First comes scandal: a Bridgertons prequel

After being kidnapped by a fortune-hunter, Georgiana Bridgerton, fortunately, returns home none the worse for wear except for her reputation, which is now tarnished beyond repair. While Georgie couldn't give a fig for what society might think, everyone else in her family has a slightly different opinion of the matter. So when Georgie's old childhood friend and next-door neighbor, Nicholas Rokesby, prompted by a major case of guilt, proposes, everyone expects her to accept. But Georgie refuses to be looked upon as a marital charity case, and her initial reply to Nicholas' proposal is a polite, but firm, no. Funny enough, though, the more time the two spend together, the more Georgie begins to think she might want to reconsider her initial response. Quinn (The Other Miss Bridgerton, 2018) continues to perfect her literary recipe for witty, entrancing historical romances as evidenced by the latest scintillating addition to her Bridgerton Prequel series. Copyright 2020 Booklist Reviews.

Compromised by a scandal involving an attempted kidnapping, Georgiana Bridgerton agrees to marry childhood friend Nicholas Rokesby, who is called home from his medical studies in Edinburgh to aid in the crisis. The two wed quickly and prepare to return to Edinburgh, when on the long journey there, Nicholas discovers Georgie's mutual interest in medicine, and they realize they might not wish to have as strictly a platonic relationship as they once thought. Nicholas and Georgie's hijinks are charming, and it's a joy to watch Georgie's fascination with the medical field in Georgian England evolve in this fourth prequel to the beloved "Bridgerton" series (e.g., The Sum of All Kisses). VERDICT Quinn is in her usual fine form. The newly launched Netflix series will ensure more fans, but Nicholas and Georgie will be a hit with longtime readers and newcomers alike.—Kellie Tilton, Univ. of Cincinnati Blue Ash

In Quinn's charming fourth Rokesbys Regency romance (after The Other Miss Bridgerton), a woman marries her lifelong friend to save her reputation. The wealthy Lady Georgiana "Georgie" Bridgerton is ruined when Freddie Oakes tries to trap her into marriage, compromising her reputation by forcing her to spend unchaperoned time with him. When Georgie's godfather learns of her predicament, he tells his son, Nicholas Rokesby, that he must marry her. Both Nicholas and Georgie are romantics who had hoped to marry for love, but they agree to the union as a necessity and hope that their close friendship will survive. But the arrangement leads them to see each other in a new light, and an attraction grows between them as Nicholas tirelessly supports Georgie in pursuing her dreams; Georgie is fascinated with Nicholas's classes at medical school, and as women aren't allowed to attend, Nicholas agrees to teach her everything he can. Both hero and heroine enter into their marriage as virgins, making for tender, exploratory sex scenes with a welcome degree of humor. Quinn's fans will delight in the sparkling prose and progressive central couple. Agent: Steve Axelrod, Axelrod Agency. (Apr.)