Review: Heart-Warming
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 9, 2013
Since losing his beloved Lady Marianne, Anthony Thornhill has spiraled into a life of debauchery, and an endless parade of women. His excesses have been noted by the ton, and he's been deemed a rake in more ways than one. In his heart, it's hard for him to forget the woman who meant so much to him. She's everything he wanted, and more. He'd do anything to get her back, but he knows that's something that will never happen. That is, until the moment he sets eyes on the beautiful Lady Elizabeth Chatsworth.Everything about her reminds him of his lost love. She even sports a birthmark in the same shape and spot that Marianne possessed. Anthony can't help but to wonder as to whether she might have come back from the grave. The fact that Elizabeth looks so much like her is also uncanny. He knows he needs to spur her memory of him somehow, yet how can he do that when Elizabeth is determined to avoid him, at all costs?Turning up in the oddest of places whenever possible, Anthony is soon delighted to know that she's affected by him just as much as he is her. Although he knows Elizabeth will deny that very fact with every ounce of her being. He's made it his goal to help her unlock the memories she's kept buried, even if she refuses to have anything to do with him from the get-go.As their attraction grows by the day, Anthony soon catches glimpses of the woman he lost so long ago. He no longer doubts that it's her. He'd promised her a dance all those years ago, and he'll do anything to make sure he can deliver on it. He knows the closer he gets to the Elizabeth, the sooner he'll have his beloved within his arms, once and for all. Only then, can he fulfill the decree he solemnly swore from the moment she died in his arms that fateful day.This was a very fast-paced and delightfully quick read. I enjoyed every minute of it. I think Lauren tapped in beautifully to the feelings, settings, and the memories of what life was like so long ago in Victorian England. The story is infused with heart-warming camaraderie between the characters that keeps the reader's attention glued to every page. It's definitely a book that's hard to put down once you get started, and one that's meant to be read time and again.Please Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.