Review - I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend

Original Title: I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend
Series: Jane Austen, #1
Author: Cora Harrison
Published: January 1st, 2010
Publisher: Delacorte Press

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

I’ve had this book in my TBR for a long time, and I finally got to it. And sadly, I have to say, I didn’t like it. It fell too short. And what makes it even worse is that the whole idea sounded so promising! Even after finishing the book and reading the author’s note, I kept thinking it was a great concept, but sadly, ended up very poorly executed.

One of the things that surprised me the most is that this book’s protagonist, Jenny Cooper, is based on a real person. Apparently, there was a Jane Cooper, who was Jane Austen’s cousin in real life, that married a man named Thomas Williams, after only a couple of weeks of knowing each other. In my opinion, Cora Harrison had a golden opportunity with her, considering that she can’t exactly make up Jane Austen’s life, because there are lots of biographies on her, and she’s a well-known figure. Being virtually unknown, this Jane Cooper gave the author an enormous amount of freedom, that rarely appears in biographical fiction works. But I think it was wasted with the diary format, because we only hear Jenny’s voice. I think the story would have worked better as a dual perspective book, because it would have given us the opportunity of not only knowing the action through Jenny’s eyes, but also, through Thomas’.

One of the things I liked about this book was the way Cora Harrison scattered references to Jane Austen’s books here and there, that any fan can spot, mostly through the things and the people Jenny tells us about. For example:

- Jenny’s insufferable sister-in-law, Augusta, calls her husband caro sposo, just like Mrs. Elton in “Emma”, who is also named Augusta.
- Jane wants to marry Tom Chute instead of his older brother William, because he’s sickly and will probably die, like Edmund and Tom Bertram, in “Mansfield Park”.
- The Austen family is preparing a play to perform, also like in “Mansfield Park”.
- There are brief mentions of random people named after Austen characters, like Fanny Dashwood, Lt. Price, Mariah and Julia Bertram, Mary King, etc.
- Brief mention of a girl who “was aged barely sixteen when she ran away with an army captain”, and that when her relatives found her, they “had already been living together as man and wife”, so there was nothing left to do but getting them married. Obviously, this references Lydia and Wickham, from “Pride and Prejudice”.
- Jane tells Jenny that “If a lady doubts whether she should accept a man, then she certainly should not do so”, like Emma tells Harriet, in “Emma”.

And so on.

More than once, as I read, I thought the story seemed to have no point. Jenny kept writing in her journal about daily life scenes, without any real action going on. The most relevant thing that happens is that she meets George, Jane’s mentally disabled brother, that the family gave away because of it. I liked to see that Jane never forgot about him, and even put effort in teaching him words and sounds, in contrast with her own mother, that never even thought about educating him (but I liked that, in the end, she said he was her son, in front of everyone, and saved his life).

As I’ve said before in other reviews, I never buy insta-love, and this book wasn’t the exception. The way Jenny and Thomas meet could have led to something interesting, because they both kept it a secret, for the sake of her reputation. But I just didn’t like it. Jenny manages to sneak out of her school, around 11:30 PM, to get to the post-inn before the mail coach leaves at midnight, and in the process, she meets Thomas. And in that brief moment, between posting the letter and hurrying back before being caught, he escorts her, and basically tells her about his whole life. That he’s an orphan, that he has a sister named Elinor who was unhappy in a boarding school, that he has inherited a property in the Isle of Wight… To a total stranger! A sixteen-year-old girl, alone in the middle of the street, at midnight, wouldn’t be the person I would tell everything about my life after just a few minutes. This just doesn’t work for me.

I get that Jenny is just sixteen, but at one point I found myself begging her to please, make up her mind. After her midnight adventure, Thomas Williams is not seen again, until past half of the book (literally). Until then, and because she had been living with the Austen family, she sort of had a crush on Jane’s brother, Henry, and they flirt a little, here and there. She mentions him all the time. But the moment they attend the ball, and Thomas shows up, it’s like Henry never existed. She suddenly can’t imagine life without Thomas, and honestly, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. As a reader, felt I could cut the entire thing out of the book, and the plot wouldn’t have changed at all.

As for the moment in which Jenny’s midnight escapade is revealed, and she thinks Thomas betrayed her, it’s a typical Austen misunderstanding, although without the comedy only she could have brought to the situation. And finally, in the highwaymen scene, it bothered me that Jenny, instead of being the protagonist in the climax of her own story, was just a witness of Thomas’ heroism, getting right on time to save everyone, as the knight in shining armour. As I said before, the author had a golden opportunity with this couple, because, as not much is known about their relationship, she was free to let her imagination fly, and could have told us a richer tale of what, she imagined, was going on between them, making them both deeper, and giving us something that could justify their relationship, after just three weeks. But sadly, she didn’t.

But the one quote that made want to flush the book down the toilet, is this one:

“When you told me how you nearly died, it frightened me. I realized then that I could not live without you. I felt that I would never be happy unless you were with me.”

Oh, my God *face-palm*

They have only seen each other three or four times, when Thomas says this! Literally. And I can’t. I just can’t. No. This isn’t for me. Not even Jane Austen herself wrote insta-loves like this. However, I’m on the fence about it, because the real Jane Cooper and Thomas Williams actually got engaged three weeks after they met, and married in that very same year. But as I didn’t fully like Jenny, and didn’t know enough about Thomas as to root for them and their love, I guess that, as far as fiction goes, it’s just not the kind of romance I like to read about.

I don’t know if I’ll read more by Cora Harrison. This book was very lacking in most of its aspects, except, perhaps, in the Austen references, here and there. Even though, in general, I liked the concept of exploring the life of a teen Jane Austen, the diary format was neither well executed, nor had likeable characters. It just didn’t do it for me.

Thank you so much for reading!
‘til next one!

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Review - Surprised by Love

Original Title: Surprised by Love
Series: The Heart of San Francisco, #3
Author: Julie Lessman
Published: October 7th, 2014
Publisher: Revell

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

I finally finished this trilogy, and I have to say, I’m a little disappointed. This book wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either, and at one point I just wanted to be over with it, as I was bored from time to time, and wanted to tell the characters what to do, so the story would move forward.

Even though Megan McClare –the family’s middle sister, and a former ugly duckling turned swan– is supposed to be the protagonist in Surprised by Love, more often than not I thought she was more like a supporting character in her own story, as the plot seemed to revolve more around Cait and Logan’s story than hers. In contrast, theirs drips passion, while Meg and Bram’s felt a little too flat for my taste. At certain point, I found myself wanting to force the characters to make decisions, so the plot would move forward, instead of having to read about them stuck in the middle of the things they wanted, and the things they should want. It was tiresome. I mean, even when both Cait and Meg turned their attention to other men by the middle of the book (Andrew and Devin, respectively), it was obvious they wouldn’t end up with any of them, so I just wanted them to hurry and blow them off, so the story could be wrapped up as it was meant to the whole time. And I think that speaks for itself.

Again, family is the main focus of the book, and I have to say, it’s nice to read about people who are always there for their loved ones, and are willing to go any lengths for their wellbeing. It’s heartwarming, healthy, and wonderful. And, definitely, I liked to see that Alli was still there. Among the female protagonists in the trilogy, she was, hands down, my favourite.

Overall, I liked Megan McClare. Although she’s as brave and determined as Cassie and Allie, in their own books, it’s in a quieter way. I liked she has passions and plans for her life that go not only beyond Bram Hughes, but also beyond the roles assigned for women in the early 20th century. She is generous, and selfless, and is always willing to help those in need, and I loved her for that. When she comes back from Paris having gone through a makeover, and suddenly becoming noticeable, she turns not only Bram’s head –who always saw her as a little sister, but now realizes she’s a fully grown woman–, but also Devin’s, the guy who used to bully and torment her all the time in school, and was basically the reason why her friendship with Bram became so deep. And so, starts some sort of love triangle in which, although both Meg and Bram know they are in love with each other, they separately decide to settle for other people, because Bram warned her from the first moment, that nothing would ever happen between them.

It was good that in this book we got to know Bram through his own eyes. Until this book, he had been just a background character, always at Meg’s side, and helping others to find the right path, through his strong faith. The way he feels torn it’s raw and painful, and it got truly realistic at certain points. You can actually feel how he’s constantly doubting between doing the right thing for his family, or following his heart to the woman he knows, is the love of his life. We all have felt like that in our lives, and we will again, that’s for sure –albeit not around the same things. And through getting to know him, and uncovering his terrible past, with the sister he lost, and the way he almost got his father killed, we can find a side of him that wasn’t there in the previous books. His spiritual struggle is real, and it’s really well written. Even though it was a given that he would choose Meg by the end, one can understand the depth of his inner turmoil.

I guess that what bothered me the most about Meg and Bram’s dilemma, was that they did not fight for their love. Agreed, there were obstacles that kept them apart, but in the end, they got solved by others. Either because of Logan’s investment in Bram’s family business, or Devin’s betrayal, their problems disappeared without Meg and Bram deciding to go against all odds to be together. And that, honestly, is not the kind of love story I like to read about. They claim to love each other, but the only one willing to act on it is Meg, and even so, she hits the wall of Bram’s sense of responsibility and duty towards his father, in order to atone for his past mistakes.

As I said before, I loved Julie Lessman’s writing style. It’s really beautiful, and impactful, and she can actually stir feelings in your heart. With Bram’s story about his past, I was utterly heartbroken, and invested in what he was telling me, and when I found out about Andrew being on the list of clients copied by Ruby Pearl, from the Municipal Crib, I was open-mouthed, shocked, and wanting to slap him with all my might. However, once again, I kept wondering about the choice of words here and there, as sometimes the terms and expressions used by the characters, sounded way too contemporary for the time period.

Logan and Cait’s story is well written, but at the same time, it can be kind of exhausting, as I felt it got unnecessarily convoluted at certain points. It was good that, by the end, Logan understood that no means no, and didn’t force himself on Cait anymore, but that doesn’t take away the fact that I got really tired of their endless comings and goings, even when they both agreed they couldn’t imagine life without each other, and their love had never died. There was a point in which I just wanted to slap her so she would make up her mind, because although she didn’t want to marry him and couldn’t forgive him for not telling her he was Jamie’s biological father, she still kept throwing herself in his arms every time she got upset or emotionally disturbed, so I kept wondering, what does she mean by all these? Does she want him, or not? Damnit, woman, make a decision! However, I will say, it was definitely necessary for their development, that she got engaged to Andrew Turner, because I saw it as the way God had to give clarity to their situation. I mean, sometimes, the answer to your prayers relies on taking the wrong path, to be able to recognize the right one. Cait knew that Logan was the right man for her, through the mistake of accepting Turner without really knowing him, only because he was the sensible choice. And although I was left wanting to read the confrontation between them after she found out about his dealings in the Barbary Coast, it’s fine that it didn’t happen; for the sake of her purpose of cleaning the area, she had to keep that information to herself.

Finally, I’ll say, even though the book isn’t bad, I can’t deny that, at least around the main love story, the book was a little too boring, and it got repetitive at certain points. Overall, I found it to be raw and realistic around how difficult spiritual struggle can be, sending a good message, by saying that leaving everything in God’s hands is always the right choice; even when it can be very difficult to let go and just trust Him, convincing ourselves that He knows better than we ever will, and that He does not make mistakes, in the end, it’s what we need to do.

***

Thank you so much for reading!
‘til next one!

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Review - A Lady of Quality

Original Title: A Lady of Quality
Series: Ladies in Waiting, #3
Author: Louise M. Gouge
Published: July 1st, 2013
Publisher: Love Inspired Historicals

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

I wanted to like this book. I really did. But, as expected, it just was more brain candy, dashed with a little mystery, and a plot that, sadly, fell short. It definitely had potential to be better, but I felt like the author could have done so much more, and in the end, she just didn’t, going down the obvious road, instead of the original one. But, again, it’s not like my hopes were crushed. Just like with the other books in the trilogy, I knew where I was getting into.

For starters, Catherine du Coeur, the heroine herself, was a full promise. The very first chapter shows her being brave enough to pose as a man and enter a fencing academy, ready to do anything to avenge her father’s fall from grace. She is presented as courageous, and independent, right from the get go, but that soon evolves into a damsel in distress, prone to get herself into trouble, from which she has to be rescued by the hero. And… what can I say? I definitely expected more from a heroine who seemed so resourceful, so smart and creative, good at fencing, unlike most women at her time –and to the point of saving the hero during the highwaymen scene– and clever enough to manage to escape after being kidnapped and locked up. Don’t tell me this had no potential, that it couldn’t have been better. That we could have been spared the damsel in distress in favor of a woman who seemed perfectly capable of solving her problems herself.

The hero, Lord Winston –who, by the end, changes his name to Lord Hartley– was not everything I was expecting him to be, but he didn’t fail in being the dashing hero who comes to the rescue of the troubled lady. Just as it happened in the other two books in the trilogy, the idea of marriage comes before you can even grasp what the story is going to be about. It’s chapter two, and Winston is already thinking of Catherine as wife material. I mean, even he himself thinks it is too soon for that. But, by the end of the book, they actually say that he and Catherine have only known each other for seven weeks. And that is definitely too soon, even for the Regency period, to say you love someone and want to spend the rest of your life with her/him, when not two minutes earlier you were ready to kill him (speaking for Catherine).

Plus, at one point, Winston is thinking he needs a wife, but none of the girls he meets attract his attention. And it says:

“Perhaps if she were plain, she would not be inclined to silliness. He would leave the silly girls to their soldiers.”

And my first thought was WHAT?? Beauty equals IQ level now? I get that a plain girl may be less used to being praised and everything, but that is honestly not fair. Being beautiful does not mean you are stupid, the same way being ugly doesn’t make you smarter. Catherine Hart is not a stupid girl, and yet, she’s beautiful. That statement, from Winston’s side, is so ridiculous, that I want to punch him in the face!

Plus, Winston had moments in which he was unbelievably dumb! At one point he thinks Catherine reminds him of the boy in the fencing academy, who did not want to reveal his face, and even after she literally grabs a sword and saves him from the highwaymen, fighting with unusual skill, HE STILL DOES NOT CONNECT THE DOTS. *face-palm* The villain has to tell him about it, and only then, he realizes it! Oh my God, how stupid can you be? What has to happen for you to actually understand it?

Another thing that bothered me in this book was the constant repetition. It seemed that author was unable to think of anything original, so she kept using the same elements, over and over again. For example, every single time Winston and Catherine planned to go outside, something happened to them: Catherine getting attacked, the carriage crash, and the highwaymen. That is honestly a lot for a romance novel. And although they say that, in the second accident’s case, it was clearly something planned, that someone meant to harm Winston, it never gets clear. Which leads me to talk about the villain, Mr. Radcliff. Did he plan those incidents? But, aside from that, it’s completely obvious that is him. All the time. The mystery is not good, because there is no room to doubt anything, and honestly, the guy’s reason? COME ON!! Making all that mess, only because Catherine’s father married this Miss Beecham, whom he wanted to wed? Moreover, that woman does not appear in the entire book, we only have her name, and hence, we don’t know anything about her, nor about her story with Radcliff, as to think, perhaps, that they had an especial bond, but she was forced to marry du Coeur, and was unhappy for the rest of her life, when she actually loved Radcliff. I mean, there’s NOTHING there that justifies Edgar’s actions. No insight, no delving into the past, not a single word to tell us that there was a real damage because that marriage could never be. And to care about something like that, I honestly need to know more.

As for the story behind Winston’s parents’ bad relationship… *face-palm* It was not serious enough as to justify that his father –a cold, cruel man– banished his mother to the country, never allowing her to go to the city, only because she told him –and I quote– that “He had enjoyed his youth and was cheating me out of mine.”. Seriously? That’s it? Oh my God! One would think she had murdered someone! And again, we find ourselves with wasted potential. Because, actually, Winston not being his father’s son (as I thought it would be revealed) may have been a somewhat worthwhile plot twist, putting the character in real danger: no longer an heir, with no money or title, marriage prospects in tatters, to the point that the only woman who would have him wouldn’t care about it, truly loving him for himself… You know, real consequences to real difficulties, and two people fighting for their love in a society in which marriage is just another day in the market.

I think I said this in another review, of another book, but I think that, if there’s something a book shouldn’t be, is repetitive. And A Lady of Quality may be one of the most repetitive books I’ve ever read. I lost track of how many times Catherine said that Winston had ruined her father and she had to make him pay for it, constantly reminding herself that she should not have feelings for him. At one point, it says:

“She struggled to subdue her giddy emotions, for she must not forget that this man was her enemy.”

Ok, are you saying it any more times? Because, for the love of God, I get it!!

However, I liked one or two things about this book. They don’t make up for the shortcomings in the whole story, but I want to mention them either way.

Just like in other Christian books I’ve read, God uses an accident to make people stop for a minute and spend time with Him. We often complain God doesn’t give us what we want, but as the same time, we do not spend time alone with Him to actually understand why not, to LISTEN to what He wants to tell us. Plus, this book, focused mostly on revenge, is a reminder of what God says in the Bible:

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19).

At certain point, Catherine drops her desire for vengeance, getting to know the truth, which is not the case with Radcliff, who ends up in jail. But with his death due to the fevers that, by the time period, ravaged prisons and slums, the heroes end up not carrying the guilt for the villain’s death. Letting God take up the problem with His wisdom, they spared Radcliff’s blood on their hands, which, in general, is a good message. One the Blakemores helped to deliver, as they were my favourite characters in the entire book, not only because of their protection and care over Catherine –knowing the truth the whole time and not letting her do anything stupid–, but because they were a happy couple, and they loved and cared for each other during the whole story.

And finally, a few things that that felt out of place, or lacking.

The first one, what are these characters doing, dancing a waltz? It’s so anachronistic that I have to mention it. As romantic as waltzes are in historical romances, in Regency England, it was considered improper, and the upper classes did not dance it. Already in the previous book, Greystone sees his mother dancing the waltz with his uncle, and that is wrong! Especially for a woman like Lady Greystone (but that is another story). They should not be dancing something that, actually, was frowned upon.

The second one, Greystone’s cameo by the end, coming to help Winston look for Catherine, who had been kidnapped by the villain. He does nothing. I could have cut him out of the scene, without making any difference in the plot.

The third one, I was expecting to know something about Anna and Major Grenville, from the first book, or at least, a little about Beatrice and Lord Greystone, since they had their own stories, and it would have been nice to know a tiny bit of what happened after their happy ending.

So, long story short, I had enough brain candy for now. I was hoping I would be surprised by this book, and that it would be deeper than what the cover suggested (you know, don’t judge a book by its cover), but it’s not that I’m crushed because it wasn’t. My expectations weren’t that high, after all. But I’ll repeat: it could have been so much better! I recommend it if you like Regencies, it’s entertaining enough as to keep you busy for a while, and take your mind off reality when you need a break. But, sadly, not much more.

***

Thank you so much for reading!

See you soon!

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Review - A Suitable Wife

Original Title: A Suitable Wife
Series: Ladies in Waiting, #2
Author: Louise M. Gouge
Published: November 27th 2012
Publisher: Love Inspired Historicals

*THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. But, although it’s better than the previous one, it’s still brain candy, and I was not expecting a lot from it. It’s a solid three-star book, and as such, I have both good and bad things to say about it. Even though the cover already tells the general tone of the book, it did become fully realistic at some parts, and had elements that I was not expecting to find in a Love Inspired book, like a murder and a hanging.

The protagonist, Lady Beatrice Gregory, was a good character. I liked her general attitude and responses, and how, for a woman in Regency England, took the reins of her household, understanding that she couldn’t rely on others, especially on the ones that supposedly should be responsible for her, like her wastrel brother. She only had herself, and so she acted, having a certain rebellious streak –not very strong, but there nonetheless–, in moments like this:

“They had come to be entertained by actors, but they themselves were performing roles neither wished to play. But as the daughter of an earl, she deserved courtesy and would demand it. If she must perform, at least she could write her own lines.”

Beatrice understood long ago that she had to find her own path and her own solutions to her problems, and that she couldn’t count on others for that. But not because of any personal conviction, but because she has already assumed that she will never marry, because of her brother’s reputation. She has no further plans for her future, and that was rather sad, considering the potential she had to be her own person.

Something that really bothered me, was this:

“Still, her sense of injustice cried out that any man who did not see how different she was from Melton did not deserve her notice or her heart.”

This is Beatrice in Chapter ONE!! She and Lord Greystone haven’t had a proper conversation yet, and she’s already thinking of him as husband material! But, of course, by then he is already utterly enchanted. Their attraction is based on outer beauty, instead of personality, and in general, their whole romance is a bad case of insta-love, tinged because she wants him to see she is not like her brother… which he does! But instantly. And instant romance… not my thing. Definitely.

A good thing between them is that they can always be honest with each other, from day one. And they obviously feel attracted to one another. But, as it had to be, they are constantly scolding or stopping themselves when they think of each other, constantly repeating that the other is not interested (which is never true). Like when Beatrice thinks this:

“It seemed that every five minutes she needed to remind herself that the viscount had no interest in her, and she must not permit herself to be wounded by his aloofness.”

You said it, not me. And you don’t have to tell me every five minutes that you do that, every five minutes. But, again, there’s too much repeating that nothing should happen between them! I ended up almost yelling at my book “we get it! Please move on!”. And then, again:

“She must forget the pleasant shivers that swept through her at his touch, must forget the way her heart leaped when he turned those blue eyes in her direction, whether accompanied by a smile or a frown.”

It’s like the author is constantly reminding you that they are meant to fall in love, and hence, end up together (like the cover itself isn’t enough). Although, as I said in my review of my previous book, it’s entirely my fault, I knew where I was getting into when I picked up this trilogy. And the repetitiveness continues, especially with Lady Beatrice. Like, at one point, upon entering the ballroom, she’s looking for Lord Greystone, who is not there, and she thinks:

“Lord Greystone, the gentleman who owned her heart, had not attended the Drawing Room.”

Is it necessary to clarify it again? It’s not like we can forget it. And later:

“But she really must cease all this thinking about a gentleman who clearly had no thought for her.”

Oh my God, the unnecessary drama! Bear in mind that she thinks this after they have already talked about their feelings, and said that they have an understanding and want to make their relationship official. It bothered me that she thought that way, after he told her that he did care for her. Trust him a little more!

Another thing I noticed is that Beatrice constantly compares Greystone with her brother and father. Both appear to have neglecting parents in common, and in her case, also a brother who wants to marry her off to a horrible man named Rumbold, to settle his gambling debts. We are talking about the same spineless brother who supposedly is the earl and owns Melton Gardens, a state Beatrice herself had to manage because of his incapability, and whose reputation prevents any respectable bachelor from forming an attachment with her. He is, from every point of view, a negative figure. But something that almost made me laugh came when he told her that this Rumbold guy was in love with her, and she wonders:

“But how could a gentleman form an attachment with a lady whom he had never met and had seen only briefly across a room?”

How funny that she says so about the villain, when Lord Greystone himself did the exact same thing, and they felt attracted to each other in an instant. How come that it’s wrong with one guy, and right with the other?

On the other hand, I liked that we got to know a little more about the eldest Greystone brother in this book. As he is the only sibling that remembers their father, and how violent he was, his story is different from the others’. But there seems to be a problem with fathers in this book, in general. One the one hand you have Beatrice, who doesn’t want to marry a man who could be neglecting the way her father was, and on the other, you have Greystone torn between wanting to find a wife, and at the same time, scared to become a man like his father. It’s a realistic kind of fear, though. I’ve seen it happening in real life, so it’s not something I fully criticize. But, my point is, even with all his insecurities and fears, Greystone falls head over heels for Beatrice, based on her beauty, and at one moment, he says:

“Like a smitten schoolboy, he had fallen wildly in love with her outward beauty and graciousness. But were there hidden faults beneath that exquisite face, that flawless deportment?”

Duh, Greystone. If you don’t know by this stage of your life that every single person has faults, no matter how beautiful they are on the outside, I can’t help you. Sorry.

But that’s not the only moment in which it happens. Like when he’s worried that Beatrice may prefer his rival, Winston, and thinks:

“Greystone had known her for such a short time and had no idea whether or not she was at all fickle.”

You don’t know that, and yet, you say to love her? Really?

Ok, enough about that.

The other characters were interesting, and I liked most of them, especially Mrs. Parton, who hires Beatrice as her companion, but still treats her as the lady she is, being an earl’s daughter, and was smart enough as to consider her as her own person, disconnected from her brother’s ways. She even protects her from him, and is the first person who tries to match her with Greystone, knowing love when she sees it. And she’s kind, generous and funny. A lovable character. As for Greystone’s mother, the woman that in the previous book was a robot, we finally get some glimpse into her past that justifies her attitude! And it is perfectly understandable. Knowing a little more about her husband finally explains her bitterness, and it’s possible to see how she is like that. I liked that, even though she’s cold and ruled by duty, she was strong enough to never give up on their children, who grew up to be respectable men, in despite that being married to such a violent man would have cost her life. That is a strong woman for me. And it’s a shame that she can’t marry Uncle Grenville because of the law; they should definitely take Edmond’s advice and go to Gretna Green, because, at this stage of their lives, they should care very little about what others would think, and a lot for their overdue happiness.

As for the storyline about Melly and his bad habits, I thought it was well done. The Christian aspect is amazingly done, in the sense that I didn’t expect this book to get so raw and realistic. Melly was the cause of everything wrong in his sister’s life, gambling away her dowry, and wasting the family’s fortune, to the point of using her as means to an end, to pay his enormous gambling debts. And it was a little shocking that it took no less than a murder for him to notice what he was doing, because seeing Rumbold’s mistress laying on the floor hit him with the fact that the one ending like that could very well be his sister. I never saw that coming in one of this Love Inspired books, but it definitely has a good way of showing how God is in true repentance, that He always loves us, and seeks us, no matter how far we go. When he surrendered himself to God and asked for His help out of despair and honesty in his heart, he found a way. His story shows how God can use even the most difficult situations as the door that leads to something good.

As for the plot around the two little chimney-sweep boys, I didn’t really care a lot about it, and much less about the stolen necklace subplot. It was more than obvious that Lucy was responsible for it, there was no mystery there. Even though I wasn’t exactly eager to read about both side storylines, I saw how the author used both situations for Beatrice and Greystone to know one another in moments in which they were not in society and could be utterly themselves. Not bad. But I thought that Greystone and Beatrice would end up adopting the boys as their children instead of just sending them to school.

As for Winston, Greystone’s rival, I think he proved to be made of a harder paste than everyone thought, facing the thugs in the Thames alone, after rescuing the boys. I honestly laughed out loud when he said:

“I say, Greystone, do you have any more brothers, or may I proceed in my search for a wife without further interruptions from your family?”

Haha, poor thing! But still, both this book and the previous one, have subtle introductions to the protagonist of the next one. In A Proper Companion, Mrs. Parton said she had hired a prestigious lady to be her companion, but her name was never mentioned, and now, this Miss Hart, Lady Blakemore’s companion, is going to be the protagonist in the next book. And with Winston! No Greystone brothers on the way, luckily for him.

So, in short, this is a book that it wasn’t exactly bad, but it could have been so much better! Especially if both Beatrice and Greystone would have talked more before surrendering their hearts. A witty banter between them would have been a lot more fun to read.

There’s one book left, and I don’t have a lot of expectations on it, but I’m definitely open for more brain candy. Hope it’s good!

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