Rating: 3 Stars
Description: Caro Sloane is a little restless after her 2 older sisters have married. She finds herself in the resort town of Bath taking the waters and trying to write poetry. She doesn't expect to be almost abducted while walking with a friend and she definitely doesn't expect to be rescued by the handsome but surly Alec McClellan. Caro and Alec had melt, fought and let some sparks fly in a house party in Scotland not to long ago. Now that they've been reunited the fighting and the sparks are back. They're also back in danger as something sinister seems to be lurking in the shadows.
Genre: Romance
Why I Picked This Book: I had read the first 2 (Scandalously Yours and Sinfully Yours) and had enjoyed them to some degree. I thought the series had a lot of potential. Plus you see enough about Caro and Alec in the 2nd book that I really wanted to find out their story.
My Impression:
Pros: I love the supporting characters in this book. Isobel and Lord Andover are just thoroughly nice people. I'd seen quite a bit of Andover in the last book and was glad to see him again. My biggest problem with the previous books in the series was the inconsistency of the books. Both books had mediocre first halves and really good second halves. Passionately Yours was much more even. I found it an enjoyable book all the way through. I also liked that Caro just liked to write poetry and wasn't a big established writer. I had a hard time buying that her older sisters were so published even though it was anonymous. I liked finding out more about Alec other than just the pro-Scottish/anti-English political stance. He and Caro have a believable if somewhat rocky relationship and it's kind of fun to watch Alec start to soften.
Cons: While I enjoyed this book I'm not sure how this would read as a stand alone. So much of how Caro and Alec meet is covered in book 2 that it felt like the foundation for the relationship really occurred in that book. Also, the motives of the villains were a little vague.
Overall: I enjoyed this book and found it the best and most consistent of the trilogy. I found the characters likable and enjoyed the adventure. While this wouldn't necessarily be a reread for me it was a fun romance and I will be looking for more Cara Elliot books in the future.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Definitely. I feel like Elliott improved with each book in the trilogy and I'm looking forward to seeing what she writes next.
Would I Recommend this Book?: While this isn't a must read it is a fun historical.
I'm glad you enjoyed it - it sounds like fun! If my TBR list weren't so long, I might add it, but I think I've got enough historicals to be getting on with for the time being. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis is probably more of a just finished a book before a pickup because you need a book and this is in the bookstore versus a go hunt this one down book. Elliot seems to be getting better and better with each book so I have high hopes for the next one.
DeleteThis series sounds fun! Great review!
ReplyDeleteMissie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
Thanks! This one was fun but I was a little dissatisfied with the previous books. Elliot's next book would definitely be one to look out for.
DeleteProbably not a trilogy I will put at the top of my must read list. I would like to explore more in the way of historical romance as I haven't read too much of that. I do have a nice collection of Highlander books by Moning I've been meaning to get to, but I can only take so much Highlander before I long for something else for a change.
ReplyDeleteI get restless with a particular theme too. With historicals Julia Quinn is always safe and reliable and I've loved some of the Laura Lee Guhrke's I've read as well as Liz Carlyle and Sabrina Jeffries. This series is okay but not something that you must go find. They do seem to be getting better so the next book may be a must read.
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