The Viscount Who Loved Me - Julia Quinn

 Initial draw: ✰✰✰
Character development: ✰✰✰✰
Plot/Writing style: ✰✰✰
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"1814 promises to be another eventful season, but not, this author believes, for Anthony Bridgerton, London's most elusive bachelor, who has shown no indication that he plans to marry. And in truth, why should he? When it comes to playing the consummate rake, nobody does it better..." - Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1814

But this time, the gossip columnists have it wrong. Anthony Bridgerton hasn't just decided to marry - he's even chosen a wife! The only obstacle is his intended's older sister, Kate Sheffield - the most meddlesome woman ever to grace a London ballroom. The spirited schemer is driving Anthony mad with her determination to stop the betrothal, but when he closes his eyes at night, Kate is the woman haunting his increasingly erotic dreams...

Contrary to popular belief, Kate is quite sure that reformed rakes do not make the best husbands - and Anthony Bridgerton is the most wicked rogue of them all. Kate is determined to protect her sister - but she fears her own heart is vulnerable. And when Anthony's lips touch hers, she's suddenly afraid she might not be able to resist the reprehensible rake herself..."

I am still far too immature to read words like "maidenhead," but this is one of my favorite books of the series. It was by far the most organic in terms of relationship development, and I was genuinely rooting for Anthony and Kate. It also got into some serious trauma-related stuff that I really didn't expect! I appreciated that it got into some serious stuff instead of just skimming the surface. It even taught me something about bee sting allergies - did you know that with deadly bee allergies, the first sting doesn't always trigger a reaction? It's the second that becomes problematic. Interesting...interesting.

Anyway, if you want to dip your toe into Bridgerton but don't want to read the entire series, I would go with this one. Kate remained one of my favorite characters throughout the rest of the series, and I found her outspoken snark delightful.