A review by aefedele
His Mistletoe Bride by Vanessa Kelly
4.0
I usually do not read historicals and I'm not really sure why. Well that is not entirely true. I used to read historicals and got sick of being bogged down by the setting. They began to run together of lists of clothing and ways the world was different 150 years ago. It became less about the romance and more about the chamber pots and inappropriate behaviors of ladies. I found I could but 150 pages+ out and the story would not change at all!
So naturally when I decided to devote more time to book reviews I decided to try a historical again. How can I offer positive reader advisory in romance if I don't read a historical? So I picked up Cecilia Grant's "A Lady Awakened". I read twelve pages and haven't picked it up since. Ms. Kelly's book, however, grabbed me by page three. I read it constantly for two days until I finished it.
And let me say: WOW!
I think I've rediscovered historical romances if I can find things like this one.
So onto the review and plot summation. Phoebe is a Quaker who comes to England to be with her grandfather. He has died during her journey and she finds the new Earl (Lucas) waiting for her. He offers to marry her and care for her but she refuses to be a burden. He takes her to her family (the Stantons) and begins to court her subtly. Of course a huge misunderstanding occurs making it necessary for them to marry. Once married they deal with Lucas' unwillingness to tell her he loves her/believe he loves her and Phoebe's unwillingness to be passive in their relationship.
I'm not usually a fan of the innocent virgin being forced into marriage (well forced is a bit strong) and then falling in love with her older, experienced husband. I got enough of those with some of the older historicals I read. What worked for me in this story was to see Phoebe unwilling to sit back and accept her husband's word as law. She fought for what she believed in and often she won. She had a strength which was compelling.
I also loved the interplay of relations from what I'm assuming where past stories. Silverton (hero of book one) and Lucas had issues and they fought in that way that makes me picture one of them hitting the other with a white glove.
Of course they don't but it was still nice to see the almost sibling rivalry come to light.
This was not like the historicals I read when I was younger. This was newer and fresher. It allowed sex to play a role but it was not overdone. It allowed me to fall into the 1800s and not feel as though I was moving through a history lesson. So kudos to Ms. Kelly for making me want to try more historicals.
Zebra Books (mass market)
October 2, 2012
Book Four in Stanton Family Series
4/5 Stars
So naturally when I decided to devote more time to book reviews I decided to try a historical again. How can I offer positive reader advisory in romance if I don't read a historical? So I picked up Cecilia Grant's "A Lady Awakened". I read twelve pages and haven't picked it up since. Ms. Kelly's book, however, grabbed me by page three. I read it constantly for two days until I finished it.
And let me say: WOW!
I think I've rediscovered historical romances if I can find things like this one.
So onto the review and plot summation. Phoebe is a Quaker who comes to England to be with her grandfather. He has died during her journey and she finds the new Earl (Lucas) waiting for her. He offers to marry her and care for her but she refuses to be a burden. He takes her to her family (the Stantons) and begins to court her subtly. Of course a huge misunderstanding occurs making it necessary for them to marry. Once married they deal with Lucas' unwillingness to tell her he loves her/believe he loves her and Phoebe's unwillingness to be passive in their relationship.
I'm not usually a fan of the innocent virgin being forced into marriage (well forced is a bit strong) and then falling in love with her older, experienced husband. I got enough of those with some of the older historicals I read. What worked for me in this story was to see Phoebe unwilling to sit back and accept her husband's word as law. She fought for what she believed in and often she won. She had a strength which was compelling.
I also loved the interplay of relations from what I'm assuming where past stories. Silverton (hero of book one) and Lucas had issues and they fought in that way that makes me picture one of them hitting the other with a white glove.
Of course they don't but it was still nice to see the almost sibling rivalry come to light.
This was not like the historicals I read when I was younger. This was newer and fresher. It allowed sex to play a role but it was not overdone. It allowed me to fall into the 1800s and not feel as though I was moving through a history lesson. So kudos to Ms. Kelly for making me want to try more historicals.
Zebra Books (mass market)
October 2, 2012
Book Four in Stanton Family Series
4/5 Stars