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jackiehorne's review
4.0
The whole premise of this book is hard to buy into -- a man with an estranged twin brother convinces that twin to go and get to know and woo a seemingly mentally ill girl whom he intends to marry -- but once I got past the ridiculousness of the situation, I found myself quite engaged by Putney's story. Meriel is a vastly different type of heroine, and turns the trope of the "psychologically damaged man cured through love" on its head. Will have to read more Putney to see if she's an author worth following...
debs4jc's review
3.0
This romance is made interesting by the combination of twin suitors and a most unusual potential bride. The twins are Dominic and Kyle, sons of an Earl but only one can inherit, so when Kyle wants Dominic to stand in his place and court the potential bride--Meriel--he has quite the thing to bribe him with--the inheritance of an estate. Dominic reluctantly agrees, and since Meriel appears to be somewhat mad--she suffered a childhood trauma and since then has not spoken a word--both think that the girl will be easily fooled. Dominic does not reckon on falling for the wild, untamed Meriel, who is not mad but who rather prefers the company of flowers and wild creatures to the society of people. To see how Dominic is able to win her over and resolve the conflicts with her and his own family kept my interest well. Fans of historical romances with lots of interesing twists and turns should enjoy it.
unlimitedhappylife's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this book. To me, it was a unique premise and I loved the interactions between the Heroine and Hero and how the relationship was built slowly and made sense for the story and characters.
Mariel is a unique character and we slowly get to know her as Dominic does, most of the book is in his POV, so it was beautiful to learn more about her through Dominic eyes because you learn to appreciate her and see her beauty inside and out as Dominic does. It did feel like there were some leaps in her character growth toward the end but I understand from the story perspective why that had to happen. It did make me smile how much she was the pursuer when it came to intimacy between her and Dominic and how much she drove him crazy.
Dominic was a wonderful hero. He is the soft, understanding, patient, and committed type of hero. While his initial reason for being there was misleading, he has a good heart. Even when he thought there was no way for him and Meriel to be together, he still vowed to make sure she was safe and happy for the rest of her life. He also was not the type to be wishy-washy with his feelings.
The supporting characters were also a delight and held a lot more depth than I was expecting. I truly cared for a lot of the supporting characters. Sometimes the older romance books have a type of feeling about them that is almost magical and this one certainly has that.
Mariel is a unique character and we slowly get to know her as Dominic does, most of the book is in his POV, so it was beautiful to learn more about her through Dominic eyes because you learn to appreciate her and see her beauty inside and out as Dominic does. It did feel like there were some leaps in her character growth toward the end but I understand from the story perspective why that had to happen. It did make me smile how much she was the pursuer when it came to intimacy between her and Dominic and how much she drove him crazy.
Dominic was a wonderful hero. He is the soft, understanding, patient, and committed type of hero. While his initial reason for being there was misleading, he has a good heart. Even when he thought there was no way for him and Meriel to be together, he still vowed to make sure she was safe and happy for the rest of her life. He also was not the type to be wishy-washy with his feelings.
The supporting characters were also a delight and held a lot more depth than I was expecting. I truly cared for a lot of the supporting characters. Sometimes the older romance books have a type of feeling about them that is almost magical and this one certainly has that.
taramisu's review
4.0
The premise: Having lost her parents in a tragic political assault, Lady Meriel Grahame has drawn herself into a private world, making her seem mad to those around her. Now that she's of age, her uncle has decided that a husband and children would benefit the girl. Enter Kyle Renbourne. Only, Kyle is unable to meet with the mad Lady due to other circumstances. Therefore, he sends his estranged, twin brother Dominic to take his place for just a few weeks.
Miscellaneous notes: This was a bit of a twist on the typical Regency romance where the man seduces the woman. Poor Dominic is determined to keep what little relationship he has with his brother intact. He simply cannot allow himself to succumb to his passions...but his love for the wild child says otherwise.
Miscellaneous notes: This was a bit of a twist on the typical Regency romance where the man seduces the woman. Poor Dominic is determined to keep what little relationship he has with his brother intact. He simply cannot allow himself to succumb to his passions...but his love for the wild child says otherwise.
nicolesa's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
heyhaley17's review
I'm on the fence with this one. At times it was really good and others I just didn't feel it. I am also not sure how I feel about the romance. Interesting plot though and perhaps worth another read at some point to see if my thoughts on it have changed.
bettybumpkins's review
emotional
lighthearted
3.5
I liked the FMC and her internal monolog. Ugh men trying to force medical "treatments" on ladies. A complicated story but it worked for me.
juliana_caterin's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5