Regina (virgosun) reviewed Bound by Duty (Scandalous Summerfields, Bk 1) (Harlequin Historical, No 1229) on + 886 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I liked this little gem of a story. It had romance, a little angst, familial discord, and a charming couple who turned a forced marriage into something wonderfulafter the requisite hurdles, of course. For as much as romance novelsand the fantasies they representget a bad rap, I am frequently amazed by how increasingly similar they are to real life from a human behavior standpoint. So, take that, you hard-hearted romance novel skeptics!
Some of the story's finest moments came when emotions were high; a sisterly sacrifice and the resulting fallout, a couple's repeated separations due to secrets and bad timing, a surprising yet unwelcome reunion with a loved one--all of these honestly portray the tumultuous feelings that result when life reinforces negative beliefs about love and life.
However, my side observations didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the story. A forced marriage was a suitable springboard for Tess and Marc's romance to blossom, and Gaston invented an intriguing background for a group of siblings guaranteed to make me pick up the sequels in the Scandalous Summerfields series. Bound by Duty is a credit to the romance genre, earning a 3.5 star rating.
Some of the story's finest moments came when emotions were high; a sisterly sacrifice and the resulting fallout, a couple's repeated separations due to secrets and bad timing, a surprising yet unwelcome reunion with a loved one--all of these honestly portray the tumultuous feelings that result when life reinforces negative beliefs about love and life.
However, my side observations didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the story. A forced marriage was a suitable springboard for Tess and Marc's romance to blossom, and Gaston invented an intriguing background for a group of siblings guaranteed to make me pick up the sequels in the Scandalous Summerfields series. Bound by Duty is a credit to the romance genre, earning a 3.5 star rating.
