To Sir Philip, With Love by Julia Quinn is the fifth book of the historical romance Bridgerton series. This book wasn’t on my reading list for the month, but after reading Romancing Mister Bridgerton, I couldn’t wait to start to read the next book. So, I am pushing Epic of Helinthia to next month.
Eloise Bridgerton is the protagonist Bridgerton sibling in the fifth book. In the previous book, it is shown that she spends a lot of time corresponding through letters, but with whom is a bit of a mystery. To Sir Philip, With Love begins immediately after the ending of Romancing Mister Bridgerton when Eloise disappears from the party. Sir Philip Crane is a widowed father of two kids and is completely enthusiastic about plants.
The Eloise in the book is much different than the series, at least I thought so, but that is to be expected; it didn’t bother me. Eloise has been corresponding with Philip for over a year after the death of his wife, Eloise’s distant cousin. She decides to take a chance and lands up at Philip’s house without telling her family. Philip is in over his head with kids, and he didn’t have a good relationship with his wife when she was alive. He is wounded, confused, and a little scared, but Eloise is not what he expected.
Philip spends a lot of time talking about his plants and is enthusiastic about his work with them. It is one of his quirks that Eloise kind of finds fascinating. Eloise and Philip know each other only through their letters, so it is different when they are together in person. It’s a bit of a learning curve for both of them. Philip’s kids are naughty and make life difficult for Eloise in the beginning. You feel bad for them when you realize, that they just feel neglected by their parents, now just Philip. But Eloise and Philip do have chemistry, and slowly they start understanding each other better.
Both these characters have their quirks and baggage. Philip had a difficult childhood and then a difficult marriage. He internalizes his pain and has trouble expressing his feelings. He loves his children, but he doesn’t know how to show them that he loves them because he never learnt this from his parents. In a way, he buries himself in his work to get away from all the emotions and his trouble expressing them. Eloise has a big and loving family, who always support each other. She is perceptive and can see how Philip struggles. She is not a typical historical romance heroine. She is kind and understanding yet expresses her opinions and stands up for herself and what she wants.
To Sir Philip, With Love by Julia Quinn is a lovely historical romance. It’s a fitting addition to the Bridgerton siblings series. The pace of the novel kind of slows down in the middle, but it keeps you interested. Eloise and Philip have an interesting arc, and their romance is endearing yet passionate. I enjoyed reading this book. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it.
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