Super swoony and maaaaybe my new favorite romance. 
 George Rokesby and Billie Bridgerton have been at odds with one another since they were children. They're both headstrong and dutiful, though George is more serious and Bill is more feisty. They get thrown together in a moment of vulnerability and they open up...just enough to learn that they might actually--gasp--like each other. I'm a sucker for the "we hate each other but really we secretly love each other" trope and this was a wonderful take on it. Instead of having George and Billie constantly lashing out, they're both mostly confused by their new feelings and each make an effort to be civil to the other person, which serves to confuse the other party even more. It's terribly good fun. A house party between their families, who have always been close, brings them into even closer proximity. 
 Sparkling banter, delightful side characters, and well-executed family drama only add to the joy. I was surprised at how squeaky clean the first half of this book was. It might as well have been Edenbrooke. It doesn't stay that way, but it's never too heavy on the heaving bosoms and longing sighs. (I will say, though, that (view spoiler)[the one and only sexy time scene in the book didn't meet my expectations. It was too rushed and too close to the end. I hope the rest of her books aren't like that. (hide spoiler)].) 
 This is effectively a prequel to the Bridgerton books, although I had to do some digging to figure that out. I needed to read Julia Quinn in my romance exploration and I'm eager to read more, but I'm not quite sure where to go next. 
 Amusing / annoying side note: Someone went through this library copy and angrily marked out every single "goddamn" in this book with a pen. (There are three instances. It's not like it was being overly used.) Like, it's not my favorite word, either, but what do you think you're saving us from, pen-wielder? We know what word you're crossing out. Do you suppose that you're making it better or protecting us? Sigh.