A very fun travel book! I don't think Kirkland got QUITE the book that he deserved, but this was a delightful way to spend a flight.

OH, and I almost forgot. (How could I forget??)

This book lost a star because it constantly referred to the only character of color as "exotic". Over and over and over again. "Exotic." Gag me with a spoon.

I'm going to keep this review short, because I'm super behind, but I have quite a lot of feelings to summarize!!!!

First of all, I loved Laurel's character so much. She was such a kind, genuine individual, who lives her life by her faith and cares and loves for everyone she meets. James (or Lord Kirkland) took a little time to grow on me. He was a little surly and needy, but it's was so obvious how much he still cared for and loved Laurel, so excusable. It was wonderful seeing their relationship rekindled, especially as they both had grown as people, and were no longer the young, tempestuous individuals they were. Another point I want to highlight is the cast of wonderful characters, from Anne Wilson to Violet to Rhodes, really, every character (even the bad guys) seemed realistic. Overall, the story was like a dream, and I was left very happy.

This just felt very bland like a closing chapter to the series rather than a full novel. Might have worked for a novella because the concept of husband and wife finding each other again was interesting it could not offer the complex plot that I expected. Both mc had little character development and overcame any conflicts too easily, not that I enjoy drawn out misunderstandings as a plot.

I would have liked to read this book from Violet's perspective, as well.

I must admit that although I am a big fan of regency romance, this book started on the wrong foot because the reason of James being left by Laurel seemed a pretext so stupid that it ruined the rest of the book for me; I do not want to spoil, but also the reason for getting back together is totally trivial and obvious.

Devo ammettere che nonostante io sia una grande fan dei regency romance, questo é partito con il piede sbagliato perché l'abbanondono di James da parte di Laurel mi é sembrato un pretesto talmente stupido che mi ha rovinato tutto il resto del libro; non voglio spoilerare, ma anche il motivo per tornare assieme é totalmente banale e scontato.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND KENSINGTON BOOK FOR THE PREVIEW!

My new year's resolution is to be unashamed of the fact that I read romance novels.

I thought there was not much to say about this one except that the main character was rather unrealistic, until I realized that the competent, confident, sensual, physically-self-aware female character, who stays out-of-touch with her sexuality for a long decade of celibacy actually matches my experience before I finally got divorced...

...and given that set-up, there were not enough sex scenes, once they finally got around to it, which they were inevitably going to do.

NOTE: The cover image shows a woman who does not exist as any character in this book. I'm not sure how the author was talked into accepting it.

I love how individualized Putney makes her characters and gives them real world problems and emotions. Only one more to go in this series!

I have enjoyed this series despite my inclination to avoid the historical romance genre as a whole. I have felt that the previous books in the series has been a fun combination of light humor and dashing adventure. This installment, however, fell quite short.

Despite the depiction of two people who are incredibly drawn to one another, I just did not feel much true chemistry between the main characters. Also, the story of their previous whirlwind romance and the quick deterioration of said romance just seemed silly. The depiction of the rest of the cast of characters also seemed hollow. They all felt like cookie cut outs.

The final result was a book that was lackluster and an example of why I typically avoid the genre.

By page 21, I have completely lost interest. The writing is not a style that I enjoy and I find what happens in the third chapter to be quite implausible and almost abusive. He is unwell and completely not lucid. No woman would find this scenario appealing if it happened to a woman in a romance novel and I don't care for it. I'm not sure that I care how they reunite as I already don' t like the heroine. I expect some self righteous reasons behind the ten year separation, which may be unfair but she comes across as that type.

I don't generally care for long seperations between love interests and I wonder what made me chose to read this initially but I don't think I will finish it.

I don't think I will read this author again. The writing is trite, without depth, simplistic.