Reviews

The Earl Who Sees Her Beauty by Marguerite Kaye

scoutmomskf's review against another edition

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5.0

Terrific book about two scarred and lonely people. Prudence's scars are mainly on the outside, while Dominic's are more emotional. It takes trying to help each other see the parallels in their own lives.

The story starts in Greece, where Dominic went after the disastrous end of his beloved army career. He spends his days swimming, gardening, and caring for his goats, with trips to the local taverna for coffee and companionship. On one of those trips, the taverna keeper gives him a London newspaper left behind by a tourist. One small notice in that paper changes his life, as he discovers his father and brother are dead, leaving him the new Earl of Bannatyne. Dominic has no interest in the title or anything else, but he can't ignore them either, returning to England. He intends to sell everything as quickly as possible and return to Greece. And then he meets Prudence.

Prudence lives in the old rectory with her scholar brother and runs his household. Badly scarred as a child, she only goes out in public wearing a hat and a veil and has given up all hope of love and a family of her own. Instead, she made do with renovating and modernizing her employer's home until he unexpectedly died. Since then, she has continued to care for the house. The arrival of a previously unknown younger brother comes as something of a shock.

I loved the first meeting between Prudence and Dominic. The encounter was quite ... revealing. Prudence, who knew nothing of Dominic's existence, thought he was a vagrant making free of an empty home. Her skepticism was understandable, and I enjoyed seeing her put him through his paces to prove his identity. Dominic doesn't know what to make of Prudence, a gently bred woman with great fire.

I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Dominic and Prudence. After a rough beginning where both need to overcome some misconceptions, they form a deepening friendship. I loved how easily Dominic sees past Prudence's scar to the amazing woman she is. It was incredibly moving that he doesn't ignore it; he accepts that it's there and moves on. As their friendship grows, Dominic shares his family history and the story of his army career, which reveals him to be the brave and honorable man that he is.

As the time passes and their friendship develops into something more, Dominic becomes determined to show Prudence that her scars do not define her. I loved the things he did to make her happy, from a trip to the beach to the Exhibition in London. I ached for her when the Exhibition trip went so horribly wrong and loved Dominic's tender care of her. I also liked how Prudence worked to make Dominic see that he could do so much more to help people if he assumed his title and used his influence to help the poor that way, too.

I loved seeing them give in to the attraction that grew stronger the more time they spent together, leading to the admission of their love for each other. But while Dominic sees that Prudence is right about how he can do the most good, Prudence still can't get out of her own way to see that she and Dominic belong together. When she's with him, she believes anything is possible, but her fears and insecurities cause her to pull back. I was happy to see her finally consign "Poor Prudence" to the past and embrace a new future. The epilogue was fantastic.

I liked the secondary characters that helped round out the story. Prudence's brother Clement can seem oblivious at times, but he loves his sister and is very protective of her. I also enjoyed meeting her sister, Mercy, who is trapped in an unhappy marriage. She is the next book's heroine, and I can't wait to read it. Mercy also has a friend, Sarah, who plays a part in the latter half of this book, and has made a lasting impression on Clement. Hopefully, we'll see more of them in the next book also.

I loved the depth of historical detail in this book. Dominic's memories from the Crimean War add depth to the events that caused his discharge and his determination to help those affected. Sewage issues also played a significant role in the story, including Dominic's unique method of courting Prudence.

world_etcher's review against another edition

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lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

saorsa32's review

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adventurous hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

emmalb1984's review against another edition

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5.0

Yet another excellent historical romance from Marguerite Kaye, this time set in the Victorian Era, and telling the story of Prudence and Dominic as they fall in love against the odds and fight to secure their happy ever after.
One of the things I love about Marguerite Kaye's writing is that her characters are always unique, and here is no different as we meet Dominic, seemingly an Englishman with a smallholding on a Greek island, who is in fact the new heir to an Earldom (despite the fact everyone back home believes the recently deceased Earl to have been an only child), and Prudence, scarred in an accident, who hides herself away from the world, but whose passion for modern engineering sets her apart. The first meeting between the two is brilliantly memorable, and sets the scene for an entertaining plot in which Dominic struggles to accept his inheritance and plans to give Prudence the life she deserves if she didn't hide herself away. The two work well as a pairing from the outset, and their complicated pasts give them a reason to form a connection.
Working well as what is largely a two-hander in terms of the plot, Dominic and Prudence connect with each other, and the trips that he plans to woo her are delightful and show just how much he wants to make her happy. The trip to the seaside is a beautiful and atmospheric moment, and his plan to take her on a tour of a London pumping station is unique, somewhat odd for anyone other than Prudence but actually a romantic highlight.
Whilst I say it's largely a two-hander, that's not to say there aren't wonderful supporting characters, and special mentions must of to Clement, Mercy and the delightful Lady Sarah, all of whom should return in book two. Regular readers of the author's work will also spot the Armstrong family being mentioned which is a nice nod to an earlier series of books.
The book is well researched (as always) and Dominic's past and the events in the Crimean War are well written and add an emotional depth to the character and the plot. Similarly, his family history and the strange circumstances of his position as the reluctant Earl provide him with reason to forge a bond with Prudence and help her to consider seeing a life beyond her current circumstances.
The overall story is strongly written and well plotted with romantic elements that move the reader as the book moves towards an enjoyable conclusion, and you really do root for Prudence and Dominic to achieve their deserved happy ending.

ctsquirrel's review against another edition

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4.0

4/5

SpoilerMarriage proposal in Crossness Sewage Works, how romantic. Actually, very.

kristirose's review

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adventurous hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

When Dominic Thorburn returns to England to claim his family's title, he is startled to discover Prudence Carstairs has appointed herself caretaker his house.  Scarred by a childhood accident, Prue is unconventional and a recluse.  Yet, Dominic cannot seem to stay away from her.  Can they both come to terms with their pasts in order to move forward?

I enjoyed the story.  The interactions between the hero and heroine were fun and kept the plot moving.  The supporting characters were interesting, but didn't overwhelm the story.  I'm looking forward to the next installment of the miniseries.

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keribopps's review

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inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

What another amazing read from marguerite kaye. She is an author that never disappoints me.
The earl who sees her beauty tells the story of prudence Carstairs and Dominic thorburn. 
Prudence has been left with scars from a childhood accident and because of this she feels it will leave her with no romantic prospects. Instead she spends her time content as caretaker and with refurbishing her employers home Hawthorn Manor and filling it with some up to date improvements. 
Dominic turns up to take over as the new earl. 
One of my favourite seens has to be when prudence and Dominic first meet it was so unexpected and had me smiling. At that moment I know I was going to love these two and their story. 
From the start of the book it had me hooked wanting to read on and to find out what woule come to light about our characters next. 
Like all characters we had are ups and our downs and I enjoyed every moment of it. 
Would definitely recommend this book. 
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