It's In His Kiss by Julia Quinn | Review

Series: Bridgertons, #7
Traits & Tropes: friends to lovers; swoonworthy; reformed rake
Genre/Setting: Historical; Regency; London, England, 1825
Publication Date: 06.28.05
Heat Level: 3.5/5
Rating: 5 stars!

Since his late brother’s tragic death, Gareth St. Clair has become the heir to his father’s barony.  Even worse, his father hates him and is determined to leave him with nothing but debts.  But Gareth did receive his grandmother’s diary from his late brother and there’s the slightest chance of it containing helpful information.  However, the diary happens to be written in Italian, so he’ll need some help with the translation.

Hyacinth Bridgerton has established herself as an original amongst the ton.  She’s intelligent and not afraid to speak her mind and Gareth handles her best in small amounts.  Somehow Gareth finds himself intrigued by her and seeking her out, and not just to translate the diary.  In fact, as they spend more time together, Gareth and Hyacinth begin to realize they may actually be just what the other needs.

This was a bit of a dark horse for me in the Bridgerton series.  Hyacinth wasn’t one of my favorite characters to this point, in fact I found her to be a bit annoying, but I wound up loving her once I got to know her in this book.  So many facets of her personality resonated with me on such a personal level that I couldn’t help but cheer for her.  I’m always a sucker for the heroes who don’t really know love and Gareth was excellent.  He was so lonely with his grandmother as his only real family in the world and their bond, as well as that lady’s relationship with Hyacinth, was lovely.  Gareth wound up being completely swoonworthy and I loved the relationship development between him and Hyacinth and his determination to make his own family with her.  I was also thoroughly charmed by Gareth’s exasperation with Hyacinth at times and hers with him.  This dynamic was so genuine and true to life and I loved reading that in a romance.  I read romance to escape, of course, but I do love it when I find characters who are real in this way and don’t get along perfectly every second, but always love each other even when things aren’t novel perfect.  I enjoyed this book more than I expected to and I think it must now be named as one of my favorites of the series, at least third, possibly second, out of the series so far.