This sweet story of an intelligent, but bespectacled, plain lady hopelessly in love with a handsome young man she has known for years takes some twists and turns that help avoid the usual plot lines. Yes, she does improve her appearance somewhat with some help from her friend, the sister of the hero, but this is not the catalyst that opens his eyes to her desirability. After her well-meaning father arranges a marriage for her with the hero, she discovers that he is being coerced into the match and refuses to wed. Does he realize what a treasure she is now that she is not being forced upon him? Does he recognize her beauty behind the glasses that make her look like an owl? Well,...not exactly--which is the charm of this book. Some parts are predictable, but the author manages to make it just different enough to make a very enjoyable read.

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