Review: A Delightfully Sweet Historical Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 1, 2012
I received a copy of this book as a part of a blog tour in exchange for a fair and honest review.A delightfully sweet historical romance, A Practical Arrangement, by Nadja Notariani, gives us the tale of an intelligent but quiet young woman who suddenly finds herself engaged to be married to a man known for his rakish ways.  With likable and well developed characters, sharp dialogue and plenty of drama, Ms. Notariani grabbed my attention from the first page and never let go.  Set during the time when women did not have many rights, and certainly not the right to choose their own futures, the author provides us with a heroine ahead of her time and a hero who's intrigued and challenged by her intelligence and strength of character.Evangeline Grey is young, twenty two year old woman, who is loved by her family but is considered in danger of becoming a spinster.  While Evangeline has no intentions of getting married, her knowledge of men and marital relationships is limited, she's shocked to be given an ultimatum by her father - choose a husband before the next spring, or he will choose one for her.  An intelligent woman, Evangeline plans to be disagreeable to any man who comes near her in order to retain her freedom.  She just wasn't planning on a somewhat notorious rake suddenly deciding she'd make an excellent bride.Thomas Masterson is young, rich and has avoided being responsible all of his life.  Confronted by his uncle, who just happens to be Evangeline's father's best friend, Thomas suddenly discovers he will not inherit the rest of his father's estate unless he's married.  A man known for his dalliances, suddenly Thomas finds himself in need of a wife; a woman he needs to respect who will be by his side for the rest of his life.  Encountering Miss Evangline Grey's disapproval, Thomas suddenly realizes she's intelligent, quietly attractive and possess a sharp wit.  While he hadn't planned on getting married, he's attracted to Evangeline and decides she'll do.The scenes between Evangeline and Thomas are well written and showcase their verbal and mental chemistry.  While Evangeline has many reservations, Thomas is patient and willing to discover what's really behind her fears.  I really liked how Ms. Notariani developed the relationship between Evangeline and Thomas, while Evangeline is more somber and subdued in her behavior, she and Thomas are a good fit for each other - her strengths are some of Thomas's weaknesses and his strengths are just what Evangeline needs.The secondary characters in this story are mostly relatives of both characters ranging from Evangeline's sister Melody, considered the family beauty, to Opal Grey, Evangeline's mother who's somewhat of a prima donna in need of a good take down.  While there are no villains per se, there are plenty of gossips and at least one woman who had hoped to snatch Thomas for herself.Will Evangline and Thomas realize their practical arrangement has become much more than they both ever hoped?  Or will Thomas's past get in the way of their future happiness?  You'll have to read A Practical Arrangement to find out.  I enjoyed it and I think you will too.