Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend's brother for...well, it feels like forever. After half a lifetime of watching Colin Bridgerton from afar, she thinks she knows everything about him, until she stumbles across his deepest secret...and fears she doesn't know him at all.

Colin Bridgerton is tired of being thought nothing but an empty-headed charmer, tired of everyone's preoccupation with the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown, who can't seem to publish an edition without mentioning him in the first paragraph. But when Colin returns to London from a trop aboard he discovers nothing in his life is quite the same especially Penelope Featherington! The girl haunting his dreams. But when he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide...is she his biggest threat — or his promise of a happy ending?

In the previous books, Lady Whistledown mentions Penelope in her columns. Penelope's mom makes her wear awful dresses that just don't flatter Penelope.

In An Offer From a Gentleman, Colin says how he won't marry Penelope. Well, she happens to over hear Colin's remark. Penelope has been in love with Colin for a long time and she's crushed. But she handles the situation very well.

Colin is seen as the charmer, happy go lucky type guy. But secretly, he's tired that everyone thinks that's all he is. Anthony has the title, Benedict is now a reowned artist. So Colin wants something to show he's accomplished something.

Penelope is 28 and now considered a spinster. But she is now allow to choose her own dresses. Her mother picked out yellow, because it's a happy color. Never mind it made Penelope look horrible. Her mother has basically given up Penelope will ever marry. Actually, I don't think she ever thought Penelope had a chance. Penelope is a wallflower and no one really notices Penelope.
I like this book because we Colin actually see's Penelope as something than just Eloise's friend. More than the shy wall flower. He sees Penelope: a funny, clever, beautiful girl. Penelope also discovers a little something about Colin.

I like how Colin goes to Daphne about "How does one know it's love." I thought it was rather sweet. I liked how Penelope fell on face when Colin proposed. I loved how Colin was ready to stand by Penelope and protect her. I wanted to hug Penelope when her mom thought Colin wanted to marry her younger sister. I wanted to hug Colin when he asked Penelope's mom why he'd want to marry the younger sister.

One of the other major plot lines is Lady Danbury's challenge to unmask Lady Whistledown. So we here alot of "Who do you think it is?" I think how she was finally unmasked was a great scene. Who is it? You'll have to read the books. :)

Grade: B+

The Duke and I
The Viscount Who Loved Me
An Offer From A Gentleman
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton
To Sir Phillip, With Love
When He Was Wicked
It's In His Kiss
On the Way to the Wedding