The Sum of All Kisses Quotes

“Why do you joke about such things?" she snapped.
He let his gaze land rather intently on hers. "When the alternative is despair, I generally prefer humor. Even if it is of the gallows variety.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“Music was not so very different from mathematics. It was all just patterns and sequences. The only difference was that they hung in the air instead of on a piece of paper. Dancing was a grand equation. One side was sound, the other movement. The dancer's job was to make them equal.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“That was very rude of me.”
“Think nothing of it. You’ve done worse.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“And your eyes . . . ,” she continued, emboldened by his reaction. “Women would kill for eyes that color, did you know?”
He shook his head, and something about his expression—­so baffled, so overcome—­made her smile with pure joy.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“His leg throbbed, but his heart felt lighter, and for the first time in years, the world seemed to be filled with possibility.
“I love you,” he said. And he thought to himself, That makes five. Five times he’d said it. It wasn’t nearly enough.
“And I love you.” She bent down and kissed his leg.
He touched his face and felt tears. He hadn’t realized he was crying. “I love you,” he said again.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“He didn’t like her. He really didn’t, but by God, he’d have sold a piece of his soul right then to dance with her”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“And when he kissed her . . .
All she wanted was more.
“You are so beautiful,” he murmured, and for the first time in her life, Sarah truly believed that she was.
She touched his cheek. “So are you.”
Hugh smiled down at her, a silly half grin that told her he did not believe her for one second.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“She was in love. Lady Sarah Pleinsworth was in love.
And it was grand.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“Oranges and unicorns say the bells of St. . . .” She looked to Harriet for inspiration.
“Clunicorns?”
“Somehow I don’t think so.”
“Moonicorns.”
Sarah cocked her head to the side. “Better,” she judged.
“Spoonicorns? Zoomicorns.”
And . . . that was enough. Sarah turned back to her book. “We’re done now, Harriet.”
“Parunicorns.”
Sarah couldn’t even imagine where that one had come from. But still, she found herself humming as she read.
Oranges and lemons say the bells of St. Clements.
Meanwhile, Harriet was muttering to herself at the desk. “Pontoonicorns xyloonicorns . . .”
You owe me five farthings say the bells of St. Martins.
“Oh, oh, oh, I have it! Hughnicorns!”
Sarah froze. This she could not ignore. With great deliberation, she placed her index finger in her book to mark her place and looked up. “What did you just say?”
“Hughnicorns,” Harriet replied, as if nothing could have been more ordinary. She gave Sarah a sly look. “Named for Lord Hugh, of course. He does seem to be a frequent topic of conversation.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“I had a feeling you’d like that,” he said with a satisfied grin.
“Why do I feel it . . . everywhere?”
“Everywhere?” he murmured. His fingers moved between her legs. “Or here?”
“Everywhere,” she said breathlessly, “but there most of all.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“Our world is filled with meaningless conversations. It is an honour to participate in one that is not.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“The gentleman had been an uncommonly affable fellow, but every time he counted to twenty (and he seemed to do so with strange frequency), he skipped the number twelve.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“And her lips, he realized now that she wasn’t hurling insults at him, were utter perfection, full and pink, and touched with just the right sort of curve. They seemed to tell a man that she knew things, that she knew how to laugh, and if he only laid down his soul for her, she would light up his world with a single smile. Sarah Pleinsworth. Good God, had he lost his mind?”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“The only thing worse than a man who makes a woman cry is a man who makes a woman cry and then doesn’t feel guilty about it.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“Do you know how the tradition of the bridal bouquet toss was formed?” Hugh asked.
Sarah shook her head. “Are you asking me because you know, or are you asking me because you want to know?”
He ignored her slight sarcasm and said, “Brides are considered to be good luck, and many centuries ago young women who wanted a piece of that luck tried quite literally to get a piece of it by tearing off bits of her gown.”
“That’s barbaric!” Frances exclaimed.
He smiled at her outburst. “I can only deduce that some clever soul realized that if the bride could offer a different token of her romantic success, it might prove beneficial to her health and well-being.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“I like Lord Hugh very much. It’s true that he can be a little eccentric, but he’s terribly clever. And he’s a very good shot.”
All eyes swung back to Frances. “He shot Cousin Daniel in the shoulder,” Sarah reminded her.
“He’s a very good shot when he’s sober,” Frances clarified. “Daniel said so.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“He has often said that he finds animals to be better company than humans,”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“I wish you the best of luck with that vulture.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“whom she had always been rather fond of, despite his unfortunate interest in taxidermy.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“She smiled serenely. “A very wise person once told me that it is not the mistakes we make that reveal our character but what we do to rectify them.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“He wanted Sarah Pleinsworth; dear Lord, he wanted her with everything that he was. He wanted to stand up with her before God and man, slide his ring onto her finger, and pledge his eternal devotion. He wanted to take her to bed and with his body show her everything that was in his heart, and he wanted to cherish her as she grew heavy with their child.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“he was falling in love with her, but he had never been a man to speak of his feelings, and the words choked in his throat. So he kissed her one last time, truly and deeply, hoping she recognized it for what it was, an offering of his very soul. Yours, he thought. I am yours.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“I have found that happy people are dull. You two, on the other hand, looked ready to spit nails. Naturally I came right over.” She looked from Hugh to Sarah and then said plainly, “Entertain me.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“When the alternative is despair, I generally prefer humor.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“Oh, Hugh?” He turned to see her smiling like a cat with cream. “Yes, my love?” “I said I didn’t need a ring.” He quirked a brow. “I do.” She wiggled her fingers. “Need a ring. Just so you know.” He threw back his head and laughed.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“If they weren’t cousins,” Iris said in that dry tone Hugh was coming to realize was uniquely hers, “that would have been very romantic.” Hugh looked at her. “I said if they weren’t cousins,” she protested. “Anyway, he’s so desperately in love with Miss Wynter he would not notice if an entire naked harem fell from the ceiling.” “Oh, he’d notice,” Hugh said, since he was quite sure that Iris was trying to be provoking. “He just wouldn’t do anything about it.” As Hugh walked into the dining room with the wrong woman on his arm, it occurred to him that he, too, wouldn’t do anything about it. If a naked harem fell from the ceiling.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses

“You looked lonely.”
Hugh smiled again. It was the sort of thing an adult would never have said aloud. And precisely the reason he’d rather have been chatting with her than anyone else in the room. “I was alone, not lonely.”
Frances frowned, considering that. Hugh was just about to explain the difference when she cocked her head and asked, “Are you sure?”
“Alone is a state of being,” he explained, “whereas lonely is—”
“I know that,” she cut in.
He regarded her. “Then I’m afraid I do not understand your question.”
She cocked her head to the side. “I was just wondering if a person always knows when he is lonely.”
― Julia Quinn, The Sum of All Kisses