Young, THE LADY FLEES HER LORD
Michele Ann Young, The Lady Flees Her Lord: this is the second by this author I've read, and I enjoyed both except for the endings, which felt a bit chaotic and rushed; this second one had an even more chaotic ending than the first, with sudden reversals, lots more characters invading, and people getting shot to eliminate the problems that had beset the characters for the rest of the book.
Other than that, though, I really enjoyed it. It's a Regency-set historical featuring a large, curvy woman, which is rare enough. Her family is well-off, and when the novel opens she's married to an aristocrat. She thought he was in love with her, but by this point it's clear he despises her and only married her for her money; he constantly insults her weight, her apparent barrenness, her capabilities, etc.. When it looks as though she's about to be subjected to further awfulness at a house party of his friends, she flees.
In the fleeing, she ends up with a street child, and keeping the girl helps to hide her from her husband. She sets up in a village as a widowed woman and her daughter, and is there fairly happy. The romance, after a rocky start, evolves between her and the local lord, who's just returned from the Napoleonic Wars, wounded and angstful (yes, that was one of the reasons I bought this). He comes to admire her organizational abilities and bravery, and also thinks she's hot.
I liked that there was a real barrier keeping them apart--she's still married, and afraid what will happen if she's found; she also mourns having to hide from her beloved family as well as from her husband, which I think she does to protect them, not because she thinks they will not protect her. The hero's angst revolves around the deaths of his mother and, later, his Spanish wife. This hampers them, but doesn't stop them becoming involved. I think I would have liked this a lot more if their problems had lasted longer, and been more difficult to resolve. The parts I did like, I liked a lot.
Other than that, though, I really enjoyed it. It's a Regency-set historical featuring a large, curvy woman, which is rare enough. Her family is well-off, and when the novel opens she's married to an aristocrat. She thought he was in love with her, but by this point it's clear he despises her and only married her for her money; he constantly insults her weight, her apparent barrenness, her capabilities, etc.. When it looks as though she's about to be subjected to further awfulness at a house party of his friends, she flees.
In the fleeing, she ends up with a street child, and keeping the girl helps to hide her from her husband. She sets up in a village as a widowed woman and her daughter, and is there fairly happy. The romance, after a rocky start, evolves between her and the local lord, who's just returned from the Napoleonic Wars, wounded and angstful (yes, that was one of the reasons I bought this). He comes to admire her organizational abilities and bravery, and also thinks she's hot.
I liked that there was a real barrier keeping them apart--she's still married, and afraid what will happen if she's found; she also mourns having to hide from her beloved family as well as from her husband, which I think she does to protect them, not because she thinks they will not protect her. The hero's angst revolves around the deaths of his mother and, later, his Spanish wife. This hampers them, but doesn't stop them becoming involved. I think I would have liked this a lot more if their problems had lasted longer, and been more difficult to resolve. The parts I did like, I liked a lot.