Georgie Lee

Very good second chance romance. Clara has been widowed for two years and was finally ready to venture back into society. She was nervous about this house party, however, because six years earlier it had been the scene of her greatest heartbreak and humiliation. All she could do was hope that it had been forgotten by others attending, only to have those hopes dashed when the cause of that humiliation was also there.

Six years after breaking the heart of the woman he loved, Hugh was back at the scene of the crime. This time he hoped to have a chance to explain his previous actions and beg for Clara's forgiveness. He had made many mistakes over the past few years but was determined to turn over a new leaf.

I enjoyed the rekindling of the relationship between Clara and Hugh. In spite of the way things had ended between them six years earlier, it was clear that their feelings were still there. Clara has grown a lot in self-confidence, but the thought of being the center of gossip again stings her pride. Though she struggled through that first dinner, I loved how she took the initiative the next day to address the tension between them. Hugh came to the house party with the intent of mending things with Clara. Unfortunately for him, he realized that his reputation would make it more difficult. I liked his surprise and appreciation of the changes he saw in her. As the house party activities constantly threw them together, they discovered that it was still easy to talk to each other about anything. I loved how they were able to share their grief and the understanding that came with it. It was easy to see that Hugh was still head over heels for Clara. Clara felt the same, but she was also wary of trusting Hugh again, especially when "well-meaning" advice aggravated those fears. I liked how Hugh faced that hurdle honestly.

But there was a much larger problem looming. A new arrival to the house party also had his eye on Clara and made no secret of it. While she is flattered by his attention, there is also something about him that doesn't sit quite right either. Hugh was a bit more blatant in his distrust and displayed a pretty big dose of jealousy. Things go from bad to worse when someone from Hugh's past makes an appearance with a devastating claim. I ached for Clara, whose heart was shattered once again. I also hurt for Hugh, who once again found honor taking precedence over what he wanted most in his life. It was clear that there was something suspicious going on, and help came from a very unexpected source. The confrontation was very well done with a very satisfying resolution. I loved Hugh's big moment as he laid his feelings out there in front of everyone. The epilogue was a nice look at their lives a year later.

I also enjoyed some of the secondary characters. Clara's brother and sister-in-law provided excellent moral support for Clara. I loved the way that Anne seemed to know just when Clara needed an extra little push. I also liked that their friendship with Hugh had continued during the previous six years and that they believed in him. The gossips, Lord Westbrook and Lady Fulton, were easy to dislike at the beginning, with their snide comments and innuendo. Each also gained a little sympathy from me as I learned more about them. My favorite, however, was Lady Pariston. She was a feisty old lady with a very kind heart. I loved her support of Clara. She also had a couple of funny scenes with the very young Lord Wortley.… (altro)

Overall a good book. I really liked the setting. I haven't read very many Harlequin Historicals that take place in the Georgian period, fewer still that are also in Colonial America. It was a very nice change of pace. Having spent a good part of my life in Virginia, I enjoyed recognizing locations, events, and historical figures. Though I found the early part of the book a bit slow, the pace and intensity increased as the story went on, and came to a very exciting conclusion.

Cassandra is on the way back to Virginia from England, where she had had a very unhappy marriage. Her husband had been a cruel man who delighted in humiliating her whenever possible. Her goal is to take her daughter and live on her family's plantation. She didn't expect an encounter at sea with the notorious pirate Captain Rose. She was even more shocked to discover that he is the fiancé that she had loved - until he was killed at sea. What has caused the drastic change in him?

I liked Cassandra and Richard. Cassandra's life in recent years hasn't been a happy one, especially when her husband trashed her reputation. After his death, she is determined to bring her plantation back to life, no matter what she has to do. I admired her strength and determination and ached for her frustration at having to play along with the society games to succeed. Her hurt at Richard's deception is understandable, though I was a little frustrated by her refusal to see why he is so driven. I liked Richard. His anger at the way he was treated is believable, as is his thirst for revenge. Though he first gives the impression of being a hardened pirate, his actions show his true nature. The loyalty and respect showed to him by his crew was a good indicator of who he is, as was his determination to clear their names as well as his own.

The development of their relationship was interesting. Richard had never lost his love for her but never expected to see her again. Even now, he believes that there is no way for them to be together, even if he can clear his name. But he does demand her help. Cassandra also never forgot her love for Richard, but her feelings of hurt and betrayal over his deception are hard to ignore. Though he explains his reasons, she is rigid in her refusal to accept that revenge is more important. They did not part ways on the best of terms.

The action starts to pick up as Richard continues to seek the evidence he needs. Meanwhile, Cassandra is back in Virginia, being courted by the very man who Richard is trying to destroy. As Richard's actions begin to bear fruit, the bad guy's desperation intensifies, trapping Cassandra in the middle. Cassandra receives a shock when Richard's crew bring him to her for healing when he's injured. That time together is intense, as their love grows, but so does their danger. Richard's attempt to do the right thing lands him right back in trouble, with an even greater incentive to get the proof he needs. At the same time, the bad guy increases the pressure on Cassandra so he can get what he wants. The final confrontation was terrific, with some vital information coming from an unexpected source. I was glued to the pages until it was all over and I could see how it was going to turn out.

The epilogue was very intriguing. There's a good scene of Richard and Cassandra as we see that they have made a good start at revitalizing Belle View. Most interesting is the scene with two of the secondary characters. I hope that there will be a book involving these two as it has the potential to be fantastic.… (altro)