Review: ~ Review by Lirtle Grafton
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 15, 2014
5 of 5 starsFor original review see The Prism Book Alliance Blog onlineDavid and Murdo, Murdo and David. Just looking at these two names, together, makes my heart skip a beat. What a winding, grinding, delicious, anxious, humorous, intimate, and yes, enlightening journey these two have been on. I loooooooooooooooove that I got to go on it with them.By the time we get to this third book in the Enlightenment series, David and Murdo know each other rather well. They can read each other’s manners and emotional reactions, they know each other’s tendencies and foibles. They do still have things yet to learn about one another, both in terms of history and how they can try and live their lives together, to have a future.As much as they each may still close the other out sometimes, they each have learned how to also allow the other in when they need each other. This story is mostly about that, about their relationship, whether they can make it work, make the choices that would allow them to spend the rest of their days together, happily. Truly, that’s what it’s all about. With, of course, some excellently concocted obstacles, emotional and otherwise, to test these two. Even as I type this, I have a knowing smile on my face.Besides their internal conflicts, there are still external forces at play. They both propel David and Murdo towards each other and threaten to separate them once and for all. Ms. Chambers knows these two men, which means details are unique to them, to only them. There are no overused or rehashed tactics or storylines here. Refreshing, it is, completely refreshing.She also manages to make it feel like, as the reader, I’m right there with David and Murdo as things happen, as revelations are made. In other words, there are very few instances when we learn something and then, for pages and pages, we’re left to shout at our screens with the likes of “tell him, already!” and “no, don’t do that!” I like experiencing things with them, not at their expense and detriment. Immediate. It all feels immediate.Excitement.Uncertainty.Contentment.Choices.Love?The idea of growth, as an individual and as part of a couple (no way would David or Murdo admit that they are one… yet) is a large part of this journey. These two have been through so much and I’ve loved every word of it, no matter what it did to me.If you feel historical novels are not really your type of read, but you’ve been thinking of trying it, I highly recommend this series. What an excellent place to start. Ms. Chambers’ writing is fluid, delightful, earthy, and supports a story arc of this length in a way that more than keeps your attention. Here is my review for book 1, Provoked and then book 2, Beguiled.Let me put this another way: I can get passionate, feel passion for a book, we all can and do. I’m passionate about this series, including this utterly fulfilling final entrant. At least, I think it’s final… is it? maybe not? I will always be hopeful for more David and Murdo! Anyway, passion. Passion for these characters and their story and I could not recommend this book more if I tried. :)