Review: Great new-to-me author find for historical romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 2, 2014
This book hit all the sweet notes for me, and then some. While reading, I had to check my smile because I continued to be surprised with the twist and turns of the plot as well as the actions of the characters. And I say this because the surprise was in a good way. If you would look at the book blurb, it has a typical set-up: gentleman plans to compromise a lady so he can secure her hand in marriage. But the author does her own unique take on this set-up. And I always appreciate authors who take something conventional and a bit cliché and present it as something entirely new or in a refreshing way. And that’s what Jessica Jefferson was able to do with this book, for me.I particularly love how the author explores the individual pains that our hero and heroine have to overcome. Here you have a hero who somehow checks all the boxes of a rakish and irresponsible man but who you will discover struggles with the weight not just of his reputation but also of how he truly sees his worth as a person. Then you have a heroine who seems to be the picture of a perfect lady but underneath it all struggles with herself in staying true to her heart and the need to never compromise anything at all, especially when it comes to matters of the heart.Add to that great character development arcs and I’m a happy camper. These characters are nuanced, complex, and completely lovable. And even though there might have been a few times where I wanted to question their actions and reactions, because clearly, I have become invested in where their story will take them, I have to say that the author has taken me somewhere exciting, somewhere unknown and yet familiar, some place where a happy ending is not just a simple given but has been worked out throughout the book.I love that the word ‘compromise’ has taken several forms and meanings throughout the book. At the very basic level, ‘compromise’ meant an almost ruinous encounter that would result in an immediate marriage between two people of the Ton. But ‘compromise’ has also come to mean a settlement or a bargain of sorts, like in terms of reality vs. emotions. In this case, our two characters have a hard time compromising on them, which makes for a very interesting plot indeed.