Throwback Thursday featuring Julia Quinn's Romancing Mr. Bridgerton

Here is a book that's very close to my heart. It's the first historical romance novel that I ever bought - at a small bookshop in Ghana, of all places. After reading it I immediately googled who Julia Quinn was and what other books she'd written, only to discover that historical romance was an actual genre (I had no idea) with so many wonderful authors that I would later have the pleasure of meeting in person.
But Romancing Mr. Bridgerton is the book that encouraged me to give writing a historical romance novel of my own a shot. I loved Quinn's style and sense of humor.
Last year, when I traveled to Dallas for RWA, I took that first copy I'd bought with me and asked her to sign it - which she did, so yay!!!
If you haven't read it, please do - it's a delightful novel - though I would suggest starting with the first books in the series since this one does have a big reveal in it :)

On the sixth of April, in the year 1812 - precisely two days before her sixteenth birthday - Penelope Featherington fell in love. But Colin Bridgerton certainly didn't fall in love with her in 1812 (and not in 1813, 1814, 1815, or - oh blast, not in all the years 1816-1822, either, and certainly not in 1823, when he was out of the country the whole time, anyway..' Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend's brother forwell, 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 secretand fears she doesn't know him at all.
Colin Bridgerton is tired of being thought of as 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 trip abroard 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 decideis she his biggest threat - or his promise of a happy ending?

Visit Julia Quinn Online

Celebrating #8WeeksOfBridgertons

Celebrating #8WeeksOfBridgertons with one of the most memorable romance families of all time.

When Julia Quinn invited me to pick my favorite Bridgerton novel, there was no doubt in my mind about which to choose. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton will always be the most significant romance novel I own. It changed my life in a very surprising way, by opening my eyes to the possibilities of romance writing. Below is a quote from a scene that I’ll never forget – the one in which Colin finds Penelope looking at his journal without his permission:

~ He threw the leather-bound book carelessly onto a nearby chair and crossed his arms. "And do you make a habit of reading the personal letters of others?"

"No, of course not. But it was open and—" She gulped, recognizing how awful the excuse sounded the second the words left her lips. "It's a public room," she mumbled, somehow feeling like she had to finish her defense. "Maybe you should have taken it with you."

"Where I went," he ground out, still visibly furious with her, "one doesn't ordinarily take a book."

"It's not very big," she said, wondering why why why she was still talking when she was so clearly in the wrong.

"For the love of God," he exploded. "Do you want me to say the word chamberpot in your presence?" ~

What's your favorite Bridgerton scene?