Saturday, May 7, 2011

Just Like Heaven

If you're a fan of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series - like the Dishes are - then you've likely been waiting a long time for those poor, beleaguered Smythe-Smith girls to find their happy endings.  Well, the wait is almost over!  Just Like Heaven, the first book in the Smythe-Smith Quartet is the story of Honoria Smythe-Smith and Marcus Holroyd and will be released May 31st from Avon, an Imprint of HarperCollins. Check out the story blurb below as well as the recently released video book trailer.


Honoria Smythe-Smith, the youngest daughter of the eldest son of the Earl of Winstead, plays the violin in the annual musicale performed by the Smythe-Smith quartet. She’s well aware that they are dreadful. In fact, she freely admits (to her cousins) that she is probably the worst of the bunch. But she’s the sort who figures that nothing good will come of being mortified, so she puts on a good show and laughs about it.

Marcus Holroyd is the best friend of Honoria’s brother, Daniel, who lives in exile out of the country. He’s promised to watch out for Honoria and takes his responsibility very seriously. But he has his work cut out for him when Honoria sets off for Cambridge determined to marry by the end of the season. She’s got her eye on the only unmarried Bridgerton, who’s a bit wet behind the ears. When her advances are spurned, can Marcus swoop in and steal her heart in time for the musicale? 


Visit Julia Quinn's website for more fun details, an advance look at Chapter One of Just Like Heaven and a sneak peek at the book's playlist!

Have you been looking forward to the Smythe-Smith stories?  What other secondary characters from books you've read would you like to see get their own stories?  Two randomly chosen people who leave comments today will each get a book from my prize stash.  


~PJ

38 comments:

  1. I so loved The Bridgertons and the Smythe-Smith girls were always a great part of the series and this is one book I am really looking forward to.

    PJ There are so many characters from books that I have read over the years that really deserve their own stories but my mind is a total blank at the moment let me think on it

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  2. Thank you for sharing the video with us, PJ! I loved it and I can't wait to read Just Like Heaven. Like you, I've been wondering about the Smyth-Smith girls, and am so glad we're finally getting their stories.

    As for other secondary characters needing their own stories, I have a few.

    1. Lady Charlotte Brandon in Maya Rodale's Writing Girls series. She was a complete scene stealer in A Groom of One's Own, and loved the mentions of her in A Tale of Two Lovers. She's a mischievous troublemaker with a heart of gold who doesn't suffer fools who you can't help but love.

    2. Callie's brother Benedick in Sarah MacLean's Love by Numbers series. I know I'm not the only one who thinks "Benny" needs to find a love match too!

    3. Sebastien, Pier's from Eloisa's When Beauty Tamed the Beast

    4. The other girl bachelors living at Little Russell Street from LLG's Girl Bachelor series. I'm hoping LLG returns to the Girl Bachelors after her current series is over (though I'm loving the Abandoned at the Altar series).

    5. Joe Travis from Lisa Kleypas's Texas trilogy!! I know Lisa's gotten a lot of fan mail saying they want Joe's story too. :)

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  3. Looking forward to Julia's new quartet, those poor girls sure do deserve to be happy,

    From Connie Brockway's recent news, we will finally get to read Giles Strand's story after a long wait. He was a secondary character in All Through the Night (a high all-time favorite for me), also was in Promise Me Heaven.

    Also,

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  4. Yippee! The Smythe-Smith girls will do something other than provide horrible music to the various Bridgertons! I'm so looking forward to this series!

    I can't think of any side characters right now....

    ironss [at] gmail [dot] com

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  5. I have not read any of the stories with Smythe-Smith's, but I will now.

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  6. I have always loved the Smythe-Smith musicales! They were so funny and entertaining. And I can't wait to read Just Like Heaven!
    I would love to read Benedick's story from Sarah MacLean's books and Holly's book from Pamela Clare's I-Team novels.

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  7. Helen, JQ's Bridgertons and Johanna Lindsey's Malorys are my two favorite fictional families...though some of Nora Roberts' are close behind. ;-)

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  8. Lisa, great choices!

    I have Rodale's books on my tbr but haven't read them yet. This makes me look forward to them even more.

    I'm with you on Benedict and I have high hopes that Sarah MacLean will one day write his story.

    I'm hoping that Sebastien will be the hero of one of Eloisa's e-novellas (like she did with Wick, the prince's brother from A Kiss at Midnight.

    Love LLG's Girl Bachelors and would be most happy to read more of their stories!

    Right there with Joe Travis too!

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  9. Pam P said, From Connie Brockway's recent news, we will finally get to read Giles Strand's story after a long wait. He was a secondary character in All Through the Night (a high all-time favorite for me), also was in Promise Me Heaven.

    I'm sure that news has many Brockway fans jumping for joy...including me! :)

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  10. LOL @ Sheree! I know! Those poor girls have earned their hea, don't you think?

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  11. Marybelle said, I have not read any of the stories with Smythe-Smith's, but I will now.

    Oh, Marybelle! You have some amazing stories ahead of you! Julia Quinn wrote eight novels about the members of her beloved fictional Bridgerton family and every one of them is on my keeper shelf. Since the publication of the final novel, she has been working on, and releasing, secondary epilogues for each book (not all have yet been released) which are being released individually in electronic format.

    Go to her website for a list of the books in the Bridgerton series.

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  12. ClaudiaGC said, I would love to read Benedick's story from Sarah MacLean's books and Holly's book from Pamela Clare's I-Team novels.

    Another vote for Benedict!

    Claudia, I've been buying Clare's I-Team novels but haven't started reading them yet. I hear I have some fantastic reading ahead!

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  13. I loved the Smythe-Smith recitals in the Bridgerton books, so I am very excited that at least one of them is going to find happily ever after! Others who I would love to see are Ella and Vivi's from Sarah Maclean's The Season get their own story!

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  14. I absolutely ADORE all of Julia Quinn's books and always await her books by noting the release date on my calendar so I can get it as soon as it comes out! (I don't do this with any other author!) The plot and especially the humor with which she writes is fabulous! When my husband hears me laugh out loud while reading a book, he always says, "Oh, you must be reading a Julia Quinn book." Can't wait!

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  15. I love Julia Quinn aned have been eagerly awaiting this release.

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  16. CAN'T WAIT, CAN'T WAIT! I am SO looking forward to this story and another book by JQ!!

    Lots of secondary character choices. It's hard to name some and I can't seem to think of any right now.

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  17. I loved the Bridgertons too! As for secondary characters and their stories, there is only one I can think of right now and I am shamed to admit that though I remember the whole situation....I can't remember author or even the character's name! (Dianna hangs head in absolute shame)

    I so hate the whole memory loss thing.


    The secondary character I am thinking of seems to be a super valet/spy type of man. He can fix all ills for his hero and heroine and I can't remember his name and if I am remembering anything at all correctly the author has said he isn't going to have his own story. Historical genre, he is a very snappy dresser and that is all the brain cells are going to give me.

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  18. I'll add another vote for Sara McLean's Benedict getting his own HEA & I've been interested in Akash's (from Anna Campbell's Captive of Sin) story forever (my fingers remain crossed on both accounts that some day I'll be rewarded). There are others but those 2 come to mind first.

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  19. Julia Quinn could write a shopping list and I'd eagerly wait in line to buy it! I love her books! I can't wait to read this one.

    I know there must be some secondary characters that I wanted to read more about, but I can't think of any of them in my excitement over this book! I always wondered about those Smythe-Smith girls!

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  20. I can't wait to read the first of the Smythe-Smith girls' books. I'll read anything JQ writes. :-)

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  21. I can't wait for this book. I loved the first chapter, and I expect further chapters to be even better. I'm also hoping for some Bridgerton sightings, if only in a ballroom or at a musicale.

    I'm one of those readers dancing with delight that we'll soon have Giles Strand's story. Like others, I long for the stories of Sarah MacLean's Benedick and Lisa Kleypas's Joe Travis. I also hope Eloisa James will revisit the children of her Desperate Duchesses series. There's so much potential there. And I want Anna Campbell to write Cassie's story. These are just a few of the secondary-to-primary stories I long for.

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  22. I can't wait to get my hands in this book! Also, I like how the trailer ties in with the book cover. JQ has some of the best book trailers, doesn't she?

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  23. Oops, I meant to say "on this book" lol

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  24. This should be an interesting story. As for other books with secondary characters, I'd chosse jow from Lisa Kleypas's Travis family and georgiana from Sarah macleans number series.

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  25. Dtchycat, Just Like Heaven is the first book in a Smythe-Smith Quartet so I think they'll all get their happy endings!

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  26. Connie and Kmannrn, I'm with you. JQ is one of my favorite authors!

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  27. Deb, I think everyone's excited about this book! Less than a month now!

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  28. Hmmmm, I'm not sure who that is, Dianna but he certainly sounds intriguing.

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  29. I am SO looking forward to this one!!!

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  30. Be still my heart! This is the one I have been waiting for! Thank you and Congratulations, Julia.

    P.S. I hope you include the dowager from the Bridgerton Series who was once a Smythe-Smith Girl! I'm wracking my brain for her name now.

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  31. Gamistress, Akash is certainly an intriguing fellow. I'd love to know more about him!

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  32. Margay, a lot of us have been wondering about those Smythe-Smith girls! I'm so glad we'll finally be able to read their stories!

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  33. Janga, I so want Anna to write Cassie's story. I think she's be a fabulous heroine!

    You were the first person I thought of when I read Connie Brockway's announcement. I know how long you've been waiting for Giles Strand's story!

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  34. I have not read any of this series, but will be looking for it now. Sounds awesome!

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  35. *hanging my head in shame* I'm afraid to admit that I haven't read any Julia Quinn books as of yet so I have not had a chance to read anything about the Smythe-Smith girls

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  36. One of my favorite secondary characters is Isabeau and Sir Hugh from Lady Fortune by Anne Stuart.

    Really looking forward to Julia's new books!

    marieimy (at) gmail (dot) com

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  37. I'm really looking forward to the Smythe-Smith girls!!! But actually, to be honest, I'm looking forward to anything Julia Quinn :D

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  38. Julia Quinn is an awesome writer. I love the bridgertons and smythe-smith girls were always apart of the story. they deserve their own series for sure. Thanks for the giveaway and would love to win.

    christinebails@yahoo.com

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