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- Title: It’s in His Kiss
- Author: Julia Quinn
- Narrator: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 11:12:59
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 31/03/2020
- Publisher: Recorded Books
- Genre: Romance, Historical Romance
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
There’s a particular magic to discovering an audiobook that transports you so completely, you forget you’re listening at all. Julia Quinn’s “It’s in His Kiss”, narrated by the incomparable Rosalyn Landor, achieves this rare alchemy – transforming my morning commute through Bogotá’s chaotic streets into a lavish London ballroom, and the honking taxis outside my window into the delicate strains of the Smythe-Smith musicale.
“”The Story That Unfolds Like a Well-Traveled Map””
This seventh installment in the Bridgerton series introduces us to Hyacinth Bridgerton, the family’s most formidable spinster, and Gareth St. Clair, a rogue with a mysterious Italian diary. Their dynamic reminded me of watching traditional storytellers in Marrakech – the way they’d weave tension and release through perfectly timed pauses and explosive revelations. Quinn’s dialogue similarly dances between sharp wit and tender vulnerability, creating a rhythm that Landor captures with impeccable precision.
Listening to Hyacinth’s boldness as she volunteers to translate Gareth’s diary (despite questionable Italian skills) transported me back to my own youthful bluster – like the time I insisted I could navigate rural Portugal with only phrasebook Portuguese. Like me with that Portuguese train schedule, Hyacinth’s confidence outweighs her competence, making her both endearing and hilarious.
“”Rosalyn Landor’s Narration: A Masterclass in Characterization””
Landor’s performance is nothing short of virtuosic. She handles the sprawling Bridgerton family with distinct voices that feel both fresh and familiar to series devotees. Her Gareth carries just the right balance of rakish charm and wounded vulnerability – I found myself rewinding his confession about his father’s cruelty, struck by how Landor let the pain seep through without overwhelming the scene.
The Italian passages (which I can actually verify as correct, unlike Hyacinth) flow like poetry from Landor’s lips. It reminded me of listening to my abuela switch effortlessly between English and Spanish, each language carrying its own emotional weight. Landor makes the diary scenes feel intimate, like we’re peering over Hyacinth’s shoulder as she deciphers each line.
“”Cultural Richness Beyond the Ballroom””
What struck me most – and what I suspect Quinn intended – was how the Italian diary subplot reveals the Regency era’s cultural interconnectedness. As someone who’s traced trade routes from Venice to London, I appreciated how Quinn uses language barriers and cultural artifacts to create intimacy between characters. The diary becomes a metaphor for all the things we inherit without understanding – a theme that resonated deeply as I recalled sorting through my own grandfather’s untranslated Spanish letters.
“”A Few Quibbles Along the Way””
No journey is perfect, and I did find myself wishing for more sensory descriptions of London itself. Having walked those very streets that Gareth and Hyacinth traverse, I know how the fog clings to the Thames or how the scent of roasting chestnuts fills Covent Garden. The audio format could have benefited from more of these grounding details to compete with Landor’s vivid character work.
The Smythe-Smith musicale scenes, while hilarious, occasionally strained credibility even for romantic comedy. Then again, I once attended a flamenco performance in Seville where the dancer’s castanet flew into the audience, so perhaps artistic disasters are more universal than we think.
“”Why This Audiobook Stands Out””
In a genre often crowded with similar tropes, “It’s in His Kiss” distinguishes itself through Hyacinth’s brilliant characterization. She’s not just ‘feisty’ – she’s genuinely intellectual, strategic, and flawed. Landor delivers her barbs with perfect comic timing while letting her quieter moments of insecurity shine through. It’s the vocal equivalent of watching a master chef balance flavors – you can’t identify all the techniques, but the result is delicious.
“”For Whom the Belles Toll””
This audiobook is perfect for:
– Commuters who want to transform their drive into a Regency romance
– Fans of enemies-to-lovers tropes done with sophistication
– Anyone who appreciates historical accuracy woven seamlessly into fiction
– Listeners who want to be swept away by a narrator’s transformative power
While you could certainly enjoy this in print, Landor’s performance adds dimensions even Quinn’s sparkling prose can’t achieve alone. There’s a particular scene where Gareth teaches Hyacinth to waltz that had me parked in my driveway, unwilling to pause the exquisite tension Landor creates through breath and pause alone.
With a traveler’s appreciation for stories that transport us,
Marcus Rivera
