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shantastic's review against another edition
4.0
I first heard about this book because the author has written some Harry Potter fanfic that I really love. I was willing to follow her into original fiction, and I’m glad I did.
One of the things I appreciate about well-done self-published fiction is the fact that authors have freedom to buck established formulas. A Widow in Waiting is a compelling romance, but it uses very few of the conventional romance trappings in the usual ways. Eleanor and John spend 90 percent of the book apart, having their own adventures, and yet I still found their romance compelling. Seeing the way they both dealt with other people in their lives—which is in itself a treat since a lot of romances put the characters in a vacuum where there are never any other people—I was able to figure out exactly why they’d be well-suited when they eventually got together. They also exchanged elicit letters, which I thought gave the relationship some depth not provided by the insta-lust the characters were hit with from the start.
I would classify this book squarely as fantasy romance. I’m not particularly bothered by how wallpaper the historical setting is, as long as I’m having fun, and obviously the strong presence of magic means this won’t count as a real historical. I thought that Eleanor was feisty enough to convince me she was unconventional without entirely turning into a 21st century woman dressed in costume. As I said, I love the fact that she has friends—and many of them are women, which is also something I adore.
John was delightful—sweet, intelligent about most things, and kind-hearted. He’s not a posturing alpha male, and it was refreshing to read a Regency-set historical (even one with magic) where the lead isn’t the duke of something-or-other.
A Widow in Waiting is also squeaky clean. I’m not sure there was much in the way of bad language, and the bedroom door was kept decorously close when the lovers finally consummated their romance. I also don’t remember anything in the way of strong language, and all the violence happens off-screen.
There is plenty of room for sequels, and Walsh has planned three, at least one of which I’m eagerly anticipating reading. I’d love to see John and Eleanor through other people’s eyes, and if her sense of adventure and talent for the truly romantic is as good in those other books, I’ll be happy.
I do have to admit that I took the star ratings down a bit due to the fact that there were no shades of gray. All the good guys were unquestionably good, the villains were pure evil, and the author never even attempts subtlety. I thought her depiction of Ireland in particular was far more romantic than realistic, and I would have liked a little more conflict that couldn’t be so easily wrapped up. But it’s not right to complain that Walsh wrote a different book than the one I read, and over all I’m very satisfied and can’t wait to see what she has in store next.
museful's review against another edition
3.0
A lovely story, with believable and enjoyable characters! It was easy to slip into a world where magic still exists, and can live harmoniously on a piece of the Irish coast.
Some of the transitions were confusing - leaving stories untold, which can be useful for suspense, but more often had me turning back chapters to see what I had missed.
I am curious to see the next steps in Noreen and Sean's journey, and to also see how Walsh continues to improve.
Some of the transitions were confusing - leaving stories untold, which can be useful for suspense, but more often had me turning back chapters to see what I had missed.
I am curious to see the next steps in Noreen and Sean's journey, and to also see how Walsh continues to improve.
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