There are few writers where I will auto-buy their work. Julia Quinn is one of those, and I was so thrilled to read her latest release. I will state that while I liked her prior book, I didn’t love it. Still, even Quinn’s worst is better than most writers’ best.
I’m here to tell you that Julia Quinn’s The Girl With The Make Believe Husband is not middle of the pack.
I fell head over heels for this book, completely and in every way. I am willing to admit that it’s probably because this book hit on all my favorite things. Both hero and heroine are still English and bound by English rules and mores, but they’re in Colonial America (!!!). Anything involving redcoats is my favorite thing, especially if there are cannons involved (there aren’t in this book, but I forgive it). The story starts in a hospital that reminds me quite a lot of one of my favorite Louisa May Alcott pieces, Hospital Sketches.
The heroine has a great reason for lying to the hero, and he’s just so sweetly happy to be married to her. I think that was really my favorite part of the book, is how he wakes up to find himself “married” and is completely pleased. They’ve been trading letters through her brother for ages, and they’re half in love with each other already.
It’s obvious that the fact they’re not really married causes issues between the two of them later, but there’s also a mystery here that I won’t say anything about except that it’s also very well done. Between all the good stuff I love as far as setting, the book itself has a solid and believable plot that is well paced. The hero is very male but not forcefully, alpha so.
I would 100% recommend this book as one of Quinn’s best. I know this is one I’ll be re-reading a thousand times over and over. There really isn’t anything not to like here, with Quinn’s always great writing and the way she brings the colonies to life. Perfect for taking on vacation, too, if you happen to be looking for something like that this late in the season.
As always, happy reading!
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