Review: A Practical Arrangement, Indeed
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 9, 2012
Oh my, where do I begin?  So, by the disclaimer above, you know that this is a bit of a steamy romance novel, very much not my usual genre of read.  I have never disguised the fact that I am not a fan of the romance novel in its basest form, in part very much because of that type of content.  Well, let me tell you ladies and gentleman, that if many of them progress as this novel had, I may well have to be a convert.  I blush as I write these words because, well, I never thought I would utter them, and that is the truth.The story will suck you in.  I struggled a little with the story at the beginning, though, but was quickly sucked in.  Did married couples really refer to each other in conversation together as Mr. and Mrs.?  That seemed a little awkward to me, but perhaps that truly was the way things were.  I profess no claim at explicit knowledge of the interrelational workings of the time period.While reading this particular novel, I felt myself in a rather odd predicament.  Never had a novel stirred such raw emotion within me that I was...perplexed as to how to write the review without using spoilers.  I am still not sure if I will do it justice because of this very fact, but I am trying, folks, really I am.Really, you would have to read it.  I am new to romance and to historical fiction, but I am finding that I really do seem to love them.  I don't expect to go all fangirl over the genre, though someday I will most likely eat those words.Ms. Notariani is a gifted storyteller, based solely on how sucked into a genre of book I NEVER read I am.  This to me seems a huge accomplishment on the part of an author, because I feel as though it is her writing alone that has made this change within me.You really are going to have to read for yourselves.  I am stopping myself out of fear that I give something away!