324 pages, Paperback
Publication May 4, 2021
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were voluntarily given.
Manchester, 1850
Isabelle Rackham
knows she will not marry for love. Though arranged marriages have fallen
out of fashion, hers has been settled for some time. Alexander Osgood
is handsome, well-known, and wealthy, but he is distant and aloof,
spending much of his time at his textile mill.
Moreover, Northern
England is nothing like Isabelle's home in the Lake Country, and her
marriage is far from the fairy tale she expected. Conversations with
Alexander are awkward, when they happen at all, and Isabelle struggles
with loneliness.
Sensing his wife's unhappiness, Alexander brings
Isabelle to his country estate. During their time together, the couple
begins to build a friendship, opening up to each other about the details
of their lives. But when a tragic accident leaves Alexander unable to
walk, their fledgling relationship is tested.
Isabelle is
determined to see to her husband's recovery, and in caring for him, she
discovers within herself an untapped well of strength and courage. In
learning to rely on each other, the couple has an opportunity to forge a
love connection that they both have longed for but never dreamed could
be.
My Review: 4 Stars
This isn't your typical romance. Generally, the romances I read showcase the story of how a couple falls in love and gets married, but Isabelle and Alexander were married early in the story without knowing much about each other at all, since it was almost more of a business move than anything. Don't discount that. Although slow, yet steady, this story gives a big nod to the textile movement of the Victorian era and delivered a very slow burn type of love.
Marriage is hard and I couldn't believe what this couple had to endure while navigating a backwards courtship of sorts. In spite of hoping for a bit more romance from a Proper Romance book, this sweet story is one that left me closing the book with a feel-good feeling.
While the characters are individually interesting, side character Glory stole the show for me. I did enjoy these characters, but wanted a little more connection with the mysterious enigma of a man. Told in first person, the reader is intimately shown Isabelle's thoughts and feelings and it would have been a richer experience getting inside of Alexander's head as well.
All in all, this is a story to cherish and ponder.
Content: very mild romance; mild moments of injury/peril
No comments:
Post a Comment