Book Review: Reviving the Commander by Nadine C. Keels
Opal Whilstead is cheerful with others and regularly participates in charitable endeavors with the ladies of society. But she worries about spending her life as a spinster. Commander Exemplar Governor Staid Alexander has preoccupied himself with watching his children grow up and his oldest son get married, along with his official duties. But he still grieves over the loss of his wife Queen Constance.
Neither expects their loneliness to end.
One evening, a chance encounter unearths their repressed feelings. One day, Opal is invited to accompany Staid during his tour of the military. As they get to know each other more, Staid begins to think he can start a new chapter in his life. Meanwhile, Opal keeps discouraging herself from hoping for more than friendship with him. Toward the end of the tour, Opal and Staid realize they have found more than a companion in each other.
However, not everyone approves of the relationship between Opal and Staid. The greatest threat to their romance is the bitterness, jealousy, and resentment from those who disapprove of having a commoner enter the exclusive circle of nobility.
Reviving the Commander shows that one can find true love without compromising his or her principles. Opal and Staid had opportunities to have a relationship with anyone but chose to wait for someone with whom they felt comfortable sharing their lives. As the title suggests, Staid is the one needing help to enjoy life again, for Opal overcame her grief by giving and receiving love through charitable endeavors, and by maintaining a positive attitude.
A free copy of this book was exchanged in return for an honest review.