Review: charming
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 18, 2013
This book was a charming love story.I think the only people who had a problem with it (Amazon US) were those seeking "clean&" Christian books (one reviewer went so far as to instruct the author to seek the Good Lord's forgiveness - that made me chuckle).The characters were enjoyable (not melodramatic, flighty or annoying types). No one dimensional types - just wholesome.Maude - 19 years old, genteel lady, pretty but not flighty or silly.John - mid-twenties, farmer, nice guy (not the wealthy, tall, dark and handsome cliche) - a genuinely solid character.It's not a bodice ripper, no crude scenes, however, there is a marital bedroom scene. It's steamy and sensual rather than explicit.There's a good plot and there's a HEA.========================================================Synopsis/ plot: Maude is a 19 year old genteel lady (private school, piano playing, well dressed and educated) young lady. She's an only child who volunteers at an orphanage (basically very good heroine material). It's at the orphanage that she learns to cook and clean and other such chores (making her domestically self-sufficient to a degree otherwise at home there is a maid).However, there is an old creepy pervert who's had a nefarious interest in Maude since she turned 14, who also happens to be her fathers boss at the bank. When Maude is coerced by her parents to marry him - she panics until she notices a young genteel woman (Mrs Harriet Long) discuss arranging Mail Order Brides for single men based in the West (where there is a shortage of women).Maude sees this as an escape route and there begins her journey.