This was my first Cathy Maxwell book. Treasured Vows is a very enjoyable read--I finished it in one sitting. I liked how the heroine, Phadra Abbott, is independent, but not spunky (or goodness forbid, sassy). Neither is she stupid. But Grant Morgan, the hero, is my favorite character out of the two. He is so different from most other romance heroes. In his determination to become nothing like his hateful father, he has become utterly respectable. Instead of defying society for their disdain of his background, he has accepted it and worked hard to prove to himself that what they say isn't true. Although this might place in the role of a willing victim, I never saw him as such. His approach to his problems isn't dramatic or very aggressive, but I think that that is what most mature adults would do. His attitude is far and away more refreshing than that of someone in the same circumstances pursuing a rebellious, reckless life in defiance of society. Phadra was not as strongly characterized--I gleaned that she was kind to servants and had a flair for designing unusual clothes and accessories, but that was it. Overall, this was well worth several hours of my life, though.

Interesting book, somewhat different from the typical regency romance; liked reading about a feminist female character/follower of Mary Wolstencraft's "A Vindication of the Rights of Women". The guy was typically thick headed and dense, however, which I always find rather frustrating.

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