Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Fun book about two people who seem to be opposites, but are more alike than they know. I thoroughly enjoyed watching these two people drive each other crazy on their path to happily-ever-after. Though I haven't read the earlier books in the series, this one works well as a stand-alone. There are hints of the earlier stories, enough to fill in the blanks without bogging down the story with recaps. It was also motivation to read the previous books as soon as possible.
Marjorie is a young woman who is ready to take on a new life. She was dumped in boarding school at the age of seven by her father who promised to come back for her. Infrequent letters promised it would be "soon" but the years passed. She dreamed of having what her friends had - a London season, a titled husband, children, and a beautiful home of her own. She's saddened by the passing of her father, but more determined than ever to pursue the life she wants. A stuffy English guardian with plans to leave her at school until it's convenient for him to take her to London is not in her plans.
At the age of eighteen, Jonathan was disinherited by his father, leaving him to make his way in the world alone. After ten years in America doing many things, he and his business partner struck it rich in Idaho. Though extremely rich, Jonathan has just seen his best friend and partner die a terrible death from consumption (tuberculosis). Before Billy died, he begged Jonathan to take care of his "little girl." Of course, he promised to do so, expecting to find a child that he can leave in school.
Jonathan received quite a shock when Billy's "little girl" turned out to be a beautiful twenty-year-old woman. Not only is Marjorie not a child, she has no intention of being left behind and makes that perfectly clear. The sparks flew between Jonathan and Marjorie from the start, each intent on having their own way. Marjorie is an intelligent and determined young woman, and I was not surprised to see her take her destiny into her own hands. Jonathan's plans were completely upended when he found Marjorie onboard the ship to London. He and Marjorie butt heads as his protectiveness runs up against her determination to pursue the life she wants. That protectiveness goes a little overboard, though he did have reason to be concerned.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Marjorie and Jonathan. The sparks of attraction were there from the beginning, with Jonathan realizing that he could be in deep trouble. Lusting after the daughter of his best friend was not appropriate, and his attempts to fight it became more and more difficult. Marjorie started out pretty naïve, unwilling to believe the trouble she could make for herself. I could feel her frustration at the restrictions she faced on the ship, but she was also smart enough that she learned from it. Things got even livelier once they were in London and joined forces with Jonathan's sisters. I loved the way that they upended his plans, forcing him to stay in London.
Thrown into each other's company regularly, the attraction between Jonathan and Marjorie continues to build. Neither of them knows quite how to handle it. Jonathan has no interest in settling down. Even after all of his success, he still feels that he is searching for something which keeps him on the move. His growing feelings for Marjorie cause him to take a good look at himself and what he really wants for his future. I loved seeing him accept his feelings and look for the way to make his new dreams happen. I ached for him when Marjorie allowed her fears to push him away. Those fears made her look at her future with tunnel vision, refusing to face the truth about her true desires. Advice from an unexpected source opened her eyes. I loved Marjorie's big moment at the end and seeing her open her heart to the possibilities.
The secondary characters helped things along quite nicely and were lots of fun themselves. Marjorie's new friend and ostensible "chaperone" was quite a character. I leaned a little bit toward Jonathan's belief that she was a fraud. There were a couple of scenes on the ship that reinforced that idea, and yet I felt that there was more to her. She was a good foil for the Countess of Stansbury, who was very different from the Baroness. Though the Countess was a royal pain for Marjorie, she did provide a good look at what Marjorie would face when she reached London. Jonathan's sisters and their husbands were great. Jonathan's trepidation overseeing them for the first time in ten years was understandable, especially his sister Clara. I liked that she made him sweat a little before forgiving him. I loved the two sisters and their immediate support of Marjorie, as well as their refusal to let Jonathan bail on them.
Marjorie is a young woman who is ready to take on a new life. She was dumped in boarding school at the age of seven by her father who promised to come back for her. Infrequent letters promised it would be "soon" but the years passed. She dreamed of having what her friends had - a London season, a titled husband, children, and a beautiful home of her own. She's saddened by the passing of her father, but more determined than ever to pursue the life she wants. A stuffy English guardian with plans to leave her at school until it's convenient for him to take her to London is not in her plans.
At the age of eighteen, Jonathan was disinherited by his father, leaving him to make his way in the world alone. After ten years in America doing many things, he and his business partner struck it rich in Idaho. Though extremely rich, Jonathan has just seen his best friend and partner die a terrible death from consumption (tuberculosis). Before Billy died, he begged Jonathan to take care of his "little girl." Of course, he promised to do so, expecting to find a child that he can leave in school.
Jonathan received quite a shock when Billy's "little girl" turned out to be a beautiful twenty-year-old woman. Not only is Marjorie not a child, she has no intention of being left behind and makes that perfectly clear. The sparks flew between Jonathan and Marjorie from the start, each intent on having their own way. Marjorie is an intelligent and determined young woman, and I was not surprised to see her take her destiny into her own hands. Jonathan's plans were completely upended when he found Marjorie onboard the ship to London. He and Marjorie butt heads as his protectiveness runs up against her determination to pursue the life she wants. That protectiveness goes a little overboard, though he did have reason to be concerned.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Marjorie and Jonathan. The sparks of attraction were there from the beginning, with Jonathan realizing that he could be in deep trouble. Lusting after the daughter of his best friend was not appropriate, and his attempts to fight it became more and more difficult. Marjorie started out pretty naïve, unwilling to believe the trouble she could make for herself. I could feel her frustration at the restrictions she faced on the ship, but she was also smart enough that she learned from it. Things got even livelier once they were in London and joined forces with Jonathan's sisters. I loved the way that they upended his plans, forcing him to stay in London.
Thrown into each other's company regularly, the attraction between Jonathan and Marjorie continues to build. Neither of them knows quite how to handle it. Jonathan has no interest in settling down. Even after all of his success, he still feels that he is searching for something which keeps him on the move. His growing feelings for Marjorie cause him to take a good look at himself and what he really wants for his future. I loved seeing him accept his feelings and look for the way to make his new dreams happen. I ached for him when Marjorie allowed her fears to push him away. Those fears made her look at her future with tunnel vision, refusing to face the truth about her true desires. Advice from an unexpected source opened her eyes. I loved Marjorie's big moment at the end and seeing her open her heart to the possibilities.
The secondary characters helped things along quite nicely and were lots of fun themselves. Marjorie's new friend and ostensible "chaperone" was quite a character. I leaned a little bit toward Jonathan's belief that she was a fraud. There were a couple of scenes on the ship that reinforced that idea, and yet I felt that there was more to her. She was a good foil for the Countess of Stansbury, who was very different from the Baroness. Though the Countess was a royal pain for Marjorie, she did provide a good look at what Marjorie would face when she reached London. Jonathan's sisters and their husbands were great. Jonathan's trepidation overseeing them for the first time in ten years was understandable, especially his sister Clara. I liked that she made him sweat a little before forgiving him. I loved the two sisters and their immediate support of Marjorie, as well as their refusal to let Jonathan bail on them.
This was deadly dull, which was a true disappointment since I really have enjoyed the previous Truelove stories. This one had no spark, no excitement, nor did I feel any grand attraction between Marjorie and Jonathan. Even familiar characters from the previous books felt disconnected in this one. Maybe too much time had passed before Jonathan's return to England and to his family? In any case, the magic simply wasn't there. I slogged through more than halfway, but ultimately, it was a no finish for me. 2 stars.
