Review: Perfectly Enchanting
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 5, 2014
Reviewed by MarissaBook provided by the author for reviewReview originally posted at Romancing the BookLucy Towerton who, just as her name suggests, towers over most men of the ton, is a wallflower – a woman destined to sit on the sidelines and watch while other women dance. She is currently engaged, thanks to an arranged marriage, to Cyrus Ravensthorpe, a businessman and the son of a lawyer and a duchess. Lucy’s mother would rather her marry someone of the ton, someone without scandal (Cyrus’s father has no title and his parents ran off to Gretna Green to be married, ensuring their banishment from society). And when Lucy’s great-aunt leaves her a fortune, her mother decides that’s just what Lucy should do – marry someone of class and distinction. Too bad Lucy has other ideas…Cyrus has chosen Lucy as a bride because she is a wallflower. She is sensible, quiet, and the daughter of an earl. She will not cause a scandal, as his parents did. And as she has been overlooked for three years, her parents would easily agree to their marriage. What he fails to see is Lucy – the woman beneath the wallflower.This is a wonderful story about seeing what’s on the outside and failing to see what is lying just below the surface, failing to look for what is below the surface and losing out because of it.There is one scene where, after an evening of dancing, Cyrus rubs Lucy’s feet. It is beginning to rain so he escorts her to the terrace to watch the rain drops, which he then compares to the color of her eyes, and the color of her hair to honey, moonlight and rain. During their conversation, she realizes he is on the terrace with her only because she danced with his cousin.“You asked me to marry you, knowing little of me, and caring nothing. So when I sent you away earlier tonight, you did not protest, or try to change my mind. But now, after your cousin has made his interest clear—which I assumed was due to my fortune, but I now see the fact that you and I were once betrothed also played a part—you return, you rub my feet, you take me to see the rain, you wax eloquent about my hair.”His mouth opened and she raised her hand, stopping whatever weak protest he was about to make. “I am a person, with feelings and emotions, not a game piece to move about a board in which you are playing against an entirely different opponent: your cousin, the Duke of Pole.”He was scowling now, and he didn’t look so beautiful, rather to Lucy’s satisfaction. But he did look as if he was listening to her.“Treat your next fiancée like a human being,” she told him, and turned to go.It appears that her fortune has allowed Lucy to finally find her voice – and she makes no apologies for the things she says. I think most men would huff and sputter and walk away with some mumbled phrase we wish we couldn’t understand. But Cyrus, our handsome hero, listens. And he takes to heart what she tells him.This is another one of James’ perfectly enchanting stories full of romance and heartbreak… and more romance. She captures her characters so fully that you feel as if you are there and can touch them, can see the tears in Lucy’s eyes as she tells Cyrus why she will never marry him, and the twinkle in Cyrus’ eyes when he recites Sappho to Lucy. Most of all, you can feel the heartbreak when they part and the rush of excitement when they are in each other’s arms.I loved the Desperate Duchesses series by Eloisa James and have been wanting to read the Happily Ever After… series, based on popular fairy tales. While this book is not actually a part of the Happily Ever After… series, it is connected. Lucy’s best friend, Olivia, is the heroine of The Duke is Mine, the third installment in the series. You don’t have to know the series to enjoy this novella – it stands perfectly well on its own.Favorite Quote:He stopped, a look of agonized embarrassment on his face. “I sound like a pompous ass.”Lucy laughed, genuinely amused. “Has it never occurred to you that you are a pompous ass?”