Review: Tempestuous Debutante Great Book in This Series!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 9, 2013
Becky Lower's fourth book, The Tempestuous Debutante is a great addition to her historical debutante series set in America. This book is all about Jasmine, the bratty twin we first see, and not in a favorable light, in her twin sister Heather's book, The Abolitionist's Secret. I was both wary and excited to read Jasmine's story. Wary because she had caused a large amount of trouble for her twin and therefore was not a sympathetic character in the previous book. But I was also excited because I knew that I would get to spend time in Jasmine's head and understand why she is the way she is.What I found so wonderful about Jasmine's story is that the man she was destined to fall in love with was, in her own words, a "stable boy". Throughout much of the book, Jasmine is convinced that to be happy she has to marry someone rich and influential. She sets her sights on English Royalty. But as much as she wants to feel some sort of attraction to the viscount, instead her mind pulls her back to Parr O'Shaughnessy, the infuriating horse trainer. The man who sees who she really is - a woman with a tough exterior shell hiding fears and a feelings of loneliness now that her twin has moved away.It is Parr who recognizes that she is afraid of horses and patiently teaches her to ride. It is Parr who encourages her when she decides to open a women's fashion business and it is Parr who loves her enough to let her be with the viscount because he doesn't feel worthy for her. Can you tell that I LOVE the hero of this book? And the great thing about him is that he is not a larger than life alpha hero, but that doesn't make him any less impactful. He is the heart of this story. And it doesn't hurt that he is Irish and pepper's Jasmine with Gaelic terms of endearment.But I can't end this review without talking a little about Jasmine herself. Yes she is stubborn and selfish in the beginning of this book, but we get to see her develop and become a business woman and finally a woman who cares more for the man inside than any title he might possess. Jasmine does indeed grow up and we get to root for her. That ultimately is what makes this a good story.