In My Wildest Dreams
2 Stars

Dodd's books are usually very entertaining both in terms of plot, character and dialogue but this is a huge disappointment.

The plot is a copy of the movie "Sabrina" almost scene for scene and word for word and demonstrates a complete lack of imagination and originality.

Dodd can do better. ( )

Celeste Milford has returned to England as a governess at Blythe Hall, the estate where she grew up as the head gardener's daughter. Celeste's formal training and time abroad working in Paris and Russia have turned her into a graceful and charming woman, factors she hopes will be enough to finally attract the attention of Ellery Throckmorton, the younger son whom she's loved since her teens. But Ellery's engagement means great financial and social advancement for the Throckmortons and his elder brother, Garrick, will do anything to prevent Celeste breaking the attachment including seduce her himself.

As I've mentioned elsewhere on LT, this is basically a Victorian riff on the plot of Sabrina (a favourite film of mine). As a result, I utterly enjoyed it. Dodd adds a few twists of her own to the plot including children and a spy ring to keep things interesting. My only complaint is that the novel is terrible at depicting actual consent (likely a result of its age as the novel was published in 2001). I liked the writing well enough to try others in the series at some point but I'm not sure yet whether Dodd will become a go to author when I want an historical romance. ( )

There are lots of eye opening things in this book. I had no idea that the severely wound and sick were treated so poorly. I have to wonder when keeping the sickroom clean and bright and fresh came to be the standard instead of the exception. I had also had not thought about how one fed those that were unconscious and unable to drink. I will have to search for when IV’s came into practice. I am sure that was the turning point for saving people that died from being unable to eat or drink. There is also more spying and violence in this book. I have to wonder if spying was really so deadly during this time period. I am sure it was because it isn’t much better today.

Now story picks up on a discussion from “IN MY WILDEST DREAMS”. There was an explosion that killed one man and wounded the other. The wounded man was on his way back to England but he wasn't expected to live. This is the story of that man and the woman that will make him finally know what it is like to love one woman.

I admired Enid MacLean. She has made a life for herself after so much adversity. She is a successful woman that knows what she wants and is willing to try to make that dream a reality, as long as it doesn't include her worthless husband. While she is illegitimate and an orphan she has done what she had to do to hurdle those obstacles. Her birth father did provide an education which has allowed her to be a nurse/companion. There is so much to admire about this woman. She never complains. She is strong, intelligent and compassionate. Her only fault is that she thinks that no one can love her forever and ever.

Kiernan MacLean is the MacLean in very way. He is intelligent, honorable, courageous, compassionate and arrogant. He leads his people with strength and understanding. However he is a man of his time and environment. He isn't politically correct or afraid to take charge and fix a problem. When he wakes after the accident he has lost his memory and he is confused when Enid tells him how he deserted her and was scoundrel of mammoth proportions. Kiernan is all Alpha male and he isn't afraid the show Enid that he is willing to love her with all that he is or will ever have. He doesn’t handle the relationship well in the beginning and must learn that sometimes you have to let go in order to get what you want.

This was a quick read. You just have to know what is going to happen next. When is Kiernan going to recover his memory? Who is trying to kill him and Enid? Why are they trying to kill them? What is it that Kiernan knows that is so damning? The villain is the story was a surprise, all of them. Ms. Dodd does and wonderful job of dealing with amnesia and how it can effect someone. She writes some of the best characters even those that are secondary. You want to know what happened to everyone and are disappointed when that doesn't happen. This is a wonderful book and I look forward to read the rest of this series. ( )

Yes, I too love Sabrina and can't understand why Dodd does not give credit somewhere at some point to the originators of the plot and characters. She could have done so much more with this.
That said, it's worth reading. ( )

Celeste has always wanted to marry noble Ellery Throckmorton, but when she returns from finishing school, it’s his dour older brother whom she can’t get off of her mind… Very sexy – I must say I enjoyed it! ( )