The Good:
- The novel began with a bang – a really great concept with lots of tension and promise for a wonderful novel
- Noah Winters is a great alpha
- Thea Collins is a believable heroine with an interesting backstory
- Noah’s support of Thea near the end is touching (expected, but nicely written nonetheless)
- I wish I had more “Good” because I really wanted to like this one
The Meh:
- Plot moved at a snail’s pace
- Noah was so lovable I had a hard time believing he wasn’t nice, even though we were repeatedly told he wasn’t, his every action was that of a nice, thoughtful person
- The Winters’ family history was difficult to piece together
- The minor characters did not enrich the story
- I didn’t find their inner conflict compelling enough to keep them from HEA sooner
- While the sweet breakfast routine was a nice way to show the couple getting closer together, it, like everything else in this novel, became stale rather quickly
Overall:
- I wouldn’t recommend this novel, but I have a feeling it was a poor introduction to the writing of Ms. Burrowes
- The conflicts were not complex, or perhaps were not developed enough – I’m not sure what it was but I was unable to connect with the story and characters
- Simply put, it was a boring novel – many a time I found myself closing it and loudly saying “Oh for crying out loud!”
- The final scenes of violence were not very believable
- Save yourself the time and perhaps give another of Grace Burrowes’ novels a try, I know I will.
Thanks for reading! Any comments on this or another Grace Burrowes novel?
Summary from Goodreads: Noah Winters, Earl of Anselm, spent months sorting and courting the year’s crop of debutantes in search of an ideal bride. When the sweet, biddable young thing he selected accepts another’s proposal, Noah decides to court her companion instead. Thea Collins, though, is anything but biddable. She has learned the hard way that men are not to be trusted, especially the handsome ones. When she reluctantly accepts, Noah rushes Thea to the altar before she can reveal her deepest secret. Can she finally move on from her past, or will it come back to haunt her?
Caryn Emme 