Review: Over the top drama
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 13, 2014
This story was just too overly dramatic for my taste.The heroine of the story is the daughter of an extremely brutal man.  He had beaten his wife and eventually caused her death.  Now he drinks and takes pleasure in disciplining his daughter.  The daughter becomes friendly with an older women.  The woman's husband and son own a cotton mill.  The lady takes a strong interest in the heroine and secretly hopes to interest her son in the girl.The hero meets her and does find her attractive and interesting -- but she is also rather withdrawn in crowds and around men in general. He discovers the abuse she is suffering is escalating, and the only way he can protect her is to marry her.  Although the couple isn't sure if what they feel could evolve into love they marry.  Her wounds are quite horrible but the hero can see the beautiful woman beneath the scars.Frankly I didn't find their bedroom antics the least bit romantic or steamy.  The dialogue between the two during those scenes was more off putting than a cold shower.  Once they are married sex seems to be included in the story often -- just FYI.The father remains a vague threat, and the couple travels to Italy to see the heroine's grandfather.  The grandmother had died a few years ago and the older gentleman has a woman living with him.  She is a musician and is jealous of the attention the grandfather is giving to his granddaughter.  She flirts with the hero and sets up a stupid contest between herself and the heroine.  A sing off of sorts with the grandfather as judge.Of course the silly tart sings inappropriate songs while the heroine performs ballads that speak of love for her husband.  The grandfather privately tells his mistress he is done with her but publicly announces a draw.  But the heroine convinces him to forgive the mistress, and we are treated with a glimpse of how the couple make up.During the boat ride home it is discovered the heroine is pregnant.  She has healed physically and emotionally since her marriage to a good man, and the couple do realize they love each other.  She is finally more confident about being around numerous people and allows the family to have a party for her.  They play a game of hide and seek.The villainous father shows up and she stands up to him, but he attacks her.  The hero manages to save her but she is badly injured.  He beats the old guy within an inch of his life.  Friends of the hero tell the old guy to take the next boat to America.There are several days where the heroine drifts between life and death.This book just wasn't for me.  The heroine was sweet and the hero -- well, he was heroic.  But the dialogue didn't have a natural feel to it.  There was no spark in the main characters -- nothing that could allow me to see them as real people.