Can honour and action banish the shadows of old sins?
Emily Micklen has no option after the death of her loving fiancé, Jack, but to marry the scarred, taciturn, soldier who represents her only escape from destitution.
Major Angus McCartney is tormented by the reproachful slate-grey eyes of two strikingly similar women: Jessamine, his dead mistress, and Emily, the unobtainable beauty who is now his reluctant bride.
Emily’s loyalty to Jack’s memory is matched only by Angus’s determination to atone for the past and win his wife with honour and action. As Napoleon cuts a swathe across Europe, Angus is sent to France on a mission of national security, forcing Emily to confront both her allegiance to Jack and her traitorous half-French family.
Angus and Emily may find love, but will the secrets they uncover divide them forever?
Conclusion:
How to describe this one? It was not one of those typical historical romances and therefore I would not want to call it that. It was the book in between H and HR. Also with a dose of mystery, spies and suspense.
The heroine, oh Emily, you were hard to like you ungrateful idiot. I get why she was like that, but she lived in a time where she had no rights, so at least be civil to your husband and not a shrew. Yes I confess that at one time I wish Angus had throw that ungrateful strumpet out on the street to fend for herself. But I am not gonna be totally evil because she changes, there is romance there after all.
Angus, awww Angus, he was so kind, he waited, he hoped, aww my heart. A perfect man. Sure he too had made mistakes before, but how he adored her.
As you can see they really really have to work for the love to grow. It's not easy, it's hard, almost impossible. But slowly things fall into place and they find what they want.
As for the suspense. There are spies, secrets, and the ongoing conflict between France and England. The book gave me a few surprises.
Conclusion:
A different sort of love story.
Paperback, 400 pages
Expected publication: September 15th 2013 by Choc Lit (came out on Kindle in July)
Romantic historical fiction
From the publisher
Aw sorry it was hard to like the mc. I know its a different time and all but still
ReplyDeleteI did like her in the end, I just felt so sorry for the guy
DeleteWell I love suspense and spies but bummer about the MC.
ReplyDeleteEh, the thing is that it has to be like that. There are issues
DeleteOoh spies and secrets and slowly growing to love one another sounds awesome! Hopefully I can get past Emilly's personality and enjoy it. Angus sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteIt was more...her emotional state that made her like that. Still it was hard but she changes
DeleteSpies are always fun
ReplyDeleteI like the mystery aspects of it. Nice cover.
ReplyDeleteThis does sound good B, not a typical historical romance indeed. Perhaps we can classify it as romantic historical fiction?
ReplyDeleteLet's say that. :) I noticed that when I finished my next Choc Lit book I talked about this again, lol
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ReplyDeleteThe perfect man...awwwwwe.
ReplyDeleteooops, many comments there ;)
DeleteLOL Carole, you like driving your point home! ;p
ReplyDeleteThe book might work for me, thanks for the review!
Haha ;)
DeleteOh I like books like that, it's fun!!! Well different but fun.
ReplyDeleteI liked that :)
DeleteIt does sound different! I am going to put it on my birthday list :)
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteI read an interesting op-ed piece about why it's not necessary to like the MC, but frankly, if I don't like the person I'm spending time with, reading isn't much fun. I'm sorry you had a hard time with the heroine in this book.
ReplyDeleteIt sure is important, cos if I never start to like one...yeah no go. But here, it was just different. She had her issues. And yes those issues made me dislike her cos she was so angry. At the same time I did get why she was angry cos it was not her fault
DeleteI do like mystery, spies and suspense though. This sounds good.
ReplyDeleteAll those things makes a great mix
Deleteooh I like the sound of this one, especially Angus and the cover's pretty :)
ReplyDeleteAngus was a darling
DeleteHmm. That cover is meh.
ReplyDeleteHer neck looks weird
DeleteIt does sound interesting. Funny I was going to mention my dislike of the cover as not fitting the plot, and see that someone else has beat me to it :) Thanks for sharing. I like to read your blog and think about books I might pick up as I expand my reading genres.
ReplyDeleteThe thing with the book is that it has many layers, and one layer is her like that. So in that aspect it fits :)
DeleteThe combination of genres in this novel sounds fab!
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteDespite the heroine being annoying, it sounds like I'd probably enjoy this one.
ReplyDeleteIt was good, she just had to grow up a bit
DeleteThis sounds like a good one!
ReplyDelete:)
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