A review by starburst3625
A Whimsical Notion by Jennie Goutet

5.0

This is a charming love story. I really enjoyed it. There are some interesting local historical details incorporated and I always love learning them. I liked that the heroine, at 19 years old, is believably young and unsophisticated, but not immature or downright foolish or giddy. And she certainly matures a little more through the events of the novel. The hero is a likeable, thoughtful, conflict-avoidant, boy-next-door type, and I quite liked him. His imperfect attempts to improve his estate, his circumstances, and so on, and the resultant missteps, felt authentic. I loved the impetuous but romantic midnight visit. The secondary characters add interest and I look forward to seeing more of them in the rest of the series. I appreciated that the obstacles to the romance felt legitimate and not contrived. Overall it struck me as a gentle romance, although there are a few relatively dramatic events in the course of the story. I do wish that that there had been a little more substance and time in the heroine’s transition from one infatuation to the more lasting love with the hero, however it is a minor and subjective issue. I enjoyed spending less time in the ballroom and more on the country life of the gentry, and following the burgeoning love that felt more patient and resolute, rather than the desperation we are often treated to when obstacles are faced. I recommend this novel as a well-written, sweet and undemanding read for Regency lovers.