Review: Splendid read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 30, 2013
This book was a surprise treat for me, not unlike a cup of hot chocolate to enjoy on a cold night. An attraction-of-opposites story with complex, multifaceted and dynamic characters and an engaging plot, this tale hits all the right notes for a great historical romance.Ambrosia Tisdale, now in fourth season, has already gleamed enough ton wisdom to know how to navigate it with relative ease...that is, until her encounter at a party with a mysterious man piques her curiosity and leaves her, for the first time, unsettled. Suffice it to say, Ambrosia's stone-like exterior and haughty airs did not so much unsettle her new adversary, Duncan Maddox, as inspired his determination, for she seemed to be just the woman - and challenge - he wants to have. What followed after that is a nice mix of Taming of the Shrew, character transformations, and a hearty amount of mutual attraction to spark Ambrosia and Duncan's romance to enthrall the readers into their conflicts and desires.What I enjoy the most about this novel is the depth of character transformation that it features. Upon Ambrosia and Duncan's initial meeting, the author provides a good glimpse of Ambrosia's pre-transformation self, that is, her cold exterior, strict adherence to societal rules, and her blatant egotism. It is not until later that her facade crumbles, the perfection with which she prided herself came to be a transient, unnecessary thing, and she struggles internally to comes to terms with herself. Her vulnerability was a key point in this novel internally, and it was a major factor of winning me to her person, as I did not initially like her outward rudeness.Duncan had lived a life of frivolity as was expected of him as a second son. His importance was ever so small until he inherited an earldom, and he relished it by being wild and uncaring. His trials in this book was like a rite of passage, a trial through which he matures and becomes a better man. And he does that splendidly, coming to understand and love Ambrosia for who she is.Ambrosia and Duncan are the winning points of this novel, though the intrigue-filled plot is quite good as well. Without delving much into it (as it is much better experienced than summarized in this case) I can only say that I was impressed by this book and highly recommend it for its poignancy, humor, and a multitude of layers within the plot and the characters as well that drive this splendid novel.