Review: A Delightful Read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 27, 2012
This is a good, short, and ultimately fun read.Cece McCrea had one little mishap in her past with Finn, Viscount Edgerton, when she mistakenly kisses him on the lips under a mistletoe, forcibly, too, just as Finn was walking away from her. Now, her childhood crush has yet to forgive her for this embarrassment, and Cece is determined to avoid Finn at all costs.The story was fast-paced and neatly set up how the kiss had affected both Cece and Finn in society. Both are in trepidation of the other are they met again at Evie and Benedict's wedding,except that Finn was very disappointed that Cece did not appear infatuated with him at all! Cece, on the other hand, was sincerely hoping Finn would just leave her alone. That plan goes out the window the minute Finn spies Cece engaging in her passion - flowers. Finn quickly decides that he wants Cece as a wife, and his speed upon recognizing Cece's good traits as a daughter and an intelligent young woman makes him a good hero, and how he quickly cast away his initial blame on Cece for the mistletoe incident is what made him the highlight of this novella.I found Cece to be too stubborn of a character, and she seems unable to make up her mind about whether to stay with Finn or not, out of a misguided sense of responsibility towards her father. This shows a lack of want in communication with Finn, which to me makes her a rather immature female, not living up to her intelligent nature and high character Finn sees in her. Her grudging replies to Finn's caring - when she obviously cares for him a great deal - makes me want to shake some sense into her. Thankfully, she caves in the end; if she didn't, then this wouldn't be a romance. ;)Despite Cece's flaws in this novel, Finn's chivalrous and caring nature is persuasive enough to carry the show. This book was a delight, though I only wished for the heroine to have been better crafted and be a bundle of intelligence, not undeserved stubbornness.