A FINE ROMANCE…
Diana Sommerville seems to have it all -- beauty, brains, and vast wealth, thanks to her family's ownership of a diamond mine abroad. But when her beloved brother dies in battle and leaves a lion's share of his estate to his best friend, Diana finds herself in a situation that seems scripted for the stage: Sharing her family home with the man she used to love -- and now loathes. Worse, her unfaithful former fiancé has already moved in...
OR AN EXCELLENT FAKE?
Rupert Lacey didn't expect Diana to take the news without a fight. Still, he didn't expect her to bring the battle directly to their newly shared doorstep -- complete with a full set of trunks, and a full set of orders to the staff. Yet there she is, bold, regal ... magnificent as ever. Now they would face a formidable challenge: to ignore each other -- and the unanswered questions that stood between them. The only sure thing is their still blazing desire. But with a woman like Diana, it will take nothing less than a momentous misunderstanding, a missing prized mare, and a shocking revelation to restore a love that hasn't lost its shine...
Good book. Diana is dismayed and angry when she returns to England after her father and brother's deaths to find that her ex-fiance has moved into her family home. It's even worse when she learns that her brother left his share of their inheritance to Rupert and not her. To cap it all off, he refuses to leave occupancy to her and insists on sharing the house with her.
Rupert knew Diana wouldn't take kindly to the news, but he didn't expect such an extreme reaction. He's still angry over how she broke their engagement and dealing with his own grief over the loss of his best friend.
Boy, did the sparks ever fly between these two. When Jem and Rupert left England for South Africa to fight in the Boer War, Rupert and Diana were engaged. At the same time, she left England to stay with her father in South Africa and be near Rupert and Jem. But when she arrived, Diana confronted Rupert over a rumor she heard regarding a mistress and a child. She wasn't angry or accusing; she simply wanted to know the truth. However, Rupert never answered the question; he just turned and walked away. That left Diana feeling that she had no choice but to break the engagement. Fast forward two years and Rupert and Diana are thrown together.
I liked both Rupert and Diana, but I also had problems with them. Rupert is a gentleman and an officer in the Horse Guards. However, due to his upbringing, he has some serious trust issues. He does not lie, and when someone questions him, he takes it badly, believing that person doesn't trust him. His unwillingness to answer a simple question made him appear guilty, so I couldn't fault Diana for her reaction. Diana is a practical woman and one who doesn't like to be left in the dark. She has no problem questioning things that happen around her. But when there is something that she doesn't like, she can be petty and childish, deliberately provoking Rupert.
The development of the relationship between Rupert and Diana was a fiery one. Before the broken engagement, their love seemed deep and unshakeable, and their attraction undeniable. Not much is said about the time they were apart, but it quickly becomes clear that they hadn't forgotten each other. It was interesting to see that Rupert not only expected Diana's reaction, he looked forward to it, though he is surprised at how furious she is. He refuses all of her proposals that would cede the house to her, instead proposing that they share it. To avoid scandal, using their engagement before they left England, Rupert insists that they pretend they are married. Diana's anger and hurt over what she sees as her brother's betrayal are understandable, but she goes overboard in her reaction. Instead of working with Rupert to find a compromise, Diana takes petty to a new level. Not only does she divide the house into his and her rooms, but she also refuses to allow the servants to help him.
A large part of the book is full of Rupert and Diana pushing each other's buttons, seeming to revel in ticking each other off. I honestly wanted to shake them both and tell them to grow up. Complicating matters was the attraction that still burned between them. It appeared that every time they got into an argument, they ended up in bed. They finally got to the point where they accepted the attraction, but Diana kept the distance between them. When it looks like maybe they will finally get to the bottom of what came between them, yet another rumor rears its head. Diana desperately wants to know the details of her brother's death, Rupert isn't talking, and Diana gets disquieting comments from other people. When Diana asks Rupert for his side, he once again walks away rather than answer her. I liked that this time Diana doesn't take his departure lying down but determinedly pursues him. Tracking him down gives her a new perspective and appreciation of his past, making it easier to break through his walls. I loved seeing Rupert finally open up and tell Diana everything. I ached for him and the guilt he felt and loved Diana's honest and practical reaction to what he told her. With that demon off their backs, Rupert and Diana are finally able to look to their future. I loved the ending and the surprise that Rupert had for her.
No comments:
Post a Comment