Review: Intrigue, Steamy Romance and Incredibly Interesting
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 16, 2014
Mistress of Merrivale is a wonderful new book by Shelley Munro. It’s basically historical romance with a unique mystery/crime premise. I just never considered how very hard it would be to solve crimes back in the 1700’s.  To prove someone committed a crime you pretty much had to catch them red-handed.  This was made so much more difficult by no phones, no fingerprints, and no modern crime investigation methods at all.  It’s really interesting!The story begins with Joycelyn Towsend, a lovely young woman whose father after having successfully married two of his daughters to titled men, lost his family money and business gambling and offered his home and last daughter as payment of his debts.  Yeah, he was a real charmer, I’m sure.  So Joycelyn became a consort to a very brutal man to pay her father’s debts.  When her father died, she took in her mother (her sisters didn’t want to soil their hands with her) who suffered from dementia and more.She was then won in another card game by Tobias Sherbourne, Earl of Melburn.  He was a kind and gentle man with a great deal of money.  However, he fell in love and proposed to another lady and had to set Joycelyn free. Tobias was such a good man and knew her circumstances were not of her own making, so he arranged for her to meet and marry his cousin Leo Sherbourne of Merrivale.  Leo’s wife had died and he needed a wife for his daughter and wanted one that would be easily cared for and would do as asked and not betray him with other men, as his first wife had done.  A marriage was arranged and she would even be allowed to take her mother with her to the country estate.What’s interesting is, Leo is really attracted to Joycelyn and is looking forward to this marriage.  She’s also attracted to him, and even thought she doesn’t know him is also looking forward to this.  This would have been a wonderful story if just the romantic part was all there was; but Ms. Munro has chosen to weave a very intricate and really intriguing story of betrayal, murders, and so much more into this.I thoroughly enjoyed reading this well written story! In fact, I couldn’t put it down.  So, of course, I didn’t.  I just had to find out what was going to happen next.  Would Joycelyn fall in love, would Leo and what would happen to the mother…you get the picture.Do yourself a favor grab this wonderful book, your favorite beverage, some snacks; and please don’t forget the tissues!  This will keep you guessing; make you laugh, cry, and swoon.  All the things that make life and a book worthwhile.This was my first book by Shelley Munro, but it certainly won’t be my last.  I look forward to much more from this talented author.  Enjoy everyone, I really did!