TEST
A DIKlassic review!
(originally published on January 25, 1997)
Splendid is a splendidly, witty, wicked, and sexy read. I liken Splendid to Seinfeld. Just as Jerry, Kramer, Elaine, and George can spend a half hour entertaining us while doing essentially nothing, Julia Quinn”s debut novel is a delightful romp with very little in the way of story-line. There’s a touch of I Love Lucy thrown in for good measure, and some steamy love scenes. But there”s not much to get in the way of the romance between surprisingly well-adjusted characters and their non-dysfunctional ways.
Julia Quinn”s debut romance relates the tale of American heiress Emma Dunster and Alexander Ridgely, the Duke of Ashbourne. She is a feisty, red-haired beauty whose American sensibilities are like a breath of fresh air in Regency London. He is a green-eyed, dark-haired rake with a reputation as an incredible lover.
They meet when he mistakes her for a maid and steals a kiss. When he discovers his mistake, his decision to teach her a lesson starts us on a mad-cap series of interludes that will have you laughing out loud at one moment and needing a cold shower in the next. There is one scene in particular that had me grabbing a box of Depends. I”ve read it several times and it never fails to bring on hysterical laughter. If you can read the dinner scene and keep a straight face, you must be dead.
Julia Quinn”s flair for dialogue is apparent, although sticklers of historical accuracy might have trouble getting past the ”90”s vernacular. And, those that require meaty plot-lines might not appreciate the lack of action here. But this reviewer was never bored. How could I be? I was too busy laughing and fanning myself!
What a breath of fresh air to read a book in which the hero is not particularly tortured! There is no major conflict going on, although Emma certainly does involve herself in several scrapes that require the intervention of her harried hero. Without plot, without conflict, what does this book offer, you ask?
- The growing relationship between Emma and Alex, which starts out at a fevered pitch as it is, and continues to grow and grow
- An incredible friendship between Emma and her beautiful cousin Belle that is better than any other friendship between women I have read in a romance
- A delightfully platonic friendship between Emma and man-about-town Dunford (who finally gets a story of his own in Minx)
- The funnily scheming and plotting relatives of both Alex and Emma who just know these two belong with each other
While there is no intense conflict here, Emma and Alex are involved in one major misunderstanding, which involves Emma in a pair of breeches, tree-climbing at night, and some collusion between Alex and the plotting relatives to purposely “ruin” Emma and force her to marry Alex. All of this is hilariously handled, and includes a very sexy love scene to boot!
Best of all, this book is filled (mostly) with nice people. People who truly care for one another and will do silly things to add others to their fold of friendship and love. Alex”s sister and Belle become quite spirited match-makers. Dunford, who is no weenie, allows himself to get caught up in Emma”s Lucy-like antics like a sort of buffed Fred. And Belle”s parents, while seeming as staid and proper as you would imagine them to be, are not at all “out-of-it” old fogies.
This book has earned a spot on my all-time favorite shelf as both a Favorite Funny and a Luscious Love Story. I have an extra copy that I lend out when I want to introduce a non-reader to the genre, and it has never failed to snare a new reader. If you are looking for a funny and sexy romp that offers a change of pace from angst and tortuous plot twists, scour the bookstores and find a copy of Splendid. Your time spent will be nothing less than. . . splendid!
Grade: A
Book Type: European Historical Romance
Sensuality: Hot
Review Date: 13/10/20
Publication Date: 1995
Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.
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I have read quite a few of Quinn’s books, but the one I return to is What Happens in London because it is so darn funny! The book-within-a-book had me crying I was laughing so hard! Its just ridiculous nonsense taken to the nth degree, but it strikes my funny bone every time. I always hoped the little brother would get his own book, but I don’t think he ever has.
I agree and I also really love its follow up Ten Things I Love About You. The audios are brilliant too. I much prefer these books to the Bridgertons and find them a lot funnier, with much more appealing male MCs. Michael from When He Was Wicked is by far my favourite male lead, followed by Gareth, and neither of them are Bridgertons!
Yes, they are both very funny books! I enjoyed most of the Bridgerton novels, but I don’t think I’ve ever re-read any of them. I re-read these two all the time!
I just realized that I’ve only read one book by Julia Quinn so far. It was To Sir Philip With Love and I chose it solely based on the fact that it had an epistolary element and the hero was a single father. I liked the book very much, but couldn’t decide what to read next from the author and then – well, it seems that I just dropped the ball on the matter altogether.
Better late than never, however, and this one certainly sounds appealing and even seems to be the 1st book in the series unlike my last choice. I could certainly do with something a bit less heart-rending right now.
I find that one very slow.
You mean To Sir Phillip, With Love? I feel like I can understand where you’re coming from. It is a slower paced book, but I didn’t mind. I actually liked that about it and how it was a bit somber in tone, dealing with a bit heavier themes. But then, I kind of tend to like slower books. Not books that drag, obviously, nobody likes those I don’t think, but books that are on the slower, quieter side. Perhaps they are easier for me to follow or perhaps I just like to linger in moments, in places, with characters – I don’t know. That being said, I also think that variety is the spice of life, and I’d probably be bored out of my mind if I was stuck reading exclusively that kind of books.
Yes, that book just doesn’t call to me.
Different strokes and all, right? Would you say that To Sir Phillip, With Love is very different pace-wise or tone-wise or just in general from the majority of Quinn’s works? Do you think the book reviewed here, Splendid, or the one you mentioned as your favorite, The Viscount Who Loved Me, for example, would represent Quinn’s writing style better?
Maybe I’m just weird, but Sir Phillip, With Love and The Viscount Who Loved Me are tied for my favorite Quinn books. Mr. Cavendish, I Presume is a close second, though I know many people didn’t much care for it. I think I am a sucker for a hero who is trying very hard to do the right thing,
Well, if you’re weird, then so am I – and I’d add When He Was Wicked to that list. Sir Philip was a book I only read (well, listened to) quite recently, and all the mixed reviews led me to think I might not enjoy it as much as I did.
I love When He Was Wicked. It’s definitely the hottest book in the series as well.
Quinn’s writing style is pretty consistent but some of her books are faster paced and racier than others. I like racy!
Thank you Lil, Caz Owens and Dabney for sharing your thoughts and favorites! It is nice to see that there are others here who really enjoyed Sir Phillip, With Love as well. I’m happy to have several great suggestions for my next read. I’ll have to research each book a bit more before I choose which one to read next (plus I need finish the the book I’m currently reading) but considering the synopses it is not going to be an easy decision – they all sound interesting in different ways.
Oh, wow, nothing illustrates shifting publication standards more than the fact that this book seemed “hot” to our reviewer in 1997! It’s definitely warm.
Yep, I look at these DIKlassic/Blast from the Past reviews and itch to edit them and change the sensuality ratings!
One of my all time favorites for all the reasons you gave. It’s right at my bedside for a quick 10 minute spot read of best bits – and there are a LOT of them. I’ve got brother Ned’s story in a “shorts” book (and it’s lovely) but need to hunt down Belle’s.
This is a fun one! Not my favorite Quinn, but a fun one!
What is your favorite Quinn?
How to Marry a Marquis!
Interesting. Mine is The Viscount Who Loved Me. Today, anyway!
Same – it’s also the first JQ I read and actually, one of the first historical romances I ever read. I listened to the audio version of Splendid when it came out a while back… and it was a C+ for me. The narrator was horrible though, which probably didn’t help, but I found it simplistic and predictable.
Tough crowd….
I’ve never finished listening to it, I couldn’t get past the bad narration. It would find a bigger audience if it were re-narrated, but that probably would not be financially sound, so its unlikely to happen.
I am assuming that an author has the right to re-record her books if she chooses. Caz, is that how it works?
I love the scene where Kate is hiding under the desk. It’s a very witty book.
No, it depends on who owns the rights. If the author owns them, they’re free to do whatever they want – but not everyone is comfortable or can afford to go the route of self-publishing their books in audio. In the past it was common for print rights to be sold to one company, and ‘mechanical’ (recording) rights to be sold to another – if those were sold at all – and equally as common for nothing to be done with them.
Obviously things are different now and audio is big business, but unlike the classical music industry, where it’s common to have several recordings of the same piece of music, you rarely get more than one recording of an audiobook available at the same time. I’ve seen audiobooks re-recorded – just recently, Lisa Kleypas’ Hathaway series was re-done, and the Wallflower books are being re-done as well next year (with the original narrator); when they were first recorded, they (mostly) weren’t available in the UK (I’m guessing they were US only) which would indicate to me that whoever bought the recording rights, only bought the US rights, probably because it was less expensive than purchasing worldwide rights. The new ones are available worldwide, so – and again, I’m guessing – the old rights expired and has enabled the re-recording and availability in more markets.
The recordings of this JQ series are fairly recent – my review at AG of Splendid is from May 2017; I’d be surprised if the rights last for fewer than ten years, so I can’t see new recordings happening any time soon. Audiobooks aren’t cheap to produce and I can’t see the rights holder (who I’m assuming is the production company, Harper) being prepared to dilute their profits by making them available to another audio publisher.
Interesting. Thanks!
Yes, the croquet game with the Mallet of Death remains one of my romance reading highlights.
Same! Mine is the Viscount Who Loved Me:)
After seeing that several of you liked The Viscount Who Loved Me, I checked Audible and it’s available on the soon to be defunct Audible Escape! So win for me!
I’m not sure you’re going to like Anthony. He’s pretty alpha. But, like all of Quinn’s heroes, he’s at heart a lovely man. Tell us what you think after you listen to it. Have fun!
Quite right. I don’t like Anthony at all so far. I also don’t know why Kate couldn’t tell Edwina and Mary what she overheard between Anthony and the would-be mistress, and put an end to the whole thing early on. Of course there would be no book. I’ll persevere and hope for a good grovel.
Halfway through and enjoying it much more now!
I ended up enjoying the book quite a bit. It didn’t all work for me, but Anthony wasn’t the issue in the long run–I liked him. I give it a solid B, and B+ for Landor’s narration. The audiobook included the Second Epilogue set 15 years in the future, which shows the family gathered once more for the Pall Mall rematch that was pivitol in the book. It was really funny and cute!
That’s great! I’d love to read that epilogue!
Have you seen this news? Netflix is doing an adaptation of the first book, at least.
https://deadline.com/2020/10/bridgerton-netflix-shonda-rhimes-release-date-first-looks-1234598189/
Julie Andrews is the voice of Lady Whistledown!
Yes! I am super excited.
Thank goodness whoever organised the audio got Rosalyn Landor for the Bridgertons… (and not the narrator of this one!)
The first appearance of Lady Danbury!
I love How to Marry a Marquis. I’m a sucker for a Cinderella tale!