Book Review: To Sir Phillip, With Love

Have you watched the latest season of Bridgerton yet? I’m still catching up and have only watched a few episodes of part 1 so far. But, last week I did read the 5th book in the Julia Quinn series, To Sir Phillip, With Love, which is Eloise Bridgerton’s story with Phillip Crane.

In this novel, Phillip is a widower with 8 year old twins – Amanda and Oliver. His wife, Marina, who he had an arranged marriage with when he was young, was always melancholy and so aside from being together long enough to have their two children, Phillip hardly got to spend time or get to know Marina as she stayed shut up in her bedroom most of the time. Shortly after Marina dies, Phillip receives a letter from Eloise, a distance cousin of Marina’s, expressing her condolences. They begin to write back and forth to each other for a year and then Phillip suggests the two meet to see if they may suit each other for marriage.

At first, Eloise is taken aback, but the more she thinks about it and sees her siblings all getting married and having children, including her brother Colin with her best friend Penelope, she decides she wants to meet Phillip. She especially wants to do this because she was sort of okay with being a spinster at the age of 28, but she always thought her and Penelope would be spinsters together.

Eloise shows up at Phillip’s estate unannounced, catching him off guard. Over the days of her stay, the two get to know each other better and start to warm up to one another becoming more like how they portrayed themselves in their letters. Eloise proves to be just the person Phillip’s mischievous children need, but also just who Phillip needs. Likewise, Phillip is just who Eloise – who had never seriously thought about marriage before – needs.

This might be my favorite Bridgerton book so far. I loved Eloise and Phillip. I also found Phillip to be the least problematic Bridgerton mmc so far. I really enjoyed seeing their relationship develop and evolve and how they both grew as individuals as well. Eloise’s relationship with the kids was also really nice to see and it was really heartwarming after all they’ve been through.

Overall, I loved the book and it may be my favorite Bridgerton love story so far!

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