Love in the Afternoon Review
SYNTHESIS
As a lover of animals and nature, Beatrix Hathaway has always been more comfortable outdoors than in the ballroom. Even though she participated in the London season in the past, the classic beauty and free-spirited Beatrix has never been swept away or seriously courted…and she has resigned herself to the fate of never finding love. Has the time come for the most unconventional of the Hathaway sisters to settle for an ordinary man-just to avoid spinsterhood?
Captain Christopher Phelan is a handsome, daring soldier who plans to marry Beatrix’s friend, the vivacious flirt Prudence Mercer, when he returns from fighting abroad. But, as he explains in his letters to Pru, life on the battlefield has darkened his soul-and it’s becoming clear that Christopher won’t come back as the same man. When Beatrix learns of Pru’s disappointment, she decides to help by concocting Pru’s letters to Christopher for her. Soon the correspondence between Beatrix and Christopher develops into something fulfilling and deep…and when Christopher comes home, he’s determined to claim the woman he loves. What began as Beatrix’s innocent deception has resulted in the agony of unfulfilled love-and a passion that can’t be denied…
REVIEW:
The first line of a review is always the hardest to write therefore i'm going to open it up with a fact: I finished and read the book mostly in the afternoon(s) and thus the title was quite appropriate. Nothing like a heatwave to make a favorite chair or spot of the bed seem like heaven with a book.
On another note i have to admit this was the first Hathaway book i read. I have the first three on my shelf having bought them at a book sale. After finishing this book i have to wonder why did i never pick up the other three because i loved it! I particularly liked Beatrix. I could totally see myself in her more so than any other heroine. Having six rabbits, 5 dogs, and nursed various baby wild bunnies to health i could easily identity with her on her animal obsession. I could also identify with her on her connection with nature. There is nothing more calming than being out in the woods.
Beatrice of course is described as being an odd ball in her neighborhood. I supposed in 1857 she would have been as well. In a time where girls were expected to sit proper, wear corsets and hop skirts, and be as feminine as possible she is oddly out of step. In stead she'd rather run around in her pants and boots. Training horses and helping hurt animals. Decidedly not womanish at all. It only makes since that the person she eventually marries should know her before seeing her and be a bit odd himself.
That brings me to the point of Christopher. He's portrayed as a tortured and hurt hero. He was a well to do dandy before getting sent to war, but while there he inevitably changed. It was only the letters from "Prudence" and his dog Albert that kept him sane and moving. Course Prudence being the stuck up bitch she was refused to write to him after his initial letter telling about the war. Therefore unknown to Christopher he was receiving letters from Beatrice and not Prudence. Christopher was a great hero, but for me he was overshadowed by Beatrice. If only he was slightly more tortured or haunted. Mean. I know. lol I can't help it. I like my men tortured and having some EMO moments. Christopher didn't experience enough of them. Though credit where credit is due Christopher wasn't entirely "healed" at the end and that gave his illness a more realistic approach.
The two had a really cute romance and i rather liked the interaction. They each pushed and pulled at each other which created great dialog and friction. It also gave some depth to their relationship. You didn't feel like things were going too fast, nor that they were progressing too slow. The relationship went perfectly. Points also to Lisa for prolonging their relationship into a couple of months. That fact makes it even more believable.
Final grade: 5/5 stars. Positively brilliant in almost every way. Only few small nit picks and complaints. I do hope that Mark Barrett and Aubrey get a book. ^^