Annabel Winslow is in the unenviable position of family savior; bound by familial duty to wed a wealthy man in order to keep her own family afloat, she attempts to reconcile herself to an unhappy marriage with a loathsome earl. Sebastian Grey, presumed heir to the loathsome earl and secret Gothic novelist, attempts to reconcile himself to his half-in/half-out place in society. The jaded gentleman and discouraged lady bump into each other, literally, and the subsequent events change the course of their lives.
I have always enjoyed Ms. Quinn's novels in the past, and this one is no exception. Her finely tuned sense of humor shines through in the witty dialogue between the main characters and their friends. The excerpts from Sebastian's Gothic novels are laugh-out-loud funny, and Annabel's grandmother's unusual advice was completely unexpected. Several of Ms. Quinn's characters from previous stories have cameos, allowing habitual readers in on the joke.
It seems that when it comes to romance plots that, like in fashion, there's nothing new under the sun. Ms. Quinn manages to make what could have been a worn-out scenario into something fresh, although the impoverished family pressuring Annabel felt a little clumsy. It may be because the family members she is trying to save are barely present in the story - there's merely a brief mention of a letter Annabel receives reminding her of the deterioration of their finances.
I'm already anticipating to the next series, which I've just read on her website will be about the Smythe-Smith girls. I read that and I had to groan and laugh at the same time. I'm looking forward to see who gets stuck... I mean, who falls in love with them.
Buy it as a paperback, or an ebook, here
No comments:
Post a Comment