To Sir Phillip, With Love (Bridgerton Series, Book 5) Reviews

• I Am SO Not Wowed By This

  
  By A2222KQRBQZOP9 on 2003-08-04
  Let me start off by saying that the only reason I am even giving "To Sir Phillip. . ." 3 stars is because I love Julia Quinn and, as bored as I was with this book, I still like her writing style.

  Synopsis: Spinster Eloise Bridgerton, sibling number 5, decides to act on a whim and travel hours away to Romney Hall to meet the pen pal she has been corresponding with for numerous months. Her "pen pal" is, Sir Phillip Crane, the widowed husband of Eloise's distant cousin and the father of rambuctious twins. Somehow through the correspondence of letters, Phillip decides that Eloise would be the perfect wife/mother combination. She is a spinster, and he assumes, an unattractive one at that, on whom he can hoist his child raising and house managing duties. Then he can go back to his greenhouse where he concocts mutant vegetables and potions for better living.

  Life is going well when, not surprisingly (and not as wittingly as it used to be), the Bridgerton brothers come barging into Romney Hall and DEMAND that Sir Phillip marry their spinster sister. Phillip and Eloise pretend to be indignant (how is that, when that is the reason she went to him in the first place --- to explore the possibility of marriage?) but of course, march to the altar anyway.

  Where to begin? I bought this book the day it hit the shelves and I'm still not done with it! I bring this book with me everywhere I go in the hopes that in all my free time, I will just sit and read it --- and finish it! Every time I pick it up, I get so easily distracted. With "The Duke and I" and "The Viscount Who Loved Me" and not to mention, "Romancing Mr. Bridgerton," I devoured them! The house could have been on fire and I would not have known, yet alone cared!

  With this book, I am frequently eyeing the book of matches...

  But seriously, I had a problem with the hero of the story. He was supposed to be a more intellectual hero, a more subdued but more vulnerable man. Instead, he came across as a horny husband and a bumbling father who doesn't have the instinct to be a family man.

  Okay, so that's Phillip.

  I was more keen on Eloise. She was just how she was in the other books: witty and smart. But I was disappointed that Quinn did not include a dialogue between Eloise and Penelope, her supposed best friend. Eloise cited Penelope's marriage to her brother Colin to be a significant factor in her decision to slip away in the middle of the night to meet and possibly marry Phillip. She explains that she expected Penelope to grow old with her. I would think that there would be a special moment between them. Overall, I thought that the Bridgerton family's presence was too brief. In the other books of the series, it felt like the Bridgerton family was always courting the hero/heroine, whichever the case may be. But in "To Sir Phillip...," Eloise was on her own, really. Not even Hyacinth made an appearance.

  There was a lot missing with this book. I am beginning to ask the dreaded questions such as, "Is Julia Quinn getting tired of writing about the Bridgertons? Because there are a few more stories we'd like to see." or even, "Did the publishers and the fans rush her on this book, thereby compromising the quality?"

  Regardless of this unfortunate experience, I am still looking forward to Julia Quinn's next books. Rumor is that she will write about Francesca next. I hope Gregory and Hyacinth are in the works as well!
  
  

• Definitely not her best.

  
  By on 2003-07-14
  I was thrilled when I spotted her new book on the bookshelf, but I was less then thrilled when I began to read it. The very first part of the book was alright, but then it fell into a slump until her brother Anthony came into the picture. However, once he left, it was an incredibly boring read. I was disappointed in this latest Bridgerton book, especially after reading Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, Colin's story. This is actually the first book by Julia Quinn that I did not enjoy. She's a wonderfully humorous, witty writer but she failed there too with this book. I thought Phillip was too involved in his own pity party to really like him. And Eloise was just a bit too perfect, a bit too controlling. I didn't care at all for their first real love scene when they consummated their marriage. It was over in a couple paragraphs and I could have done without the references as to how he took care of himself all those years. But Quinn is a wonderful author. I just hope she's not losing her magic.
  
  

• To Sir Pathetic, With Boredom

  
  By on 2003-11-07
  The Romantic Times reviewer wrote this about To Sir Phillip, With Love: "This may be heresy to her devoted fans, but Julia Quinn's Bridgerton saga is getting a little pat. Everything feels a bit formulaic for the first half of this book. Outspoken spinster virgin? Check. Tortured, repressed hero? Check. Chaotic meeting of the Bridgertons and the new love interest? Check. Numerous references to how beloved the Bridgertons are? Check."

  Well now, whenever Romantic Times gives a scathing review, I find myself cracking my knuckles and clicking as fast as I can on Amazon.com. I buy said book and read it with enthusiasm. Sometimes I agree with Romantic Times. Most times, I do not.

  In this case, I found myself torn. I sorta agreed with the reviewer, but then I didn't.

  I am not tired of the Bridgertons. In fact, I think Eloise is the most entertaining Bridgerton of the lot. She is witty, daring, and wonderfully flawed. I liked her vulnerable side - especially when shown during a little pre-matrimonial chat with her mother. It was a touching scene - one I thoroughly enjoyed.

  The rub here was Phillip. Ugh. Sir Pathetic. He mopes around, feeling miserable, acting moody. He is a painfully inept father. And there's no real explanation for it.

  And what about his dead wife? What was her deal? Why didn't we ever find out why she killed herself? It was vaguely implied that she had post-partum depression. But then, if I had to live with that drab, sad-sack Phillip, I would have pre, post, and perpetual depression. I kept hoping maybe the ex wife had an affair with Phillip's brother. Now that would have made sense.

  So the ex just had the post-baby blues? And where was Mister Wonderful Sir Phillip? Digging around in his garden? Playing in his potting shed? Not very compassionate or heroic.

  Julia Quinn is a talented writer. Her dialogue is unmatched. The wit in this book - as delivered by Eloise - was brilliant - which is why I give it a four. Still, Sir Phillip was a drag and really makes the book deserve more like a 2.95.
  
  

• Another Wonderful Book by Julia Quinn

  
  By A1XWNLA1034RQT on 2003-06-24
  I was absolutely delighted with this latest book by Julia Quinn. I thought that her writing style was very similiar to those of her earlier books and the plot idea was also reminiscent of those in originality. My local bookstore called me yesterday and said it was in and unfortunately, it was finished by midnight last night! Now I have to wait until August to read a new Julia Quinn!

  Plus - for all of you who love the Bridgerton Brothers - there is an absolutely wonderful scene with all four of them that I laughed out loud while reading!

  This was a great book that is more than worth the cover price! Thanks a bunch, Julia!
  
  

• Very Human Characters; Great Reading

  
  By A1XX3RDTQKODEZ on 2005-03-20
  Hmmm, I am surprised by some of the negative reviews. I found the characters very human and likeable. My views were not based on knowing Eloise from other Bridgerton books since I have only read one other (Colin's story). That may be why I liked Eloise better than some reviewers.
  
  Sir Phillip was a man who ran away from his problems by burying himself in botany experiments. He had learned to cope with a severely depressed wife and seemingly untamable children by retreating into himself and his greenhouse. Phillip had no foundation of good parental behavior. He thought himself a bad father but didn't try to change. He felt the best way to handle the situation after his wife's death was to find the best mother. Maybe not ok by today's standards but it needs to be examined under the early 1800's standards where his thinking and reactions were quite normal.
  
  Eloise felt restless. Her friends were marrying and she had no prospects that interested her. A quick note to the widowed husband of her cousin led to a year of letters and an unusual proposal of marriage. The letters in the beginning of each chapter gave me a wonderful portrait of her soul. I loved that touch! I wish we had been privy to more of the letters between Phillip and Eloise - more people might have found Phillip likeable. Eloise hastily runs off to meet this "perfect" man and finds that not only is he not perfect, there are a few things he neglected to tell her - especially the 8 year old (boy and girl) twins! But he is passionate and seduced by his kisses she begins to decide they will suit each other.
  
  Then the Bridgerton brothers converge on the scene after a week. There are funny situations with the brothers that made me laugh out loud. They also insist on a hasty wedding and Eloise and Phillip do not begin marriage on a good footing. Trouble with the children gets worse, Phillip retreats into himself and Eloise tries to fix everything in her dominating way. Can it work out in the end or are they doomed to passion but not love? (They do get along fine in the bedroom and I loved the sensuality of this novel).
  
  I enjoyed every aspect of this novel. The characters including the children and even the horrible nurse all add a dimension of reality. These are not cookie-cutter perfect people that you may find in other novels. There were real problems to be resolved and I was sorry to see the book come to an end.
  
  
  
• this is not a romance novel. it is a "romance is overrated" novel.
  By AXHEVH3H93VV7 on 2006-03-20
  Somewhere in the beginning of the book Eloise reflects that she's spent most of her life looking for a good conversation. It is clear, pretty much from the get-go, that the last person Eloise is going to get a good conversation from is Phillip.
  
  The main thrust of the book is Sir Phillip's character development. He's a stodgy, solitary botanist whose depressive wife dies and leaves him with eight year old twins. His first thought, aside from being glad she's dead, and guilty that he's glad, is that he needs a new wife to take care of the kids. Enter Eloise.
  
  That's the beginning of the unfortunate story of "To Sir Phillip, With Love." Phillip avoids his children because he is afraid of being a bad father. Avoids them. 24/7. He comments to himself, more than once, that it is really, really too much to ask him to talk about his feelings. He certainly is very bad at it. He can't have conversations about much of anything, let alone important things - he is allergic to conversations about important things. When he speaks, it is as though every word has to be dredged out of his throat like sledge from a lake.
  
  And not only that - he makes Eloise feel *bad* because she likes to talk! He tells her, over and over again, that she talks too much. And he means it.
  
  Eloise, who Phillip does successfully wound with his nastyness, at several points in the book finds herself tempted to do exactly what Phillip's depressive wife did: sit and mope, sit and cry, stare at a book and not even read it. Every time this happened I thought: no wonder Phillip's wife was so depressed. She was living with a man who understands plants better than people, and nobody on earth less than himself.
  
  I believe that the novel is supposed to suggest that Phillip and Eloise learn and grow. That Phillip learns to trust himself, and thus becomes more communicative and affectionate. That Eloise learns a little self-discipline and starts respecting other people's space instead of indulging her own need to chatter.
  
  But I really didn't want Eloise to change - for example, I did not want her to decide that after refusing six prospective suitors for one reason or another, she would settle for Phillip because they rubbed along well together and that's quite enough -
  and by the time Phillip started exhibiting minor modifications in his taciturn behavior, it was a case of too little, too late.
  
  
• Enjoy The Bridgerton Experience!
  By A3B48AN8JID1JK on 2003-07-25
  Miss Eloise Bridgerton at eight and twenty - she wasn't looking for someone perfect - just perfect for her! She didn't think herself beautiful, attractive but she was a Bridgerton after all, but most people liked her because she was nice. She was a wonderful correspondent and spent hours writing letters, birthday greetings, get well notes, etc. On the occasion of hearing of her cousins death she sent along a condolence letter to the bereaved husband, Sir Phillip Crane who in response to that note not only replied with a thank you but sent her a pressed flower in remembrance, and, so began a year long `secret' pen pal correspondence.

  Sir Phillip, was a quiet man, a botanist - who while not happy - seemed to find some comfort in his work in his greenhouse. He had two children that he needed to find a mother for and knowing that Eloise Bridgerton was a spinster and more than likely homely and unassuming he would send a note along inquiring that they meet to see if they might not `suit'. However, he was in no way prepared to find a beautiful young woman, unescorted, in the early morning standing on his doorstep - a woman with cool gray eyes he could have drowned in! As Eloise charged through the next couple of days, she found that Sir Phillip wasn't exactly perfect - he needed a lot of work - but there was something about him that she would find was perfect for her!

  What Julia Quinn has done, my dear reader, is to draw you in with her exquisite characterizations of this remarkable family so that you cannot help yourself but smile. From the moment you pick up the book to the very end you will find yourself on an emotional roller coaster of feelings as if you were living the story rather than a casual observer. I have followed the Bridgerton family chronicles since the very beginning with THE DUKE AND I, and each individual book has been placed on my keeper shelf where this one is sure to follow along with anything else this extremely gifted and talented author deems to write. While you could pick up any of the series as stand alone books, for pure enjoyment - buy them all and enjoy the Bridgerton loving family experience!
  
  

• Passable, by Quinn standards...
  By AIN069G7QBCRB on 2003-08-06
  I'm not sure why, but this last installment of Quinn's Bridergton series left me with a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. I've waited for this book for a year, read the rest of the series over again in preparation, and then finished this book in one afternoon... feeling as if I'd read a short-story that didn't live up to the standards of the rest of her books.
  Julia Quinn is something of a hero to me because she manages to liven-up a genere of romance (regency) that is so often over-written and under-developed. Her characters are wonderful, not only because they fall in love so beautifully, but because they interact with their families, they have issues they need to resolve (Simon's fear of being a father, Anthony's fear of death, Colin's fear of a wasted life, etc.) and the love they find helps them grow and accomplish that. They also make the reader laugh, and seem so real that you have to love them.

  But Phillip and Eloise seem to sail through their story, never quite getting into the real issues facing their relationship. It happens too quickly, and their distance from the rest of the Bridgerton clan takes away some of the charm of the tale (most especially the absence of Penelope, Eloise's best friend and Colin's wife, who on the day of Eloise's dissapearance revealed a great secret that Eloise never learns and really should).

  All in all, by the standards of the genre, it is a fun, easy and engaging story that will make you want to read all the other Bridgerton books. But by Quinn's standards, well, I'm just waiting for the next one.
  
  

• Moving tale, not as funny as the other Bridgerton tales
  By A26W5VGSCQ4BSM on 2003-06-29
  Eloise Bridgerton and Sir Philip Crane have been corresponding for over a year. Sir Philip asks Eloise to come for a visit to see if they will suit each other enough to marry. Eloise agrees to this but does not tell her family, nor does she write Sir Philip to say when she will be arriving. Thus the first encounter is less than encouraging. He is expecting a homely spinster, which Eloise certainly is not. She is expecting someone much more charming and affable.

  Eloise is a great heroine. She has an irrepressible spirit and speaks her mind frequently. Sir Philip is less likable as a hero, but Quinn does a great job of explaining why Philip acts inappropriately. Since much of the story is from Philip's point of view, instead of seeing him as a jerk, the reader will feel compassion for this awkward and somewhat shy man. I truly loved Philip, he was uncertain and insecure, and easily made happy. I just didn't know why Eloise would love him.

  While this is certainly a love story, the main focus is the relationship between Philip and his children. Philip is a distant father because of his fear of becoming like his own father. His awkwardness with his children is heartbreaking, frustrating, and endearing at the same time. However, due to the focus with Philip coming to terms with dealing with his own childhood, as well as dealing with the death of his wife, this story is sweet and amusing, but not hysterically funny, as the rest of the Bridgerton series has been. There is one great scene halfway through the book when Eloise's brothers arrive that is laugh out loud funny, but it is too short by far. Still a worthy buy, but different from her usual books.
  
  

• A Pleasurable Read
  By A18URP1YKAD79S on 2003-09-28
  To Sir Phillip, With Love is the story of Eloise Bridgerton and Sir Phillip Crane. The two meet by way of correspondence when Phillips wife, who is also Eloise's cousin, Marina dies after trying to kill herself. Eloise and Phillip write several letters to each other over the course of almost a year. Phillip then asks Eloise to visit him sometime because he would like to see if they'd "suit" and possibly marry. What Eloise doesn't know is that Phillip really doesn't want a wife, he just wants a mother for his eight year old twins who are completely out of control. Eloise goes to Phillip's house where her family finds her after just a few days. The two are forced to marry to avoid scandal. Neither completely happy about the situation.

  This novel was well written and kept up a steady pace. Much to my delight there were no kidnapping scenes which are common in Regency Era romances. The characters were likable and seemed to be well developed. Eloise wasn't just a delicate maiden who batted her eyelashes. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and was out to find her happiness. Phillip wasn't a strong man who thought the world revolved around him. Phillip, in fact, seemed to be a little dazed at times by what was going on around him. The storyline was good and was well thought out. There were no rough spots in this book. The story flowed from beginning to end. The author had a story to tell and told it with a purpose.

  This was the first Bridgerton novel I've read and I'm sure it won't be the last. If the others are as well-written as this it will be a pleasure to read them all.
  
  

• Sir Phillip- a REAL man, for a change
  By AJKFI69LHPA98 on 2004-08-23
  Don't you ever get sick of these artificial heros that come swooping in with their dazzling charm and the perfect things to say? Well- I certainly do. I found the character of Sir Phillip to be refreshing, to say the least. He was a real man, with real problems. He proves himself a real hero when he comes to the aid of his children and starts becomming the father he has always wanted to be. Through all of this, you see Phillip emerge from a pained man, to a charmer with a sense of humor. Some may prefer the fake "perfect" man in a romance- but I prefer the fallable ones that win your heart when they finally start getting things right. I shouldn't neglect to mention that, true to form, Ms. Quinn has given us another delightful insight to the Bridgerton family... Eloise was truly wonderful!
  
  
• Kept me up late
  By on 2003-06-26
  I've just recently begun reading the Bridgerton stories after a several year hiatus. They're all delightful, but I found this one especially charming. I loved how Sir Phillip characterized their relationship as "heaven on earth." The reasons he gave moved me. So I laughed a bunch and cried a little and stayed up two hours past bedtime to finish.
  
  
• Kinda disappointed
  By A1P55AYQLDNWFH on 2003-06-30
  I anticipated the release of this book, because I have really enjoyed all the books in the Bridgerton series. However, I felt disappointed while reading this book. I'd have to say that this was my least favorite Bridgerton story. I wished there was more interaction among the main characters. A lot of the story is told through the character's thoughts and I just would've liked more dialogue. On a side note: Philip and Eloise had a lot of patience where his kids were concerned. I don't know how they did it. Those kids were TERRIBLE, but I guess thats Philip's fault since he ignored their existence. Honestly, did he need to be in that greenhouse 24/7? I don't know what Julia's plans are, but I hope she will be writing Gregory's story next.
  
  
• Another Charming JQ Story!
  By AN0XWUHSHRUG6 on 2003-08-28
  Although this has not been one of my favorite books by JQ her trademark wit and humor along with likeable characters are still present in this story. This is Eloise's story and this story picks up where Romancing Mr. Bridgerton left off. We now know where Eloise headed at the end of the story. She is off to begin her adventure. Eloise has no idea what she's in for!

  Sir Philip Crane is a botonist and father of twins and has no idea how to go about raising them. Plants he knows, kids are a totally different story. Philip decides that Ms. Bridgerton is the perfect solution. They have been writing back and forth for over a year. Now that his period of mourning is over he invites Eloise out to his estate to see if they will suit for marriage. End result, Eloise shows up without warning and he is not expecting the 28 year old spinster to be so pretty, or so together. And he certainly does not expect to be attracted to her!

  This was still a funny story and quite frankly I can't put my finger on what exactly I found lacking but it just did not hit me as a great JQ book. Still if you have fallen in love with the Bridgerton's (and who hasn't?) you won't want to miss this addition.
  
  

• A bit disappointed...
  By on 2003-11-15
  I was looking forward to this book after having read all the other books in the series over the summer and I was a little disappointed. Philip did not come across as "hero" material, but it just may be that I don't understand brilliant people. He was very moody and reclusive and didn't deal with people and his children very well. He worked in his lab all day and expected Eloise to deal with the mundane details of running a household and taking care of his children and when he was ready for intimacy, she had to ready, too. Eloise seemed flighty and irresponsible at times. She was old enough to know that going to a gentleman's home unescorted was inappropriate and she just leaves to go to her brother's house without leaving some kind of message. She didn't impress me very much as a heroine. The story seemed rushed and I didn't feel like the characters were truly in love. Of course, it was fun to visit with old "friends" from previous books, but I hope that the next book (perhaps Francesca since she was mentioned a lot in this book)will be better.
  
  
• A Good Book
  By A3IDBYYXY3UF6U on 2004-10-21
  Although previous reviews I've read (mainly the ones that may be classified as "Spotlight Reviews") completely bash this book, I've found it touching and entertaining. Perhaps, when compared to previous Julia Quinn novels, this book doesn't leave much of her trademark wit and banter, but it allows Quinn to bring more serious matters to the forefront. Sure we've "experienced" personal problems such as emotional abuse, insecurity, familial loss, but now were confronting postpartum depression (well, let's just label it depression in all), child abuse, and more emotional conflicts thrown in the mix. Quinn's talented writing is effective when it comes to matters such as these, after all, it's a story of dealing with life's problems. And so, it surprises me to read reviews that demand for the characters to "get over it," when in reality we all know that life is rarely ever that easy (and even more importantly, this book would be really short). Granted, regardless of the seriousness of the subject matter, you go through a roller coaster of emotions and to an extent, one could consider that a Julia Quinn trademark. One minute you sympathize with Philip's situation, and the next you're laughing at the farce involving Eloise, Philip, and the four Bridgerton men.
  
  The story fits perfectly well for Eloise's personality; it allows us to see her as more than just a clever, witty, snoopy individual (all fine qualities I assure you). We always knew Eloise's playful side, but now we're exposed to her vulnerabilities but retained her strong character. Eloise made the story light in an otherwise dark and delicate text, if it got any "darker," God forbid the kind of reviews and complaints you'd make towards the author!
  
  In all, To Sir Philip... did not show any decline in talent on Quinn's part. If you still find yourself disagreeing with me, at least consider the epilogue at the end of the book. The sincere love emanating from the letter is vintage Julia Quinn. Her innate capabilities of writing such a passage without diving into a pool of clichés and cheese should at least restore a bit of your confidence in her as a writer...
  
  
• A deeply emotional and loving romance!!
  By AN09PKOVPZWA8 on 2005-04-01
  Like others I did not expect to like this story of Eloise very much at all. In the other Bridgerton stories Eloise came off more annoying than not, but in her own story she emerges as a deeply caring, warm woman who decides to take charge of her life and take a huge risk and run off to the home of Phillip Crane a man she had been writing to for over a year. At 28 Eloise is feeling desperate to find her own life and her own romance could Phillip be the one? Phillip is a male hero of a different sort - deeply damanged inside by an abusive father, left to feel incapable of making his first wife even marginally happy (she killed herself) and believing himself not worthy or capable of being a good father to his twins - Phillip buries himself in his greenhouse where he works as a botonist. He has written to Eloise and suggested perhaps they could marry. In writing he feels a safety because he does not have to reveal all the complicated turmoil of his inner thoughts. However Eloise surprises him with a visit and she is like a tornado in his quiet house. At first they seem totally not to suite but sometimes opposites do attract and since Phillip had been without a woman for 8 years and Eloise a 28 year old virgin - they do become compatible at first through passion. Well that is a good beginning - and enough it would appear for Phillip. He has a mother for his children and finally a willing bed partner what more is there. Eloise not one to be content with mediocrity she wanted more communication, she wanted Phillip to be closer to his children, she wanted love. And this just was a beautiful different kind of love story. This is one story where the most romantic parts of the book and the most emotional come after the wedding!! I would be remiss not to mention the brothers Bridgerton who make a stong appearance in this book - they are such an entertaining group and proudly Phillip holds his own - it is classic Julia Quinn! I loved this book as I have enjoyed all the Bridgerton novels - you will not be disappointed.
  
  
• Unlike any of the Bridgerton Series
  By A1MTD7WBQSEO1B on 2006-08-02
  I read the first 150-or-so pages and I had to give up. I couldn't care less what happened to Eloise, Sir Phillip or his bratty kids. Initially, the story seemed like a cheesy version of The Sound of Music. Sir Phillip expected a woman to take charge with his children and help with the house but he didn't expect to fall in love. The only character more boring than Eloise was Sir Phillip! Perhaps that means they were a perfect match after all? There wasn't any excitement that I read about and zero romance. If Eloise wasn't a Bridgerton, I would have put the book down much sooner.
  
  
  
• Not her best, try her earlier novels....
  By on 2003-07-02
  If you are a fan of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series, nothing I say will sway you. However, if you are new to Julia Quinn, than I suggest you try her earlier novels. This novel seems as if it was written in a rush to meet a deadline...the main characters are very uneven. A disappointmen to this Julia Quinn fan, who will go back to the beginning to remember why she was enchanting in the first place.
  
  
• Really, Three and a half...Good but had some issues....
  By A2SN8WUM37I6GY on 2003-06-29
  I adore all of the bridgerton series books by Ms. Quinn.

  This one however, was not what I'd say is a keeper.

  I'm trying to put a finger on exactly what about it didn't really set well with me. I believe it's more of the fact that I didn't find the hero particularly wonderful.

  He DOES change, but it happens SO abruptly. I don't know why or how he changes.

  Phillip was married to Marina, Eloise's distant cousin and a woman who suffered from what we'd call depression. Clinical depression. She dies and Eloise, in typical upper class lady fashion, pens a note of condolance. Sir Phillip answers and thus begins a year of correspondance, ending with a proposal of marriage. Elioise, for some strange reason, doesn't *think* "Gee, I'll be ruined" but instead, just runs off and arrives at Sir Phillip's home in the country unannounced, no chaperone.

  I found this an awfully heavy handed plot device. This sort of behavior is not something Eloise would just "forget"...and I wished there had been a better reason for her to act so brainless.

  Her brothers show up and while it is fun/amusing, I just felt like it was a scene I'd visited on other Quinn occassions.

  And Eloise, well, her concerns about her marriage to Phillip were valid...The fear that they have great sex but never talk.

  I don't know how that has changed by the end of the book. He still says he's not good with words...and yet, suddenly she isn't concerned about that anymore.

  Both characters did change, but I am not sure the reasons for this change were made with a strong enough case. It seemed as if "Okay, it's close to the end of the book, better wrap this up" without either seeming to change, other than just deciding TO change. Does that make sense?

  Yet, it was still a Julia Quinn Book, and I never pass hers up and I will definitely buy the next. I just wanted a little more from this, that's all. I think the characters could have been a tad more sympathetic. Eloise is a bit self absorbed and sir Phillip seemed to want more of a nurse than a wife. A slutty nurse. LOL

  Looking forward to Francesca's story...
  
  

• I'd give it no stars
  By on 2003-06-29
  I have read all of JQ's, loved everyone of them. I am very disappointed in this book. Where is the depth in their relationship before the descriptive intimacy? Yuck. No words of love, no emotion of love, just sex. This has become very popular with some romance writers. The empty relationship, add empty sex, Whala, great relationship! Wrong. What is this teaching our kids. Sad! If it wasn't for JQ's writing style, I wouldn't believe I was actually reading one of her books. Julia always had depth, emotional relationship and humor. Sad.
  
  
• Glad to see lady whistledown did not make appearance
  By on 2003-07-08
  I just finished To Sir Phillip With Love in less than 24 hours - I couldn't put it down. I cannot believe that the romantic times reviewer had the nerve to give this a 3 star rating and to say that (I don't have the review in front of me) but something to the effect that readers are getting sick of the Bridgertons(I love the Bridgertons I was tired of Lady Whistledown and found the quick letter blurbs from Eloise much more interesting and fun) In fact one of the best parts of the book is when the 4 Bridgerton Brothers find their sister. I honestly thought that this was one of the best books in the Bridgerton series - much better than Colin and Penelope's story. It was both funny in some parts while it tackled issues of insecurities depression and abuse. If you like Julia Quinn - you'll love this book.
  
  
• What can I say?
  By A3PFAITLYHZQSO on 2003-07-11
  I love julia Quinn's books but this one it lacked something that the other Bridgeton stories had. Don't get me wrong parts of it were funny but once those parts were over the story dragged.
  
  
• Not with Bridgerton Style.......
  By on 2003-07-21
  Julia Quinn is one of my favorite authors. Her books makes me laugh and cry at the same time. I wait on pins and needles for her next book to be released, and this one was no exception...

  After reading this book, I was somewhat disappointed. It lacked the luster of the other Bridgerton siblings has encountered. Phillip and Eloise seemed rushed to me.

  Where was the chase in the characters that Julia Quinn is noted for?
  
  

• Annoying! What's happening to the Bridgerton series??!!
  By A1C70A938AO6UH on 2003-07-21
  Although not the worst book ever written it definitely seemed to have been rushed. It's very disappointing because I think that Eloise deserved a better story. Throughout the series she had some bright moments, therefore leading me to think that her story would shine. Alas, it didnt and I think it all centered on the love story. Eloise and Philip never really have a "clicking" moment.The letters they wrote to one another were so shallow and luke warm. They learned absolutely NOTHING from the letters, for Eloise to have wanted to marry Phillip I'd have thought she'd need something other than knowing that he was a botanist, but hey, like i said the story seemed rushed.
  The whole business with Phillip and his children, along with his trauma having to do with his father sucked. Quinn never really delved well into why he hated spending time with his children. In the last 2 chapters he realized in less than a paragraph "oh, well the reason is because I was abused by my father!". Ugh. So annoying! She really could have expanded in a way to make Philip more loveable or at least interesting!
  Like I said...it's not the worst...even though everything I wrote points to the contrary...but the writing was lacking. The characters were never expanded (with the exception of the children) and the arrival of the Bridgerton brothers was hogwash, they seemed to be thrown in as an afterthought, once the author realized that after all this is a series.
  It's a pretty light read. I really hope that Quinn will make Frances story a 5 star because the series keeps getting worse and worse as we see each sibling. I'm thinking Hyacinth's story will be hilarious because her role in Colin/Penelope's story was great.
  
  
• Not as great as the other books in the Bridgerton series
  By on 2003-07-23
  There's no such thing as a bad Julia Quinn book. "To Sir Phillip, With Love" was a good read, just that it wasn't up to par with the other books in the Bridgerton series.

  Eloise is a great heroine, and Phillip and his children were charming enough. Still, Eloise and Phillip didn't shine as much as Colin and Penelope ("Romancing Mr. Bridgerton"), for example. The best parts in this book were when the entire Bridgerton family was together. It's always great to revisit old friends.

  I wouldn't recommend starting off with this book. If you're already a Julia Quinn fan you'll want to read it just to follow the series, but I do hope the next one is better.
  
  

• A bit off for Mrs. Quinn
  By A1U5BRBPMTTGWN on 2003-08-12
  I am a fan of Julia Quinn, and have anticipated the next installment of the Bridgerton clan with glee. I now find myself rather disappointed.

  This novel is much more serious than her previous Bridgerton novels, and I found myself with little patience for Phillip's strange line of thinking. I couldn't help but compare his doubts with Anthony's, but whereas I had great sympathy for Anthony and understood exactly how he could think and feel as he did, Phillip garnered no such emotion. I found him to be a bit flat, and quite dense.

  The wit and humor that Mrs. Quinn usually delights us with was missing. I found myself having to think hard to remember if I'd cracked a smile through the entire novel, when I'm usually laughing out loud with every chapter. I'm not sure if this somber tone was deliberate on the author's part or just a quirk of the novel, but I missed the laughter.

  Eloise was a charming character but I often found it hard to believe that she would carry out some of the actions in the plot.

  I'm still giving this 3 stars, with the pointed caveat to Quinn fans that this is, to date, the lowest installment in the Bridgerton series.

  I'm sure Mrs. Quinn will be right back to form with Francesca, and I eagerly await her story.
  
  

• The Hero, Not So Heroic...
  By A27SK0GGIP7JS2 on 2004-02-02
  I love Julia Quinn, and enjoyed this book to a degree. However, I found myself very disapointed in the hero, Phillip. Firstly, his reaction to Eloise's arrival seemed enterly too odd, even for a man "not good with words". He was much too confused about everything.

  I also especially hated that it seemed that he could actually find himself perfectly happy and content with Eloise as nothing more than a mother by day and his slut by night... Sorry for my bluntness, but this is how it came across.

  I was also shocked by some of the dialog that passed between them, he was down right mean and aweful to her with some of the things he said, and honestly I couldn't find myself edeared to a man that despite his past, would say such things for a woman whom he, only shortly later, came to realize he was in love with.

  I did enjoy the opening of each chapter of Eloise's thoughts and writing of the past and how they fit perfectly into the story, and I loved the very end.

  I hate doing this, I really do, but I must say, unless you're a JQ fan and want to keep up with the going's on of the Bridgerton family, I simply don't recommend this book. While there were enjoyable parts of this novel, it just simply wasn't what I had expected from her.
  
  

• My favorite JQ book
  By A1Y8C8IDA6HHEV on 2004-07-11
  Yep. I Love 'To Sir Phillip, with Love'. I guess it's one of those you either love it or loathe it kind of books, but I can't quite grasp why someone wouldn't love it too.

  The first thing that attracted me was the hero himself. Sir Phillip. He is a different sort of hero than you usually see in a romance novel. He's not that sure of himself, he's failing as a father and he has a lot of pain from the past buried inside himself. But he tries, and he cares, and he is honorable to a fault. He's a good man, with all the failings and blessings that come with it. And you hardly ever see that now days. Usually it's all about the rogue who has bedded a thousand women and now he'll promise to be faithful to one woman the rest of his life. *ahem* Right.

  I guess TSPWL came along at just the right time for me. I was caught up in the story, I loved the hero, Eloise herself was a different kind of heroine and she was utterly perfect for Phillip. It was fun catching up with the brothers and finding out how they were doing. It made me cry and it made me laugh and I was truly grateful for the happy ending.

  As for it not being like some of her other books, well...Julia Quinn never writes the same book twice and I'm truly grateful for that.
  
  

• Lacking unity
  By A2DRCJ1YOFTZKK on 2005-12-08
  The problem with this book is that it tries to balance some serious issues and characters - sir Phillip, widower with two children, who cannot relate to them and fears that he is not up to raising them - with classical romance stuff. While each part taken separately works, together they don't. Sir Phillip as he is described in the "serious" part of the book cannot be the same man that feels sexual passion for Eloise. He's just a scholar, he's dedicated to his work, and I cannot picture him as being at the same time a passionate guy.
  
  Also, perhaps I'm too outfashioned, but I found the multiple references to masturbation a little bit disturbing.
  
  Sincerely, I cannot see that these two characters could ever find something in common.
  
  

• Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Bridgerton Series, Book 4)
• Offer From a Gentleman, An (Bridgerton Series, Bk. 3)
• When He Was Wicked (Bridgerton Family Series)
• The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgerton Series, Bk. 2)
• It's In His Kiss