Publication Date - 31st May 2011
Ebook - 111 pages
Genre - Historical Romance
Source - Purchased
Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it.
Reviewed by - Chrissie
Book Info - A perpetual wallflower destined for spinsterhood, Lady Elaine Warren is resigned to her position in society. So when Evan Carlton, the powerful, popular Earl of Westfeld, singles her out upon his return to England, she knows what it means. Her former tormenter is up to his old tricks, and she’s his intended victim. This time, though, the earl is going to discover that wallflowers can fight back.
Evan has come to regret his cruel, callow past. At first, he only wants to make up for past wrongs. But when Elaine throws his initial apology in his face, he finds himself wanting more. And this time, what torments him might be love...
My Thoughts - I hadn't read anything by this author before but downloaded it onto my kindle as I have been enjoying historical romances quite a lot recently and the cover really caught my eye. Yes, I know, that's not a real reason to buy a book, but I do love a pretty cover. Even if it is on my kindle!
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Considering it was a novella, it felt as though it was a complete story and I felt as though I got to know the characters enough that I cared about them and about what would happen to them. I've read a few novellas recently and this is the first time that I have actually felt satisfied in that respect.
I really liked the main characters, Elaine and Evan. Evan made mistakes in his youth with the way he treated Elaine and made her the focus of society's jokes, but he recognised that and was able to make changes in his life, and later, when he returns to England at the beginning of this story, he is able to admit those mistakes and try to make amends for them. He really shows to both the reader and to Elaine that he has grown up and that he is no longer the cruel young man that he used to be. Elaine on the other hand, shows remarkable strength in the face of such treatment from most of society. She has had to endure a lifetime of teasing and cruel behaviour from others and has had to learn how to blend into the background. However, she has not backed away from society and is not afraid to stand up to others, most especially when she feels her mother, who is also a social outcast, is being mistreated.
Seeing their relationship grow as he took his time to prove to her that he had changed, and as she learned to open up and start to trust again was very heart warming. I felt that they were very sweet together as a couple and was glad when they got their Happy Ever After (although it's a romance novel so that was pretty much a given!).
My only problem with this novella was that nothing much really happened. A lot of the novella is based around conversations and there is very little action. The advantage of this was that I did get to know the characters a lot better than I might otherwise have done. But it did make it feel as though the story moved along at a rather slow pace a lot of the time.
Summary - An enjoyable historical romance novella with characters that are easy to fall in love with. I just wish the pacing of the story had been worked out a little better to include some faster moving moments.
Other books in the series:
1. Unveiled
1.5. Birthday Gift
1.6. Unlocked
2. Unclaimed
2.5. Out of the Frying Pan
3. Unraveled
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