Review: Clever Regency Romance with a few twists
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 28, 2012
This book is, first and foremost a Regency Romance: with the era-appropriate repression of women and their intelligence, and the deference to males as ruler of all things.  But that is where the resemblance ends, and this is a well-crafted, clever story that approaches the societally appropriate conventions with humor, grace and uniquely drawn characters.Evie is an intelligent yet nave heroine, with a fear of intimacy and a mistrust and dislike of the traditional role that she is expected to occupy.  Thomas was a rake, and is essentially tricked into wanting to know Evie better as he is told she would never be interested in the likes of him.  Evie makes Thomas want to be a better man and husband, and he allows her to explore her interests and express desires to him, without pushing her to tell all.  What develops is a sweet romance that is not without bumps in the road, but to say more would spoil the fun.Secondary characters are also well crafted, which creates a true fullness to the story that utilizes them to such effect. Additionally there is a character with apparent mental health issues that is not put away in the cupboard, but is a character that is interacting - a true twist from similar books of this era (Austen, Bronte) and a welcome diversion.  Conversations are witty and often cleverly laced with humor or snark, depending on the tone of the discussion. The author has created a wonderful read, and I hope to see many more from her.I received an eBook copy from author for purpose of honest review for FMB Tours. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility.