Review: Wonderful, Wonderful Story!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 26, 2013
This is book was just about a perfect read! Yes there were a few editing issues with this particular copy, but the product description clearly states that the book is a reproduction of a book published before 1923 and may have occasional imperfections, such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. In light of this proclamation, it amazed my that so many reviewers still took the time to complain about the typos.  They were present but did not in the least distract from the story, at least for me they did not.  Furthermore, I could not in any way tell that this book had been scanned.Phoebe Deane is an orphan who as a child went to live with her half brother, Albert Deane.  Albert is a mild mannered, kindly man who sees only the good in everyone.  He is also a bit of a dolt.  His wife Emmeline is the evil stepmother type from Cinderella.  She works Phoebe to death and never has a kind word for the girl.  She is also crass with very little education.  Truthfully, she is just plain jealous of the beautiful, refined Phoebe.  Hiram Green, a neighbor of the Deanes' wants to marry Phoebe, but she despises the very sight of him!  The hero, Nathaniel, is a lawyer and the nephew of Judge Bristol, one of town's most prominent members.  Nathaniel lives and works in New York City, but often visits with his uncle who helped to raise him.  The book is set in a small town in New York State some time in the 1830's.  Nathaniel meets Phoebe when he comes upon her in the woods where she is crying after having read a letter from her deceased mother.  Nathaniel is immediately taken with the beautiful, soft spoken Phoebe.  I loved Nate and Phoebe, but if I had to pick a favorite character it would be Miranda, Phoebe's friend and self appointed guardian angel.  Hiram is determined to marry Phoebe and refuses to accept her rejection of his proposal.  He and Emmeline conspire to get Phoebe to accept him as a husband and he literally begins to stalk the poor girl!  Everytime Phoebe left her house, Hiram would be there with his unwelcome presence.  Hiram took note of Nathaniel's attentions towards Phoebe and between that and her constant rejection of his suit he begins to hate her and Nathaniel and starts scheming against them.  All the while he is still determined to have Phoebe as his wife.  If not for the enterprising Miranda, he might very well have succeeded in his evil plot.  Other characters include Marcia and her husband David Spafford, the hero and heroine from the first book of the Schuyler trilogy entitled "Marcia Schuyler."  I have not as yet read that book, but have just been lucky enough to obtain a free copy and so intend to read that next.  I am also looking forward the 3rd and final book in the triology "Miranda" in which the beloved Miranda finally gets her love match.  This book invoked a wide range of real emotions in me.  I  lauged out loud at many of Miranda's escapades, I literally felt Phobe's pain and suffering, and I completely despised Hiram Green.  One scene in particular where he and Emmeline conspire to get Phoebe to travel alone with Hiram had me clenching my teeth and wishing I was there to kick Hiram's sorry ass!!!!  He gets his in the end though and very nicely too, thanks in part to Miranda, of course!  Love that girl! And of course, love conquers all when Nate and Phoebe get to sail off into the sunset to begin their happily ever after.  I highly, highly recommend this book.  Jane Austen lovers especially will love this book.  It is a nice clean truly romantic story that touched me deeply.