Review: An emotional portrait of the downside of "marrying up"
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 9, 2013
Originally published on my blog: Love Saves the World* * *Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. Many thanks to Emily Larkin and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity. Yes, this is an honest review.* * *Will Fenmore works as a groom at Creed Hall and serves Rose Quayle, the Countess of Malmstoke. Rose is a young lady married off to the abusive Earl of Malmstoke, Henry Quayle.The staff of Creed Hall are all silent witnesses to Rose's suffering -- all of them afraid to speak up and defend their mistress for fear of losing their jobs. As the countess's groom, Will sees Rose at her most unguarded and he wishes he could do more for his mistress than assist her in her daily rides.Rose's family needed Henry Quayle's money and title and one would think Rose is fortunate to marry someone willing to overlook her lack of dowry, but marriage to Henry is even more hellish than poverty, and Rose has no choice. For her husband, a woman married is little more than her husband's possession and ought to stay where he puts her, and Rose almost believes this because of Henry's constant beating and abuse. But a spark of bravery awakens within Rose when Will steps in to help her and, when the opportunity arises, she and Will devise a daring escape from Creed Hall.Will has loved Rose since her arrival at Creed Hall but believed himself to be helpless against his master. It was very brave and heroic of Will to finally speak up and offer his help to Rose. He did so at the cost of his livelihood and future -- because, what kind of future and life would it have been had he allowed his mistress to be continually abused?So he takes a leap of faith, and answers his heart's call to save her.After what she had endured, Rose didn't think she would be capable of trusting or loving another person: her family have abandoned her, her husband -- the man who swore before God and man to honor and protect her -- hurts her, and she lives isolated from her neighbors. When Will steps up, Rose is surprised because no one has ever cared for her enough to defend her. How could she not love a man with such courage and resolve?Emily Larkin's novella paints a very emotional portrait of the downside of "marrying up." Her hero might not be of noble birth but possess an innate sense of honor and loyalty -- and, literally, saves the heroine from her horrible life. Rose's transformation from scared mouse to fearless heroine was very gratifying. I thought Larkin plotted out her novella very well and I was intrigued with Will and Rose's plan and kept reading to see how it would turn out. This was an engrossing novella and I'm really glad to have read it.The Countess's Groom is the prequel to Emily Larkin's The Spinster's Secret .