Review: Intriguing concept, easy read
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 10 8, 2013
*3 and a 1/2 stars*It's hard to resist a good poisoning mystery (or maybe that's just me).At its heart, Romancing His English Rose is very much a romance. It centres on Rose Warren and Simon Trumbull, who have been betrothed since birth. Both are doing their best to avoid each other until their duty becomes unavoidable, but when Rose thinks Simon's cousin may be at the centre of a poisoning murder, she enlists his help.They soon discover there is more to each other than they first thought. Bespectacled, shy Rose is the character that really steals the show in this book. She's likeable and endears us to her due to her shyness (although I must admit her frequent stammering did become a bit wearing). This aside, when given the chance to open up, she hides a keen intellect and a determination that stops Simon in his tracks a time or two. Simon, too, is likeable, but in that reformed rake kind of way (typical of this genre), so I didn't find him nearly as original as Rose.Their unfolding relationship is enjoyable, and at times, amusing to watch. Both fighting against the inevitability of their betrothal, only to find that they do actually quite like each other. This all happens against the backdrop of the poisoning mystery, which adds an extra element to the story not always found in this genre.I liked the concept of this book, both in terms of the murder mystery and the romance. As I discovered, there wasn't so much a mystery to be solved, but a killer to be brought to justice. It meant the plot was fairly straightforward and lacked surprises, but overall it was enjoyable. Perfect weekend reading for historical romance fans in need of a light-hearted escape.I received a copy of this book in return for a unbiased review.