I absolutely adore historical romance, so when one is presented as a romantic comedy, I'm always a bit leery. However, I'm happy to say that this author delivered not only just the right amount of humor, but as the story progressed, a fair degree of seriousness overtook the humor as we learned about the protagonists’ deep backstories. Thankfully, this author is not one to simply infodump at the beginning; she understands the power of giving the reader just enough information to understand the story as it moves along before revealing the most powerful things we should know. She teases out the full characterization for quite a while and very successfully. We do not know the complete stories of the hero’s and heroine’s pasts, though what we know along the way makes it quite clear that both are acting towards each other based on them.
One of the things I loved about the heroine is that, for quite a while, she has little use for the hero! She isn't faking it or playing the coquette, as often happens when this seems to be the case in historical romance. But, slowly over time, she comes to realize the measure of this man … and what she learns (and we learn) blows her away. (The POWER of the gift he left for her after his failed proposal … just WOW! It said so much about his dreams and his heart) She has so many preconceived notions about what she expects a titled man to be, even going so far as to imagine that he had an exceedingly privileged and perfect childhood simply because of his title and his family's wealth. She goes on to, in her own mind, blame him for things and make suppositions that align with her beliefs about men like him, but truly are not about the man before her. At times, I wanted to give her a good talking-to!
The hero is his own worst enemy! He thinks he understands the heroine and what she’s thinking. He thinks he's got game, but he is so wrong on all parts! He's not only got no game; he might even have negative game! That's not to say he isn't an absolute sweetheart of a guy, but he certainly cannot read the room. For quite a while, he sees the world as he wants to see it, as he wants it to be, not as it is. (Something very relatable, as we all have a tendency to do that at times.) He really has no clue until near the end how little the heroine thought of him for much of their time together. He's such a sweet guy with a battered heart and simple dreams for his future, you can't help but feel sorry for him and wish she'd give him a bit of a break now and then! I found his story particularly touching, again, for a book that started out a little silly, it became serious at points and certainly brought the feels.
I like how the author connected threads throughout the book. Surprisingly, pugilism is a central theme and is a thread that runs through the entire book. It starts out humorous when the book opens, as his good friend can think of nothing the hero is good at except pugilism … and so the hero must pretend to be one while at his friend’s office when the heroine comes by for a meeting! I have too often seen pugilism used in Regency and Victorian romance in ways that are totally unrealistic and overtake the story. But the author used it perfectly here. I loved how it allowed the hero to show the heroine another side of himself when she discovers he has started teaching her younger sister how to box! The book has excellent, pivotal scenes at the pond of his former property, now hers, first when they are newly arrived at the manor and then later when things come to a head between the hero and heroine. I love how the author makes the pond a place where the story comes full circle.
While the book has no full intimacy scenes, the two scenes where things do heat up between them are perfect. Diana Gabaldon, of Outlander fame, has written a book for writers about how to write intimate scenes, and one thing she states is that any intimate scene between two characters should be fully reflective of those two characters. As in, no other characters should ever have the same sort of romantic interlude. The two scenes in this book perfectly reflected these two characters, where they were at in the unfolding story, their feelings toward each other at the time, etc., and truly, they could not have been written for any other couple.
While you can probably tell I absolutely adored this book and enjoyed it immensely, the author did have a few missteps. She made both the hero and heroine far too young at the start of the book. It is hard to imagine a young woman of those times taking over her grandfather's company in general, let alone at such a young age and doing so well with it in such a short amount of time. It would have been a more realistic reflection of the characters to have them more in their mid to late twenties than in their very early twenties. The author left one gaping hole in the epilogue. She states the heroine’s younger sister had married one of the hero’s friends, but nowhere in the book, including this epilogue where it was discussed, did she state which of the hero’s friends the sister married! I'm thinking it might be the lawyer from the beginning of the book, as he is the one who is most mentioned and met throughout, but the author didn't explicitly say so! I want to know! I went through and reread that part of the epilogue several times, just to be sure I didn't miss it, but I swear it is not there.
Despite these bobbles, this was a humorous-yet-serious, well-structured, well-imagined story with characters who had surprising depth given that the book is billed as a romcom. If you enjoy well-written historical romances I do, I suggest checking this book out.
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I didn't realize that I had a check list of requirements of what I wanted in a clean historical romance until I read this book. Or maybe I should call it the Check List of Fantastical Requirements.Do you know the ending scene from Austenland (the movie, though the book is amazing!) where Jane says to Henry Nobley, "No, you see, people don't do this. This is my fantasy." And he quickly replies, "Have you ever considered you might have it all backwards? Jane, you are my fantasy." Like gasp! These lines are how I would summarize this book. A great, blissful, broad chest fantasy! *Swoon* There were too many parts where I laughed obnoxiously and in return I got the Stare from my husband. (But he only does it lovingly since he is the first person to suggest I get a new book. I know he adores my book obsession.)I should tell you that the characters were brilliant. The chemistry was adorable and real. I loved how Sally made sacrifices but also had standards. She also has a large amount of composure in the pond scene where I would have been weak in the knees. Sally's sister is just as strong but in a different way. Victoria may seem timid to the world but her strength was bright through the pages.Now our hero, Lord Farnsworth and all his masculine glory, is best described by Esther. So I hope you will pre-order this delightful, fun, read-in-a-day story.💖Review of an ARC (opinions are my own)
Top reviews from other countries
Bonny Rambarran
She sells her company so she can buy a manor that her crippled sister can enjoy
Reviewed in Canada on April 28, 2024
Anne Marsh
men are from Mars…. especially young Barons
Reviewed in Canada on February 25, 2023