The Viscount Who Loved Me is a 2000 historical romance novel written by Julia Quinn. It was first published by Avon. The book is the second in Quinn's Bridgerton series, which is set in Regency England. The story follows Anthony, Viscount Bridgerton, the eldest Bridgerton child. The novel became a #1 New York Times Best Seller.
Plot
In 1814, after many years of being known for his bad behavior in high society, Anthony, Viscount Bridgerton, decides to stop his reckless lifestyle and focus on continuing his family's name. He remembers his father's death at a young age from a bee sting and believes, even though he doesn't have a good reason, that he might also die young. He avoids falling in love to prevent future problems.
At the same time, Kate Sheffield arrives in London's high society with her younger half-sister Edwina and her stepmother Mary. Her goal is to find a good husband for Edwina, who is smart and very beautiful. Kate is less hopeful about finding a husband for herself, as she is almost too old to marry. When Anthony begins to court Edwina, Kate tries to stop him, believing he has not changed his old, dishonest habits. Although they dislike each other, they feel a growing attraction after sharing a kiss.
During a visit to Aubrey Hall, the Bridgertons' country home, Kate is stung by a bee while with Anthony. He becomes very scared and tries to help her. Their mothers see them in a situation that looks bad, and Anthony declares he will marry Kate to protect their reputations. Society gossip later says Anthony was actually interested in Kate, not Edwina. Edwina is happy for them, as she had already guessed that Kate and Anthony cared for each other. However, Kate struggles with her feelings for Anthony, as he insists he will marry her but will never truly love her.
Anthony becomes confused when he starts to fall in love with his wife. After Kate is in a carriage accident, Anthony admits to her that he loves her.
Reception
In March 2022, The Viscount Who Loved Me, a long-time favorite among fans, was named the best book in the Bridgerton series by People magazine. The book was praised for its story about enemies who become lovers, which includes lively conversations and strong chemistry between the main characters. The book also shows how the main characters grow as individuals and as a couple.
- Number 1 on the New York Times Best Seller List
- Listed on the USA Today Best Seller List
- Featured on the Publishers Weekly Mass Market Bestseller List
- Included on the New York Times Extended Bestseller List
- Nominated for the 2001 RITA Awards in the Long Historical Category
Adaptation
The novel inspired the second season of the Netflix series Bridgerton, which began on March 25, 2022. Jonathan Bailey played the same role as Anthony, Viscount Bridgerton, and Simone Ashley portrayed Kate. During its first weekend, the season reached 193 million viewing hours, the highest opening for any English-language Netflix series at that time. It also set a record for the most viewed English-language series in a single week, with 251.74 million viewing hours between March 28 and April 3. By April 19, the second season had surpassed the first season as the most watched English-language television series on Netflix, with 627.11 million hours viewed since its launch.