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A review by lucyp21
Marrying His Cinderella Countess by Louise Allen
3.0
This book I got out of the library on a whim because I thought this would be a Cinderella historical retelling. It's not but it is a rags-to-riches story with a likeable heroine and a nice romantic arc.
Ellie lives with her stepbrother, writing the adventures of dreary Oscar and basically staying away from the social season altogether, when her stepbrother gets killed, leaving her with his debts. Blake is partly responsible for her stepbrother's death and she ropes him in to helping her, leading them to go on a journey to her new home. Ellie was a honest and forthright heroine and I loved reading about her scribblings about Oscar and her wish to push him into a few canals along the way, as well ashow she banters with Blake and approaches everything with a sensible state-of-mind, even being stranded in a leaking house with no water. Blake is a little less likeable but I'm here for the heroes who find themselves following after their heroines, completely bemused at how they got here but enjoying it nonetheless.
The first half of the novel was about Ellie and Blake getting to know each other and it was very enjoyable for me, with it being refreshingly different to the normal roadtrips you see in historical novels. I liked Ellie's maid and Blake's cousin being there as well, giving some levity to the trip, and the description of Ellie charming everyone when she got to her destination was what I wanted to read.
Then the second half of the novel came and I wasn't so enthused about this half. It started to follow my similar misunderstandings and conflicts I've seen in other historical romances and the rational personality of Ellie started to disappear. When she fled from her home when her pregnancy was discovered, I found myself frustrated and thinking she was acting like a young teenager, not a grown woman. Not to mention dragging her maid and groom along with her, risking their jobs if Blake wasn't half as understanding as he was. Then they were only at the farm for a few days before Blake arrived and dragged her back. It was a little bit frustrating seeing the characters backslide in the second half of the novel and it wasn't as enjoyable for me as the first half.
3.5 stars!
Ellie lives with her stepbrother, writing the adventures of dreary Oscar and basically staying away from the social season altogether, when her stepbrother gets killed, leaving her with his debts. Blake is partly responsible for her stepbrother's death and she ropes him in to helping her, leading them to go on a journey to her new home. Ellie was a honest and forthright heroine and I loved reading about her scribblings about Oscar and her wish to push him into a few canals along the way, as well ashow she banters with Blake and approaches everything with a sensible state-of-mind, even being stranded in a leaking house with no water. Blake is a little less likeable but I'm here for the heroes who find themselves following after their heroines, completely bemused at how they got here but enjoying it nonetheless.
The first half of the novel was about Ellie and Blake getting to know each other and it was very enjoyable for me, with it being refreshingly different to the normal roadtrips you see in historical novels. I liked Ellie's maid and Blake's cousin being there as well, giving some levity to the trip, and the description of Ellie charming everyone when she got to her destination was what I wanted to read.
Then the second half of the novel came and I wasn't so enthused about this half. It started to follow my similar misunderstandings and conflicts I've seen in other historical romances and the rational personality of Ellie started to disappear.
3.5 stars!