Karin A. (Jerseygirltoo) -
This is the first book I've tried by this author, and I chose it because it seemed to have better reviews than some of her earlier works. I found it to be a very enjoyable read. Robinson is quite a witty writer, and the hero and heroine were both very appealing characters. It takes place at the turn of the 20th century(1903) so naturally some of the language and attitudes are more modern than in the early 19th century historicals I am used to reading. The heroine, Louisa, is a live wire and never stops talking, but she's mainly trying to cover up her unsecurities. The hero, Charles, is morose and suffering from bad after effects due to his experiences in the Boer War(which I knew nothing about prior to picking up this book) and is definitely down on his luck at the beginning of the story. I loved his chivalry and protectiveness towards Louisa, and she is just the right person to bring him out of his depression. They make a great couple and a perfect example of opposites attracting. For instance, Louisa loves her modern "motorcar" and drives like a maniac, while Charles prefers to travel the old fashioned way, on a horse. The basic plot is, she hires him to masquerade as her husband, to get her nasty family off her back. There were many funny moments when she gets tangled up in the various stories she makes up regarding the imaginary husband, and with various characters getting their wires crossed, but there are also many touching and tender moments and sexy love scenes too. My only complaint is that the family members who were so horrible to Louisa didn't get punished enough at the end of the book. This is the first book of a series, and I am looking forward to Mary Evensong's story, she played the role of fairy godmother in this book. **** 4 stars.
