To Sir Phillip, With Love [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Julia Quinn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2, 2003

A New York Times Bestseller

Sir Phillip knew that Eloise Bridgerton was a spinster, and so he'd proposed, figuring that she'd be homely and unassuming, and more than a little desperate for an offer of marriage. Except . . . she wasn't. The beautiful woman on his doorstep was anything but quiet and when she stopped talking long enough to close her mouth all he wanted to do was kiss her . . . and more.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After reading this superb post-Regency-era romance, the fifth in Quinn's Bridgerton siblings series, it's easy to see why the author's previous book, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, landed on RWA's Top 10 Favorite Books of 2002 list. Quinn is a consummate storyteller. Her prose is spry and assured, and she excels at creating indelible characters like chatty Eloise Bridgerton and Sir Phillip Crane, the protagonists of this unconventional effort. The novel opens as Eloise, a 28-year-old "spinster," flees London to visit her secret pen pal, Phillip, a troubled botanist and widower. The two plan to see if they are compatible, but Eloise's hopes plummet when she discovers that Phillip is not the romantic charmer of her dreams, but a grumpy father of twins. She agrees to remain for a fortnight, however, and as she interacts with him and his unruly children, she learns that he has a good heart, even if he is an emotionally distant father. Weighty issues such as abuse and discipline threaten to overshadow their relationship at times, but Eloise's sunny disposition brightens the novel, as does the arrival of her four brothers. Quinn's characters possess endearing quirks and flaws, and their easy banter is loaded with wit and warmth. Indeed, readers will likely find themselves rereading certain passages-if not the entire book-in order to prolong their connection to this charismatic clan.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

About the Author

Julia Quinn started writing her first book one month after finishing college and has been tapping away at her keyboard ever since.

The New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one novels for Avon Books, she is a graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges and lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 429 pages
• Publisher: Wheeler Publishing; 1 edition (December 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587245361
• ISBN-13: 978-1587245367
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (122 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,966,149 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Julia Quinn started writing her first book one month after finishing college and has been tapping away at her keyboard ever since.

The New York Times bestselling author of nineteen novels for Avon Books, she is a graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges and lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Human Characters; Great Reading, March 19, 2005

By 

E. Lynch "romance book fanatic" (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: To Sir Phillip, With Love (Bridgerton Series, Book 5) (Mass Market Paperback)

Hmmm, I am surprised by some of the negative reviews. I found the characters very human and likeable. My views were not based on knowing Eloise from other Bridgerton books since I have only read one other (Colin's story). That may be why I liked Eloise better than some reviewers.

Sir Phillip was a man who ran away from his problems by burying himself in botany experiments. He had learned to cope with a severely depressed wife and seemingly untamable children by retreating into himself and his greenhouse. Phillip had no foundation of good parental behavior. He thought himself a bad father but didn't try to change. He felt the best way to handle the situation after his wife's death was to find the best mother. Maybe not ok by today's standards but it needs to be examined under the early 1800's standards where his thinking and reactions were quite normal.

Eloise felt restless. Her friends were marrying and she had no prospects that interested her. A quick note to the widowed husband of her cousin led to a year of letters and an unusual proposal of marriage. The letters in the beginning of each chapter gave me a wonderful portrait of her soul. I loved that touch! I wish we had been privy to more of the letters between Phillip and Eloise - more people might have found Phillip likeable. Eloise hastily runs off to meet this "perfect" man and finds that not only is he not perfect, there are a few things he neglected to tell her - especially the 8 year old (boy and girl) twins! But he is passionate and seduced by his kisses she begins to decide they will suit each other.

Then the Bridgerton brothers converge on the scene after a week. There are funny situations with the brothers that made me laugh out loud. They also insist on a hasty wedding and Eloise and Phillip do not begin marriage on a good footing. Trouble with the children gets worse, Phillip retreats into himself and Eloise tries to fix everything in her dominating way. Can it work out in the end or are they doomed to passion but not love? (They do get along fine in the bedroom and I loved the sensuality of this novel).

I enjoyed every aspect of this novel. The characters including the children and even the horrible nurse all add a dimension of reality. These are not cookie-cutter perfect people that you may find in other novels. There were real problems to be resolved and I was sorry to see the book come to an end.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another Wonderful Book by Julia Quinn, June 24, 2003

By 

LeeAnn (Frederick, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Sir Phillip, With Love (Bridgerton Series, Book 5) (Mass Market Paperback)

I was absolutely delighted with this latest book by Julia Quinn. I thought that her writing style was very similiar to those of her earlier books and the plot idea was also reminiscent of those in originality. My local bookstore called me yesterday and said it was in and unfortunately, it was finished by midnight last night! Now I have to wait until August to read a new Julia Quinn!

Plus - for all of you who love the Bridgerton Brothers - there is an absolutely wonderful scene with all four of them that I laughed out loud while reading!

This was a great book that is more than worth the cover price! Thanks a bunch, Julia!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoy The Bridgerton Experience!, July 25, 2003

By 

M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: To Sir Phillip, With Love (Bridgerton Series, Book 5) (Mass Market Paperback)

Miss Eloise Bridgerton at eight and twenty - she wasn't looking for someone perfect - just perfect for her! She didn't think herself beautiful, attractive but she was a Bridgerton after all, but most people liked her because she was nice. She was a wonderful correspondent and spent hours writing letters, birthday greetings, get well notes, etc. On the occasion of hearing of her cousins death she sent along a condolence letter to the bereaved husband, Sir Phillip Crane who in response to that note not only replied with a thank you but sent her a pressed flower in remembrance, and, so began a year long `secret' pen pal correspondence.

Sir Phillip, was a quiet man, a botanist - who while not happy - seemed to find some comfort in his work in his greenhouse. He had two children that he needed to find a mother for and knowing that Eloise Bridgerton was a spinster and more than likely homely and unassuming he would send a note along inquiring that they meet to see if they might not `suit'. However, he was in no way prepared to find a beautiful young woman, unescorted, in the early morning standing on his doorstep - a woman with cool gray eyes he could have drowned in! As Eloise charged through the next couple of days, she found that Sir Phillip wasn't exactly perfect - he needed a lot of work - but there was something about him that she would find was perfect for her!

What Julia Quinn has done, my dear reader, is to draw you in with her exquisite characterizations of this remarkable family so that you cannot help yourself but smile. From the moment you pick up the book to the very end you will find yourself on an emotional roller coaster of feelings as if you were living the story rather than a casual observer. I have followed the Bridgerton family chronicles since the very beginning with THE DUKE AND I, and each individual book has been placed on my keeper shelf where this one is sure to follow along with anything else this extremely gifted and talented author deems to write. While you could pick up any of the series as stand alone books, for pure enjoyment - buy them all and enjoy the Bridgerton loving family experience!