Release Date: April 2016
Reviewer: Andrea
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The Summary:
The New York Times bestselling author of Too Dangerous for a Lady returns with another roguishly delicious Regency romance…
Since being widowed two years ago, Kitty Cateril has been trapped in her late husband’s home, where she is expected to mourn forever. Desperate to escape, Kitty will consider any option—even a hasty marriage to a stranger with no intention of abandoning his bachelor ways.
London life suits Beau Braydon, especially his work keeping Britain safe. So when he inherits the title of Viscount Dauntry, he has no intention of resettling on a rural estate. He can’t resist the opportunity to marry a sensible widow who can manage Beauchamp Abbey for him—until he realizes Kitty is more than he bargained for…
Before Kitty and Dauntry can adjust to each other, a threat to the royal family takes them to London. Soon someone is determined to prevent Dauntry from exposing the villain, and secrets in Kitty’s past threaten their growing love…
The Review:
I often complain when romances are too heavy on adult content and too light on plot. Many women (myself included) love a good, juicy romance—the sidelong glances, the unexpected kisses, the final moment when the couple reveals their feelings. However, a lot of those novels fall short on plot. It seems we must trade love for a story that sparks those synapses and raises our interest. This novel is exactly the opposite. In fact, classifying it as historical romance is an injustice because it diminishes the complex storyline with an often cheesy genre title. Jo Beverley has constructed a tight plot with real history, those details that make any historical novel feel like actual history. It’s a meal of history with a side of romance, and I truly enjoyed it.
Though a bit slow at times, the novel felt like a Jane Austen novel. The characters have that subtle dialogue that requires reading beneath the surface and a quick wit. There is a great deal of “philosophizing” about the dynamics between mothers and sons that definitely translates to theme. The politics gives a great view into the intricacies of nineteenth-century government in Great Britain.
4.5 Stars
