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For the month of November we are reading Julia Quinn's latest book, The Sum of All Kisses. Please leave your comments about the book in this thread. Remember, this tread may contain spoilers.

I really enjoyed it. The annoying younger sisters were great...and I really liked Freddie.
I found Sarah's melodrama annoying but I loved Hugh
However I have a hard time believing either that the father would try to intervene when their romance is going well, or that Sarah's threats would stop him once she had a child... This part of the plot didn't work for me.

I liked it, but not as much as the others in the series.

The following comments are taken from my review:

Enemies to lovers is not a trope that I am particularly fond of, but Quinn makes it work well here. Sarah and Hugh do spend a lot of time together, and in addition to the banter at which Quinn excels, the emotional intensity between the two of them develops gradually. Their falling in love is based on more than wit and lust. Neither of these protagonists has the charm that often makes Quinn’s characters memorable, but they have their own strengths. Hugh had a truly horrific childhood, and I had no problem accepting his eccentricities given his abilities and his history, both of which set him apart from his peers. I warmed up to Sarah slowly, but by the second half of the book, I found her endearing. And I’m always in favor of a warrior heroine who saves the day.

I would like to have seen Hugh’s brother play a more visible role in the story since he clearly is important to Hugh, and the final few chapters are unquestionably melodramatic, a technique that will likely dismay some readers and delight others. But the epilogue is perfect in a Smythe-Smith book.

I would give the book 4.5 stars, and I agree with both of the previous comments. I liked the interaction with the youngest sister quite a lot, in fact; and I would have preferred to have Hugh's brother more to see how the brothers' relationship developed in such awful circumstances. We saw their childhood interaction in the nursery when the parents were heard from afar, but we did not see much of their adolescence or early manhood.

I had a difficult time coming to like Sarah, and I felt this book took longer to get to the crux of her change of mind/heart with Hugh.

I actually enjoyed this one more than the previous Smythe-Smith books. I think maybe because I identified with Hugh's issues with his disability. And I enjoyed the wit and banter between them as they got closer. The little sisters were total scene stealers and I loved their interactions with Hugh.

The ending was a surprise. The only point where I found myself questioning things was Sarah's response to Hugh's bargain with his father. I just didn't get why she'd be angry with Hugh over it. The bargain Sarah made with Hugh's father I believed, but I am generally willing to believe there are happy endings with things like that. So long as the hero and heroine are happy together I tend to think that they've got a safety zone around them after the book ends that will ensure they truly do live HEA. And it's definitely strong enough to fend off evil parents. :)

My book is on it's way. I am looking forward to reading it.

Manda wrote: "I actually enjoyed this one more than the previous Smythe-Smith books. I think maybe because I identified with Hugh's issues with his disability. And I enjoyed the wit and banter between them as th..."


Oh that surprise ending Manda! I was so frustrated I didn't know what to do with it. Sarah just rubbed me the wrong way at that point and I just wanted to strangle her. I was very disappointed in Sarah.
Can I say the ending also felt rushed? I wanted their relationship to have developed more before actually admitting to their feelings for each other.

And Freddie! I really wanted to see him at the end. And gosh I really want his story!

Even though I've been waiting for this story for a long time I was disappointed that it wasn't my most favorite.

The one thing I did like about the ending was that it was Sarah's melodrama that saved them.

Dls wrote: "The one thing I did like about the ending was that it was Sarah's melodrama that saved them."

Yes! It was like she finally knew how to use her gift:)

I just finished this, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love the banter between Hugh and Sarah. While Sarah could be melodramatic, I like the fact that she was willing/wanting to help Hugh in any way she can.