirl, and this is my favorite book by her. If I had to pick a favorite book period, it would most likely be this one. And here’s why, with SPOILERS.

I love the H/H dynamic in the story. Charles Wycombe, the Earl of Billington, is a charming, friendly guy. And he’s in dire straits, which could drive some people to do desperate things. Charles doesn’t know what to do really, so he gets drunk. And falls out of a tree almost on top of Eleanor Lyndon. Charles needs a wife, fast, and he thinks Eleanor seems to fit the bill rather well. Especially since she doesn’t get hysterical when he falls out of a tree at her feet.

For some reason I relate to Eleanor all to well. She’s a vicar’s daughter and a spinster (no, that’s not what I relate to). What I relate to is her spunk. She’s witty, always has a come back and is not afraid to take what falls at her feet. Even if he is a drunk nobleman.

By the time Eleanor walks Charles back to town, he’s proposed and she’s dropped him several times. He’s got a sprained ankle and is three sheets to the wind, so his balance is off. Eleanor decides to marry Charles because, well he is honest about why he needs to marry (to keep his estates and wealth in the family due to a stipulation in his controlling father’s will) and she’s got a future step-mother that wants to turn her into a chimney sweep. She’s a practical sort, doesn’t have many options for supporting herself (even though she invests in the Exchange) and knows Charles may just have what it takes to make her happy in the end.

The action takes place in the country instead of London, and there’s lots of interaction between the main characters. Charles, by his charm, shows that he’s a rake, but he also genuinely cares for those around him and shows Ellie he can be a wonderful husband, both in and out of the bedroom. Before they marry, Ellie makes him promise to wait until she’s ready before they do the dirty deed.

Charles and Ellie have some great chemistry too, even though they suffer quite a few mishaps. Ellie cooks stew and someone over salts it, Charles falls down a ladder, there’s a stray gunshot, Ellie gets burned by exploding jam, Ellie gets poisoned and there’s a kidnapping. Half of the mishaps are caused by Charles’ young cousin (who wanted Charles to wait for her), who Ellie befriends after the jam incident. The other half are caused by Charles’ cousin Cecil, who wants the title and money Charles has.

Though I know it is a bit slapstick with all the things that go wrong, there’s more than just humor that makes this book so great for me. The characters, the love story and how the problems are dealt with make the story realistic and relatable on lots of different levels. Even though this is a companion book to Everything and the Moon (with Ellie’s sister Victoria), it can easily stand on it’s own. Charles is mentioned in Minx, but it’s more of JQ liking to mention and reuse characters rather than being part of two series.

Hmm. . .I think I need to go reread this one. . .after writing this review, I just know that I’m going to enjoy it all over again.