Review: the toad and the heiress
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 19, 2012
The old and tried theme, hero believes himself wronged and trapped by the heroine and leaves after doing his duty and marrying her. Hero returns from war (why do they always go to war? Where there no other places to hide?) and faces financial ruin. Heroine happens to be an heiress. Hero feels since they are already married, might as well have a "normal" society marriage, where after she delivers the heir, they lives their separate lives. Heroine is of course indignant and wants an annulment or a divorce or if she can't have those a legal separation.And now the dance begins, both meet the other with their pre-conceived opinions. Neither is willing to budge. The hero, when truth finally dawns on him, is the first to admit to himself that he loves her.  My question is why did he not ask himself the same questions which brought the epiphany when he is re-united with the heroine the first time? Or even better while he was off fighting? It was after all his best friend who at the time of the alleged trapping, had warned him?And the heroine, yes, he was a toad. But she had loved him from afar before, even when she witnessed his debauchery. He disappointed her then and now he needs her wealth. She is not impressed and neither should she but given the times, there were not many options available to her. She was stuck married to him. If she was so convinced that he only wanted her for the money, she could have withheld the wealth and see how he reacted. Until 3/4 through the book, badly. I guess want I am trying to say is, both fought their demons in private and then shared, but I did not feel how that made both fall in love with other.The book was interesting in some respects, in others too predictable, I enjoyed it but have the feeling it could have been more and better.