Essay Questions

What is the most lesson that Gregory Bridgerton has gleaned from a life of growing up with sisters?

Gregory has not waded so far into the deep end of the self-esteem pool to refuse to take the chance on admitting to himself that he is a man who has learned a thing or two about women. One of the most important, of course, the female sex never seems quite capable of explicitly saying what is on their mind. But, of course, one need not grow up with sisters to learn this lesson. The knowledge that comes as a result of growing up sisters that one who has not grown up under such conditions lacks, of course, is their secrets of dealing with the mysteries of romance. It is by studying his sisters’ relationship with men pursuing romance that the single greatest lesson has come into his possession: when a man sets his sights on a woman with the intention of romantic pursuit, the worst mistake can one make is to make of themselves an enemy of the best friend. Or, put another way: if you want to date the pretty one you had darn better make friends with the not-as-pretty one.

What is the inherent danger in this lesson that Gregory has learned which carries the potential of undoing all the best laid plans of many a man?

Although an amazingly robust number of men do not even get to the point of learning that valuable lesson Gregory has taken to heart and therefore almost immediately ruin any hopes of romantic success by getting on the wrong side of the best friend, even those who manage to avoid this rookie mistake are not exactly destined for success. As Gregory himself contemplates (though not in such figurative terms), there is at all times a potential timebomb ticking away that could explode the entire pursuit in a man’s face without warning. The whole making friends with the best friend thing only works “provided they really were friends, and not just that odd thing women did where they pretended to be friends and were actually just waiting for the perfect moment to knife each other in the ribs.” These are the treacherous seas awaiting any man who dares to approach two women who exhibit themselves as being true-blue best friends forever despite the one always being the goddess that men approach while practically ignoring the existence of the other.

What does all of this have to do with the romance related in this story?

The lessons that Gregory has learned from watching his sisters deal with romantic suitors and his own experiences in working out the intricacies of metaphorical sisterhood that turns out not to be quite so sisterly as it seems do not just have application to this romance, but provides its very foundation. The grand romantic whirlwind that develops between Gregory Bridgerton and Lucinda (better known as Lucy) Abernathy begins with a love at first sight bolt from the blue that makes Gregory weak in the knees. Except that the sighting which has this majestic weakening effect upon his entire being is the curvature of the neck of Lucy’s best friend, the gorgeous goddess herself, Hermione Watson. And so, clearly, Gregory has a job to do: become friendly with the best friend while also making sure she really is a friend. If that sounds like hard work requiring a lot of effort and time spent with Lucy rather than Hermione, well, then, there’s your plot.