Customer Reviews

Splendid

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

As a longtime reader of romances, I rarely find a book which I think has a good balance of elements. This one does. The hero is in no way confused or fainthearted. He meets Emma when she is dressed as a maid and is intrigued by her, so he appears at the ball to introduce the "maid" to London society! From that point on, he is focused on the goal: make Emma his wife!

Emma is also a strong character and not a prissy miss. She is an independent American who has had experience in helping her father run his shipping business. She doesn't wait to be rescued, but comes to the aid of her cousins when they are in need.

This book is charming. It gives a wonderful picture of the times, the restrictions of society (which the hero uses to his advantage!) and most of all, humor. Life without humor is flavorless. Ms. Quinn has succeeded in showing the caring between the hero and heroine, the strong attraction they share and with humor mixed in in just the right time and proportion.

Get this book! You will read it again and again. It will bring a smile to your face and sunlight to your heart.

This book, the first of the series (Splendid, Dancing at Midnight and Minx) is witty, fast paced, charming, wonderfully written and a definite KEEPER! I read Minx first and was wonderfully surprised to find out that Splendid was the first of a trilogy. Alex is sexy and utterly male and Emma is funny and feisty. The story is true romance, with little misunderstandings and very fast paced. Julia Quinn writes so fantastic and makes you feel like you're part of the cast as well. The other characters, which you will soon meet in the other books are also great!

Another thing I like about Julia Quinn is that her characters keep coming back in her books. Check out Dunford (Minx, Dancing at Midnight and Splendid) with a small role in her book How to Marry a Marquis and Charles Wycomb, Earl of Billington (Brighter than the Sun) with a small part as well in Minx.

If you like light Regency romance you will like Splendid but be sure you have the time 'coz once you start reading this book you won't wanna put it down!

Anyway... enjoy reading Splendid!

Julia Quinn's two books, Splendid and Dancing at Midnight are going to be republished.

This is Quinn's first novel, and it shows. The lack of polish and maturity in her writing that she devlops by the Bridgerton series is why I give this book 3 stars. It is, however, worthy of the read.

The characters are fairly rote for romance, Alex is your hero, and is typically wealthy, titled, and bored with life. Emma is your heroine and is also typically wealthy, vibrant and independant. Although this book doesn't show Ms. Quinn's later flair for plot, it is an admirable job and doesn't get bogged down in too many balls or any other usual first novel quagmires. It is full of humor, and as typical of Quinn has several laugh-out-loud scenes that you have to re-read because you're laughing too hard to focus the first time through.

My only real problem with the plot is a weak villain subplot that seems like it was hastily added at the end to increase word count. The last scene with the villain could have been completely cut in my opinion, especially since he was effectively dealt with earlier in the novel.

Quinn fans who wish to complete their library will enjoy this novel, but I don't recommend it as an introduction to her work. For a reader new to Quinn, I suggest "Romancing Mr. Bridgerton" instead.

I've recently discovered Ms. Quinn and have set out to buy and read everyone of her novels. This one had me practically falling off the chair with laughter. I'm glad I was in my home as I am sure I would have caused quite a sight if I'd been reading this in public.
American Heiress meets a confirmed bachelor of a Duke. The pages just sizzle at the spontaneous combustion these two make when thrown together.
Romance just doesn't get much better than this. A truly SPLENDID read!

I will have to work on the titles for my reviews, because I do not
intend to put people off [Julia Quinn's] work. She writes...well, and
far better than the majority of her peers. She uses humor well, which
is important to me, and her characters are generally
likable.

However, I am always somewhat disappointed when I read a
Julia Quinn novel, because I know that somewhere in her she has a five
star novel... she merely has not discovered it yet.

Miss Emma
Dunster was likable. She was everything that a heroine ought to be,
and there was nothing to complain of there. Lord Alexander Ridgely was
similarily likable and capable. The story was sweet, and she wrote it
well. There was nothing original in the book, but, [she] made
the most of what she had and wrote a good book. If you like Julia
Quinn, you should read this book. If you've never read Julia Quinn,
you should read this book. There is nothing "bad" about
it.

I wistfully await her next book, in hopes that her five star
novel will come, and leave me breathless. Until then, I shall enjoy
her better than average regular novels, as should everyone else.

Emma Dunster- a young, wealthy miss from America, is sent to London to spend the Season with her relatives. Bored with being a lady, she borrows her maid's uniform and goes to the market for eggs where...she saves a young boy from being run over and meets The Duke of Ashbourne. He declares that she is not just beautiful, she is splendid (sigh). The rest I will let you discover for yourself.

This was Julia Quinn's first published romance with Avon. It is not as polished as her later works, but it still contains that fresh and witty dialogue that she is so well known for. Give it a try.

This book is a must have. Not only is the herione Emma fiesty and headstrong, she is beautiful and knows how to handle an arrogant but sexy duke! The dialogue is amazing and the story never lets you go for a second. The first in a series of books about this family. A definite win!

Julia Quinn's "Splendid" features Alex, the dashingly roguish Duke of Ashbourne and Emma, the flame-haired American beauty who captured the duke's heart and soul. I loved the way Ms. Quinn kept her characters appearing in some of the other series, like Alex, who was briefly mentioned in one of the Bridgerton books. Although, "Splendid" was published before the Bridgerton series, the story of Alex and Emma happened later than the Bridgerton stories.

Alex was determined not to fall for the American beauty whose escapades included rescuing her cousin Ned and earned her Alex's grudging respect not to mention arouse his possessive nature. This book truly entertains and delivers another Quinn classic.

Well I can't say I agree with two of the reviewers. I did like this book. Now I will admit I like her Bridgerton series a bit more, I still found this book to able to amuse me and make me forget about my day to day life,

Now in this book the heroine, Emma, is an American heiress who has come to London to enjoy a Season but she's not looking for a husband. She's just here to have some fun with her cousins. In one of capers she and her cousin Arabella dress up in maids clothes and help the cook with the meal for the party that is to happen that night. When the cook needs more eggs, Emma volunteers to get some. When Emma is on her way back she tries to save a young boy and the little dog he has run after, from the wheels of a carriage. Emma is knocked out and when she comes to she's in the carriage with the notorious rake Alexander Ridgely his sister Sophie. Alex is imediately attracted to the "maid" and has no way of knowing who she really is. When he sees her at the party that night, he decides to make her pay for her deception. They agree to be"friends" but soon find that they both desire each other to much to be mearly "friends". Both struggle with thier new found feelings.

There are some wonderful secondary characters who show up in other books. I look forward to reading Arabella's story.

All in all I found this to be a good book. It is on my "keeper shelf".I will continue to be a fan of Julia Quinn's.