Review: Predictably sweet...
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 25, 2012
I enjoy Ms. Wrights books for the most part, even though they're usually always reminiscent of something I've read in the 1970's.  Still, they're enjoyable but not very original.  This book is no less although I must admit with all honesty that it didn't pull me in like Ms. Wrights' other stories have.  I never connected to Nicholai and Lisette until the end of the book, in London.  I think the reason for this was because of the subplots happening throughout the main story of Nicholai.  That is, the intrigue and jealousy of Lion and Meagan and the intermittent update(s) with Alec and Caro.  I enjoyed reading about the progress in their lives (especially since they pertain to Nicholai and Lisette)..and appreciated Ms. Wright interweaving updated information on those couples into this story...however, as much as I enjoyed those updates and subplots, it detracted from Nicholai and Lisette and kept me from really connecting to them and to their dilemma.I absolutely adored Lisette Hahn.  She's a beautiful, virtuous, seriously independent woman who works hard to make her living.  She's been burned before by falling in love with a man whom she finds out is married.  She is hardened to and distrustful towards men and their flirtations.  She's simply not interested in pursuing a relationship with anyone.  She's very cynical when it comes to love.  She has no family after her father dies.  She is left completely on her own to manage her family's business.Nicholai Beauvisage is home from France after being gone for 10 years, barely escaping from the bloody French Revolution with his life.  He's changed from his fun loving, mischievious self to a more serious, arrogant man.  He meets Lisette and is intrigued by her.  She is an enigma and a challenge for him.  Little by little they come to know each other - - little by litte Lisette's "protective shell" begins to crack under Nicholas's relentless and forceful charm.Parts of this story didn't make sense to me.  Like when Nicholai is wounded and bedridden.  I found it odd that Lisette played nursemaid to him... alone, unchaperoned, without servants - - in a remote country Villa for almost 3 weeks.  Nobody questions them being alone.  In fact, a plot is instigated to put Nicholai and Lisette together, alone!  This is the late 18th century when unmarried girls were seldom left alone with a man in an intimate DAYLIGHT setting...much less spend nights alone with a man for days or weeks on end.  It just wasn't done.  Yet nobody thinks anything about this situation.  Is it because Lisette is all alone in the world?  Or because she's older? (22).  Or because she's an independent, modern thinking proprietess of a business?  hmmmm....still doesn't make sense.It didn't make sense for Lisette to masquerade as someone else in London...to attempt to fool Nicholai into falling for this "other woman".  Although it was a fun idea, I felt it was Ms. Wrights way of filling pages as the whole concept was simply bizarre.And then for Nicholai to take Lisette to France during the bloody revolution, no matter how safe he thought it would be (as long as they were believed to be American tourists on Holiday)...still what husband would take his bride into that kind of insane environment?!?  That didn't make any sense to me and the story disintegrated a bit.Even though there were a few loose threads to this story and it was difficult (for me) to connect with the main characters...I must admit that it was a sweet romance, that I feel is worthy of at least 4 stars.