The Sum of All Kisses (Smythe-Smith Quartet, #3) in Fans of Eloisa James & Julia Quinn

Jan 16, 2013 Ki rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance-challenge, arc, own, print, ebook

(Original review at doingsomereading)

I've been waiting for this story for so long I think I totally forgot about it! I'm super happy it's finally here and I got to revisit some past characters and even more; other characters from other books! (well, kind of) We got to see, well more like referred to, Eloisa Jame's Hero and Lady from her latest Once Upon a Tower in a very funny scene. Plus one of the unmarried Bridgerton boys made an appearance!!!

But okay back to business...

Hugh the second son of (Original review at doingsomereading)

I've been waiting for this story for so long I think I totally forgot about it! I'm super happy it's finally here and I got to revisit some past characters and even more; other characters from other books! (well, kind of) We got to see, well more like referred to, Eloisa Jame's Hero and Lady from her latest Once Upon a Tower in a very funny scene. Plus one of the unmarried Bridgerton boys made an appearance!!!

But okay back to business...

Hugh the second son of the Marquess of Ramsgate was one secondary character I've been waiting for since we first meet him in book two in A Night Like This and referred to in book one, Just Like Heaven. And we first met Sarah in book one and two.

But man, Hugh. He gave me a huge impression in ANLT even if we only got to know his personality or character for a mere second every so chapter and most definitely towards the end of that book, I was hook. I can say Julia didn't disappoint me in his story and gosh, he had so much going for him that I had to do an all nighter just to finish this book! He had so much depth and character I didn't even know if it was the same man I met in book two. I'm not sure if I was disappointed in this but I loved him either way. I just love how he thinks and come up with retorts and sorts!

The story about his family background just touched me. His love for his elder brother Freddie and the memory of his mother was just so touching to me that I just couldn't help but want more to know more about his brother and hope for many things to bring light to his problems. I am super glad that it developed throughout the book and solved mysteries behind the way he is and so much more but I really did want more. I really do want a story for his brother. That was one of the very first thing that caught me as I opened up this book.

Sarah. I'm not sure how to put it but I really liked her in the two previous books. I really did. She had humor and spunk. But in this one, she wasn't what I thought her to be. Not that I didn't like her Do. I absolutely do. I saw myself in her as she bantered with Hugh, though her actions were questionable, ever tactic thrown her way, every query Hugh threw at her I saw myself countering it and smiling at every answer she gave and threw back at him. She was just so much fun. And her sisters. I absolutely adore her sisters! They were so much fun to read and they were the ones to drive the story forward for me. All the funny little tactics and banters, the cute childish complaints and how Francis and Huge are just so adorable together~ Oh I love her the most!

Cons: The ending seemed rushed. Especially their romance and quick to discover love for one another. It was just.... not what I wanted. I was disappointed in this. I also didn't quite enjoy were how much Hugh's leg was a problem for him. I love him but everything always came down to his injured leg. It's understandable but always referring back to was just to much of a repetition for me. And then there was Sarah's change of character towards the end of the book. I was pretty sure I didn't find her to my liking then. I was, annoyed? Sure she was dramatic at the beginning and I was fine with that but she was ever even more dramatic and selfish, irrational towards the end. I was furiously mad at her for not understanding Hugh's reason in saving her cousin's life. Furious! Did she not have brains! I thought. I mean you hated him then fell in love and you expected his to just throw your very own first cousin to the dogs for saving him in such a way unimaginable! Agh~ And Freddie, I was sad we only got to see little bits of him. Maybe even disappointed towards the end? Trying not to spoil it but he wasn't there. But yes, the ending was rushed. It was nice but super rushed. And I was hoping for their relationship to have developed more but that didn't happen.

Over all, I did like this story and enjoyed it very much. It was fun, hilarious, touching, angry mad, and just sweet. Julia Quinn lovers would love it not matter what Just like me, but I did want more. We know for sure Iris is next in line for her story, most likely, with a new hero, but I really want to see Freddie have his story told too. Hopefully we get that if many readers write it into her *wink wink*

I give this 4 out of 5

This ARC was provided by Avon through Edelweiss ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Nov 16, 2013 Diane rated it it was amazing

Wonderfully clever story of Sarah Pleinsworth and Hugh Prentice. Sarah despises Lord Hugh and blames him for her cousin's exile and her own unmarried state. When she first meets him she lets him know that she believes that the world would be a better place without him.

Hugh finds Sarah to be a bit of a drama queen. He suffers daily for his foolish decision to duel her cousin and he does not need a silly girl to remind him of his failures.

When they met up again at a family wedding the two are for ...more

1 like · Like · see review

May 10, 2013 Fira Rosli rated it really liked it

This is a very entertaining and fast-paced book but it is always like that with a Julia Quinn's book. Overall, I do like the story and the characters are perfectly fine but of course there are glitches here and there.

What I love most about this book is that the h/h appears ALOT together and that they always spend time with each other. Not to mention that are not boring people and their conversations usually had me smiling and laughing. Julia Quinn's really good with dialogue writing but I must ...more

Like · see review

Jul 29, 2013 Tahyun rated it it was amazing

Shelves: genre-romance, genre-romance-historical

Not surprisingly, great read. I read this instead of cleaning my house for in-laws the other day. I think there were a couple times when I felt that the set up was more contrived than is usual with a JQ novel. But there were so many things I just loved about the characters, that I almost forgot those little twinges.

For example, I feel like this heroine is a bit more flawed than usual. JQ's heroine's aren't usually unrealistic, by any means, but this one had this sort of "I have bad personality t ...more

Like · see review

Dec 18, 2013 PoligirlReads rated it it was ok

I'm glad this series has come to an end. I've never found the Smythe-Smiths to be all that humorous or enjoyable (it was a fun element to the Bridgerton series but not sustainable as the premise of a series). The "baddie" was lame, the romance unconvincing, and the only highlight was the Hugh-as-the-nobly-injured. I really like Quinn, and most of her books, but I'm hoping the new series will be an improvement. ...more

Like · see review

Nov 01, 2013 Susan Garrett rated it it was amazing

Julia Quinn delivers once again. I could not put it down until finished. A very enjoyable light humor romance read. Can't wait until the next book in this series is released. ...more

Like · see review

Jun 11, 2013 Donna rated it it was amazing

Classic Julia Quinn - a very sweet and funny story, with wonderful characters. Sarah is great fun as an emotional and headstrong heroine, and Hugh Prentice is a closed book that needs opening.

Like · see review