Reviewed by Desere
Every normal woman has dreams, even those who are already married to the wealthiest of men, yes even those have a little side line dream of something or someone that would make them happy. In this absolutely beautifully crafted read from the multi talented Rachel Brimble we meet Monica Danes. She has always wanted more than what the village of Biddlestone had to offer. After a failed courtship to the man of her parent's choosing , she fled for the city of Bath and never looked back. Now she graces the stage and she's the undisputed queen of the theater , a very wealthy and independent woman. But when she is called home in the wake of tragedy, Monica returns but plans to leave again as soon as possible.
Thomas Ashby has been a groom at the Danes estate since he was a boy, and has enamored with Monica for almost as long. He knows he isn't a suitable match for his master's daughter , despite the special bond he and Monica has always shared. Not to mention the undeniable attraction. As Monica re-enters the world she left behind Thomas sees it as his final change prove himself as worthy. He will show Monica a life and love she won't want to give up.
This read was filled with such exquisite opulence it was as if I was being transported back in time , a time when romance was pure elegance. Right from the start of the read my heart was pounding with excitement to the point where it would literally feel like it was about to burst of simply jump out of my chest. Yes, I kid you not the excitement was that powerful, this is after all a story written by one of the best romance authors in the world, so it was no surprise, just extremely unhealthy for my poor heart that had to try and keep up with the remarkable magical pace of this read.
There was conflict and I do mean real, in your face, cannot be overlooked conflict, none of that dull this is so boring it;s not even real conflict stuff. No, this author brought her A -game when it came to the conflict. I was hanging onto each and every single word , and I literally wanted to be right there to get in on the action.
The settings in this read were simply put, absolutely, freaking spectacular! I have always said I wish I lived in another time period, a time when romance had elegance and true meaning, a time when ballgowns where the start of your dreams coming true when looking in the mirror. The author dropped me right into the middle of it all. I could smell the elegance, I could touch the richness, I could hear the exquisite heartbeat of a world set in a time that sadly has been lost.
The characters, were mind blowing, I loved Monica. Her fighting spirit left me with a huge smile on my face and thinking " That's it, you go girl!" Thomas was my weakness, I fell hook, line and sinker for this hero, not because he is the absolute prefect example of a true gentleman but because of his feelings for Monica and the manner he uses to try and convince her that he is good enough for her. I wanted to tell him to keep pushing, to keep fighting , and to never let go, and of course I was over the moon with delight and squealed like a happy child on Christmas day when the man proves he is never and I mean never going to give up.
From the remarkably crafted settings, being transported back into time, falling in love with the hero, rooting for the heroine, till the absolutely prefect ending to an incredible read, this read had everything I could wish for when picking up a romance book. It's the romance read of the century !
I highly recommend this read for all fans that wish to step back into time and travel on the journey of epic romantic proportions! Rachel , your talent is endless and I cannot wait for the next masterpiece to hit the shelves !
5/5 star review
" She's about to step into the performance of a lifetime, but will the ending be the one she's always desired?"
