To Sir Phillip with Love by Julia Quinn

The fifth installment in Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series continues to have it’s usual wit and charm and unexpected depth. The reader is taken on a delightful journey through the lives of two seemingly mismatched individuals who find love in the most unexpected of circumstances.

Being a fan of the series on netflix, I started reading this with high expectations. Who doesn’t like some good old fashioned flirting via mail? However I was slightly disappointed in Sir Philip for his inability to understand that Marina wasn’t just sad (possible depression to losing her betrothed and then maybe ppd?), or his obsession with wanting a wife who would smile and laugh. He wants to hear a woman’s laugh, what did he do to make his wife laugh? What I saw as a flaw did go to make up the character arc, where by the end he was a much more appealing man.

It was at first hard to overlook how Eloise found her letters with Philip ‘thrilling from the first’, even though she had just reached out to convey her condolences for the passing of her cousin…his wife.

That aside, there was something very sweet and akin to online dating about their correspondence. It was sad how in wanting to be different to his own father, Philip still managed to be a poor parent to his own chicldren.

It was very refreshing to see that Eloise stays true to her character, spirited and independet. Quinn handled Eloise’s feelings about expressing her loss of her two best friends, Penelope and Colin, quite well encompassig the happines and the envy and sadness for herself.

Overall it is a light and pleasant read, with the characters going through growth and change which is satisfying to follow. It was also very fitting for Eloise to have an out of the ordinary storyline, only she would take the standard and flip it around in this manner. Definitely a book that will leave readers laughing, satisfied and looking forward to the next installment.

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