Review: Another rewarding romance by Barbara Samuel
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 30, 2011
Yet another wonderful book by Barbara Samuel, sweeping you along with romance and drama - suspense demanding that you turn the page and never skip a line.Lucien is an unlikely hero, an infamous rake with a devil may care attitude to danger and to life. Underneath all of that veneer is a tormented soul, a very talented musician and composer, who has allowed the disappointments in his life to smother his creativity. At night his mind is tortured by music, which he writes and then burns every morning.Madeline is to be married, mainly to ensure the maintenance of the family estate. Her father is dead and money has all but dried up. Her stepmother has chosen Charles as her suitor, not dazzling or handsome, but kind and caring. Madeline loves the gardens and is desperate to save the estate, so she has every intention of doing her duty and marrying well. She is determined to ignore Lucien's advances.There are no real villains in this story, all of the characters have a vulnerability and charm, with the exception of Lucien's father perhaps. Lucien is a lost soul and Madeline is a shining light of hope. Their path is complicated by reputation, appearances and secrets, but most of all by an undeniable love that grows between kindred spirits.