Review: Original/Different Kind of Love Story
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 22, 2012
This paranormal romance takes place during the aftermath of the Battle of Waterloo.  The protagonist, Lady Elizabeth Prudence White or Pru, lives in luxury with her twin brother Michael.  He leaves home to fight the French, but never returns.Fearing the worst, Pru wanders around the battlefield looking for Michael.  She finds Michael's dead body along with the body of her new handsome friend, Fearghass MacDonald.  She emotionally falls apart.In the shadows is a French soldier, Pierre Blanchard who watches her sob.  Pierre was just bit by a vampire.  He becomes instantly obsessed with Pru.  He approaches and passionately kisses her amongst the backdrop of death.  On the brink of insanity, Pru dismisses the kiss as a hallucination.A stray Irish Wolfhound she later calls Knight latches onto her.  An Army captain sends her and the two dead bodies back to England.  She finds her home is now off-limits because of inheritance laws.Homeless, Pru finds refuge in an abandoned castle.  Pierre covertly follows her, afraid to make his presence known because of rejection.  He provides food for her to find and guards her while she sleeps.Meanwhile, Pru learns the dog belonged to Fearghass and she is living in his brother's home.  Fearghass visits her as a ghost and his brother, Dughlass MacDonald, soon returns.  All of these men are smitten with Pru, including the ghost.Later on, Pru finds out she can claim her inheritance if she marries.  Dughlass becomes her groom and Pierre is devastated.  Another subplot develops that links the French Revolution to the plot.  Without giving away the ending, circumstances force all of the characters back to London to report acts of treason.Hays-Gibbs kept me flying through the pages in this romantic epic from the very beginning.  I love the way she used the history of the French Revolution as part of the plot and setting.  Pru is full of surprises.  She begins as a pampered, noble woman, but changes when her survival is at stake.  Her goodness has a power all of its own.  The leading men in the story are equally interesting.  I especially liked the ghost of Fearghass.  Knight is adorable, everything a dog should be: protective, loyal, affectionate, sweet.  The author also injected small bits of comedy throughout the novel that complimented the serious tone.  Gibbs also has a prominent twin theme that proves interesting.  Over all, the story was a smooth, easy read.  I would recommend it for romance lovers who are looking for something original and unique.  5/5 Stars