About the book: Walter Scott has three passions: Scotland, poetry, and Mina Stuart. Though she is young and they are from different stations in society, Walter is certain their love is meant to be. For years, he has courted her through love letters. She is the sunshine of his soul.
Though Mina shares Walter’s love of literature and passionate temperament, it’s hard for her to know if she truly loves him or if she has only been dazzled by his flattery. When she meets the handsome and charming William Forbes, her heart is challenged. Who will she choose?
But as every poet knows, “The course of true love never did run smooth,” and on a windy morning in the lake country, Walter meets Charlotte.
At twenty-six, Charlotte Carpenter believes she will never find love. After all, she is a Catholic-born Frenchwoman living in London with a family history shadowed by scandal. Though quiet, practical, and determined to live a life of independence, her heart longs for someone to love her and a place to call home.
Passion and promises collide as Walter, Mina, and Charlotte must each decide the course for their futures. What are they each willing to risk to find love and be loved in return?
My review: I really love the way that this author writes her historical fiction novels. This is another one of her Historical Proper Romance books, where she re-tells the love story of a famous person. I loved everything about it, including the chapter notes at the end, and I don't usually read those.
I loved the way Sir Walter Scott became more of a real person to me as I read this one. I know he was a real person, but his character jumped off the pages for me as I read and became even more real. I loved his romantic attitude and the way he treated Mina and especially his beautifully romantic letters to her.
I liked Mina, as I was reading the discussion questions at the end, one of them was "Who was your least favorite character in the book?" My first thought was Mina because of the way she treated Walter during the book, but as I was thinking about it longer, I realized that she was just a victim of her circumstances really in this book. She is a young woman of money and expected to stay in her own caste. I thought she probably could have treated Walter better, but she was young and we all make mistakes. She did the best she could to make happiness for herself in her life.
I liked that we were able to see things from Charlotte's point of view as well as Mina and Walter's. I truly loved the way their love story was, it was just beautiful, realistic and romantic all at the same time.
This is a great addition to the Proper Romance line. I can't wait for another Historical Proper Romance book!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Buy your own copy: Amazon
About the author: Josi S. Kilpack is the author of twenty-five novels—including the twelve-book Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series—one cookbook, and has been part of several coauthored projects and anthologies. She and her husband, Lee, are the parents of four children.Labels: Historical Proper Romance, Josi S Kilpack, Proper Romance, Shadow Mountain Publishing
