It’s such a treat to pick up a book by an author I’ve never read before and fall in love with their writing, their characters, and the entire world they create. Such is the case with Sherry Thomas and Not Quite a Husband. It was not just a book, but an adventure that took me to another time, one we don’t often read about – late 19th/ early 20th century in the British Indian Empire, also referred to as the British Raj. This is one of those epic novels that had me questioning exactly what it means to be civilized, and just how far we should go in forcing our version of civilization on others. A similar book which I also enjoyed, Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran, had me thinking along the same lines, and those books that get me contemplating and asking questions are the ones that stay with me long after I’ve finished reading.
Not Quite a Husband is a “second chance” romance, though I found the relationship between the hero, Leo Marsden, and the heroine, Bryony Asquith to be more angsty than sweet. But being the hopeless romantic that I am, I held to the faith that they’d come to their senses and see that they belonged together. Eventually though, the problem for me was that there was such a lack of communication between them that there came a time when I started thinking that maybe they really were better off apart, so while I loved them both, I had a tough time staying connected to, and invested in, their happily ever after. The ending was sweet and definitely romantic, and getting there was quite a journey.
Over all, this was an enjoyable read and a wonderful introduction to an author who I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of.
Not Quite a Husband is a “second chance” romance, though I found the relationship between the hero, Leo Marsden, and the heroine, Bryony Asquith to be more angsty than sweet. But being the hopeless romantic that I am, I held to the faith that they’d come to their senses and see that they belonged together. Eventually though, the problem for me was that there was such a lack of communication between them that there came a time when I started thinking that maybe they really were better off apart, so while I loved them both, I had a tough time staying connected to, and invested in, their happily ever after. The ending was sweet and definitely romantic, and getting there was quite a journey.
Over all, this was an enjoyable read and a wonderful introduction to an author who I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of.
4 of 5 stars
Great review, Dhes. I agree. I loved the setting, but you have to stick with this one, as the beginning is not easy to read. But in the end, the open and trusting relationship they developed was beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jayne! It's got much more substance than most historical romance novels, and the beautiful happily ever after ending is worth the heartache we have to go through to get there.
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