Review: A Bittersweet one for me
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 4, 2013
Lady Catherine Bourgeault and Adam Edward Stanford, Sixth Earl of Ashworth, find themselves in a forbidden love affair. Catherine is trapped in a marriage with the evil Edgar Bourgeault. Adam is determined to save her, but there's a great deceit that lies behind the whole scandal.The story is one that grabs you fairly early in. Then the anticipation just builds from there. This story is both heart-warming and heart-breaking. The characters were well-developed, and none of them change personalities to fit the plot. I enjoyed watching how Edgar's full character was slowly revealed. So much of the story is built around his character. I was left angry with the things he'd done, and yet wishing he could find the help he needed.The love between Catherine and Adam was well-depicted, but I did think the love scenes left a lot to be desired. For instance, for Adam not to realize Catherine was a virgin, or to just notice she was in pain, seemed insensitive and didn't fit for someone in love. For those interested, there are sex scenes, but they aren't what I'd call explicit by any means. Let me also note that there's some strong language, but it's not used heavily throughout the novel.The plot was what I found most intriguing. It had a bittersweet ending for me, but others might just say it was a happy ending. To me, the storyline is very unique for the classical time period that the book is set in. The plot was really driven through Edgar, and it was his character that really kept me most intrigued.While I wouldn't go so far as to say this is a "great" book, it was an enjoyable read. Let me note here that I usually dislike books that seem to glorify affairs, but this didn't have that feel for me. I definitely look forward to reading more by Cynthia.