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Windham #3
The Virtuoso
A GENIUS WITH A TERRIBLE LOSS...
Gifted pianist Valentine Windham, youngest son of the Duke of Moreland, has little interest in his father's obsession to see his sons married, and instead pours passion into his music. But when Val loses his music, he flees to the country, alone and tormented by what has been robbed from him.
A WIDOW WITH A HEARTBREAKING SECRET...
Grieving Ellen Markham has hidden herself away, looking for safety in solitude. Her curious new neighbor offers a kindred lonely soul whose desperation is matched only by his desire, but Ellen's devastating secret could be the one thing that destroys them both.
Together they'll find there's no rescue from the past, but sometimes losing everything can help you find what you need most.
Gifted pianist Valentine Windham, youngest son of the Duke of Moreland, has little interest in his father's obsession to see his sons married, and instead pours passion into his music. But when Val loses his music, he flees to the country, alone and tormented by what has been robbed from him.
A WIDOW WITH A HEARTBREAKING SECRET...
Grieving Ellen Markham has hidden herself away, looking for safety in solitude. Her curious new neighbor offers a kindred lonely soul whose desperation is matched only by his desire, but Ellen's devastating secret could be the one thing that destroys them both.
Together they'll find there's no rescue from the past, but sometimes losing everything can help you find what you need most.
395 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2011
458 people are currently reading
1564 people want to read
About the author
Grace Burrowes
190 books2,917 followersGrace Burrowes started writing as an antidote to empty nest and soon found it an antidote to life in general. She is the sixth out of seven children, raised in the rural surrounds of central Pennsylvania. Early in life she spent a lot of time reading romance novels and practicing the piano. Her first career was as a technical writer and editor in the Washington, DC, area, a busy job that nonetheless left enough time to read a lot of romance novels.
It also left enough time to grab a law degree through an evening program, produce Beloved Offspring (only one, but she is a lion), and eventually move to the lovely Maryland countryside.
While reading yet still more romance novels, Grace opened her own law practice, acquired a master's degree in Conflict Transformation (she had a teenage daughter by then) and started thinking about writing.... romance novels. This aim was realized when Beloved Offspring struck out into the Big World a few years ago. ("Mom, why doesn't anybody tell you being a grown-up is hard?")
Grace eventually got up the courage to start pitching her manuscripts to agents and editors. The query letter that resulted in "the call" started out: "I am the buffoon in the bar at the RWA retreat who could not keep her heroines straight, could not look you in the eye, and could not stop blushing--and if that doesn't narrow down the possibilities, your job is even harder than I thought." (The dear lady bought the book anyway.)
To contact Grace, email her at graceburrowes@yahoo.com.
It also left enough time to grab a law degree through an evening program, produce Beloved Offspring (only one, but she is a lion), and eventually move to the lovely Maryland countryside.
While reading yet still more romance novels, Grace opened her own law practice, acquired a master's degree in Conflict Transformation (she had a teenage daughter by then) and started thinking about writing.... romance novels. This aim was realized when Beloved Offspring struck out into the Big World a few years ago. ("Mom, why doesn't anybody tell you being a grown-up is hard?")
Grace eventually got up the courage to start pitching her manuscripts to agents and editors. The query letter that resulted in "the call" started out: "I am the buffoon in the bar at the RWA retreat who could not keep her heroines straight, could not look you in the eye, and could not stop blushing--and if that doesn't narrow down the possibilities, your job is even harder than I thought." (The dear lady bought the book anyway.)
To contact Grace, email her at graceburrowes@yahoo.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 342 reviews
March 20, 2019
This did't work for me. It was boring and progressed slowly. I don't mind slow books as long as the plot is sound but this was so far fetched.
The heroine made the perfect victim because she was so unbelievably ignorant. The plot of her inability to have children had so many plot holes... Especially when the final villain and his actions are revealed. They contradict everything the heroine has said.
This is the third book I've read in this series and its obvious I just don't care for this author's writing style.
November 11, 2011
3 stars or 3.5
This book starts strong. We’re given a delicious beta hero, a lovely widow, and a natural-feeling romance. Then, the plot deteriorates with critical revelations and nonsensical behavior. The some- kind-of-wonderful feeling turns into what-the-heck is happening. Sighs turn into groans. No, no, no!
The Story
Valentine Windham, youngest son of a duke and gifted pianist learns he may never be able to play the piano again. Composing and playing music is his whole life, his reason for being, and now it is gone. Val is bereft. After winning property from Baron Roxbury at a card game, he escapes to the country and throws himself into rebuilding Markham estate. Lady Ellen Markham, widow of the former Baron Roxbury, lives on the property. She lives in isolation, comforting herself with treasured memories at low moments. One of her memories includes being kissed by Valentine Windham a year ago. Ellen is happy when she sees Valentine again.
Ellen directs Val to the local resources needed to rebuild. They seek one another for comfort. They find companionship with each other and feel an attraction; yet, neither enter an affair lightly.
As Valentine makes headway restoring Markham estate troublesome events occur that appear to be sabotage. Is the catalyst Valentine’s arrival? Is Ellen in danger? Or, is it both of them? Val and Ellen are aware that each harbors a secret. Val is not sure if the danger stems from Ellen. In the meantime, he will protect her.
The Good
Valentine Windham is one of the best beta heroes I’ve ever read. He doesn’t pounce on Ellen nor become growly. Neither is he passive. Valentine is a man of action without being a caveman. He’s a generous and considerate lover. Val self analyzes and displays a consciousness of behavior beyond the need for sexual fulfillment. I had wondered how the author would resolve his loss of playing the piano. No worries there. She worked on his character from the inside out. Val grows, changes, and emerges from one state of existence to another fulfilling state.
Another positive is the lack of drama when secrets are revealed. Valentine and Ellen don’t give into dramatics. Listening takes place. Understanding commences. So don’t worry about any big misunderstanding, words left unsaid, and characters walking away in anger. Plus, kudos to one character’s initiative.
The Bad, and the Ugly
The book was progressing so well. As I’m reading, I’m thinking “Oh, this feels like a 4 or 4.5 star book,” and then about 80% through the book the Big Secret is revealed. Is it a suspension of belief problem? No. The secret and the drama surrounding it didn’t make sense. Well, a little of it did, but a large chunk didn’t fit well into the scheme of things. In fact, it even contradicted Ellen’s words and actions from earlier in the book. The secret is integral to the plot. Post revelation, the characters’ actions become further puzzling. I wanted to shake Ellen and slap her around. I did try to put myself in her shoes. It didn’t work. Other things are said and done accelerating my downward reading spiral. :o(
Another thing that confused me in this story is the use of secondary characters full names. Did they have HEA’s in another book? I only read one other book by this author, The Soldier, but I felt as if periphery characters held certain importance. At one time, an inconsequential character’s point of view is presented without consequence. What was the point of Thorne?
Final Thoughts
The Virtuoso has positive attributes and a beta to love. Unfortunately, my reading experience was spoiled by a confusing plot twist. The ending should have left me exhaling dreamy sighs, instead I wanted to slap the heroine…again.
This book starts strong. We’re given a delicious beta hero, a lovely widow, and a natural-feeling romance. Then, the plot deteriorates with critical revelations and nonsensical behavior. The some- kind-of-wonderful feeling turns into what-the-heck is happening. Sighs turn into groans. No, no, no!
The Story
Valentine Windham, youngest son of a duke and gifted pianist learns he may never be able to play the piano again. Composing and playing music is his whole life, his reason for being, and now it is gone. Val is bereft. After winning property from Baron Roxbury at a card game, he escapes to the country and throws himself into rebuilding Markham estate. Lady Ellen Markham, widow of the former Baron Roxbury, lives on the property. She lives in isolation, comforting herself with treasured memories at low moments. One of her memories includes being kissed by Valentine Windham a year ago. Ellen is happy when she sees Valentine again.
Ellen directs Val to the local resources needed to rebuild. They seek one another for comfort. They find companionship with each other and feel an attraction; yet, neither enter an affair lightly.
Ellen peered at him, frowning, and he could positively hear her gears whizzing. “If matters between us… proceed” –she looked at their hands—“if they do, I will not trifle with you. I will not share my affections with you and then offer them to others while we are yet intimate. I will not betray your confidences.”
""You honor me," Val said softly, his hand cradling her cheek. "I will try to be worthy of that honor, though I know I don't deserve it. And since you have been so brave as to put into words the promises I would never, ever seek aloud, I will screw up my courage and give them back to you. I will not trifle with you, Ellen FitzEngle Markham, Baroness Roxbury. I will not share my affections with you then offer them to others while we are yet intimate. I will do my best not to betray your confidences or your trust."
pp. 122-123
As Valentine makes headway restoring Markham estate troublesome events occur that appear to be sabotage. Is the catalyst Valentine’s arrival? Is Ellen in danger? Or, is it both of them? Val and Ellen are aware that each harbors a secret. Val is not sure if the danger stems from Ellen. In the meantime, he will protect her.
The Good
Valentine Windham is one of the best beta heroes I’ve ever read. He doesn’t pounce on Ellen nor become growly. Neither is he passive. Valentine is a man of action without being a caveman. He’s a generous and considerate lover. Val self analyzes and displays a consciousness of behavior beyond the need for sexual fulfillment. I had wondered how the author would resolve his loss of playing the piano. No worries there. She worked on his character from the inside out. Val grows, changes, and emerges from one state of existence to another fulfilling state.
Another positive is the lack of drama when secrets are revealed. Valentine and Ellen don’t give into dramatics. Listening takes place. Understanding commences. So don’t worry about any big misunderstanding, words left unsaid, and characters walking away in anger. Plus, kudos to one character’s initiative.
The Bad, and the Ugly
The book was progressing so well. As I’m reading, I’m thinking “Oh, this feels like a 4 or 4.5 star book,” and then about 80% through the book the Big Secret is revealed. Is it a suspension of belief problem? No. The secret and the drama surrounding it didn’t make sense. Well, a little of it did, but a large chunk didn’t fit well into the scheme of things. In fact, it even contradicted Ellen’s words and actions from earlier in the book. The secret is integral to the plot. Post revelation, the characters’ actions become further puzzling. I wanted to shake Ellen and slap her around. I did try to put myself in her shoes. It didn’t work. Other things are said and done accelerating my downward reading spiral. :o(
Another thing that confused me in this story is the use of secondary characters full names. Did they have HEA’s in another book? I only read one other book by this author, The Soldier, but I felt as if periphery characters held certain importance. At one time, an inconsequential character’s point of view is presented without consequence. What was the point of Thorne?
Final Thoughts
The Virtuoso has positive attributes and a beta to love. Unfortunately, my reading experience was spoiled by a confusing plot twist. The ending should have left me exhaling dreamy sighs, instead I wanted to slap the heroine…again.
October 3, 2011
Spellbinding! The Virtuoso, by Grace Burrowes, is a lovely book, full of suspense, mystery, regency manners, music, beautiful men and women, and a villain determined to spoil everything.
Ms. Burrowes has written a book with a well-developed plot and main and secondary characters that I have continued to think and care about long after finishing the book. The ending goes beyond a romantic HEA. I admit that I did not see the finale coming, and it was such a beautiful thing. I won’t spoil it for you by telling more.
Whether you are a fan of regency romances or not, I highly recommend this book to you. Beautifully written, with a thrilling story, dialog to love and characters to care about, The Virtuoso is a wonderful book. Since I discovered this book first I will read the first two books of the trilogy about Val and his brother slightly out of order, and look forward to the further adventures of his five sisters in their future books.
Please see my full review at http://www.darkdivasreviews.com/?p=6311.
Ms. Burrowes has written a book with a well-developed plot and main and secondary characters that I have continued to think and care about long after finishing the book. The ending goes beyond a romantic HEA. I admit that I did not see the finale coming, and it was such a beautiful thing. I won’t spoil it for you by telling more.
Whether you are a fan of regency romances or not, I highly recommend this book to you. Beautifully written, with a thrilling story, dialog to love and characters to care about, The Virtuoso is a wonderful book. Since I discovered this book first I will read the first two books of the trilogy about Val and his brother slightly out of order, and look forward to the further adventures of his five sisters in their future books.
Please see my full review at http://www.darkdivasreviews.com/?p=6311.
November 9, 2011
I want to rate this on an iceskatking or gymnastics scale--high marks for artistic interpretation and low marks for technique.
The quality of the rleationships she builds is wonderful,and I really like how they affection and love grows peacefully and naturally. That's true in all her books, and its very appealing. She also has some lovely images.
Unfortunately Burroughs doesn't think her plots through carefully and she just tromps all over basic facts about social relations of the period.
For example, the scene where we meet the heroine makes no sense in view of the plot; she should know the threat he makes is meaningless. Later, the heroine acts as though she believes she was responsible for something, when it becomes very clear that she knows she wasnt but rather that someone is creating that impression in order to exploit her (I'm trying to do this without too much in the way of spoilers.) And at one point she tells the hero she is unable or unlikely to be able to bear children when in fact the plot turns on that not being true and her knowing it--and she doesn't say it to deliberately mislead him but rather as though she means it.
When it comes to social conventions of the day, Burroughs just ignores them. I don't mean that she has her characters break them and then run up against the consequences--she has them act as if they don't exist. At one point she has her heroine say she can't go stay in hero's house because it would be inappropriate--when he's not there--but that's after she stayed there for days or weeks with him and lots of bachelors and as far as I can tell not even a single female servant.
I'll keep reading her, becasue she writes so lyrically and compellingly, but I really hope she gets a good editor. I gave thsi three stars because the plot and historical accuracy issues are so strong that I couldnt' read it without being annoyed.
The quality of the rleationships she builds is wonderful,and I really like how they affection and love grows peacefully and naturally. That's true in all her books, and its very appealing. She also has some lovely images.
Unfortunately Burroughs doesn't think her plots through carefully and she just tromps all over basic facts about social relations of the period.
For example, the scene where we meet the heroine makes no sense in view of the plot; she should know the threat he makes is meaningless. Later, the heroine acts as though she believes she was responsible for something, when it becomes very clear that she knows she wasnt but rather that someone is creating that impression in order to exploit her (I'm trying to do this without too much in the way of spoilers.) And at one point she tells the hero she is unable or unlikely to be able to bear children when in fact the plot turns on that not being true and her knowing it--and she doesn't say it to deliberately mislead him but rather as though she means it.
When it comes to social conventions of the day, Burroughs just ignores them. I don't mean that she has her characters break them and then run up against the consequences--she has them act as if they don't exist. At one point she has her heroine say she can't go stay in hero's house because it would be inappropriate--when he's not there--but that's after she stayed there for days or weeks with him and lots of bachelors and as far as I can tell not even a single female servant.
I'll keep reading her, becasue she writes so lyrically and compellingly, but I really hope she gets a good editor. I gave thsi three stars because the plot and historical accuracy issues are so strong that I couldnt' read it without being annoyed.
November 7, 2019
Valentine Windham is the youngest son of the Duke of Moreland and well known for his talent with the piano. He’s spent his life perfecting his musical skills, being a virtuoso is at the core of who he is. So, when he loses the use of his hand and is unable to play he flees to the country and an old abandoned estate, putting his energies into restoring it. But, it’s just land that seems to come with his new property, but the widowed and lovely Ellen Markham. But Ellen has secrets, secrets that endanger not on her life, but anyone who gets close to her as well.
I only started reading Grace Burrowes this year and so far I have enjoyed all of her books, so I don’t know if my lack of enthusiasm for The Virtuoso is because it’s an older one of her works (originally published in 2011), or if it just wan’t for me. I found this book too slow for my liking whilst at the same time being a little confusing. Although, some of the confusion could be my own fault, this is book three in the Windham series and I haven’t read the previous two.
I do appreciate a slow burn romance, and I did like that the relationship between Valentine and Ellen built up really naturally, and although it wasn’t burning with passion it was nonetheless lovely. However, I didn’t quite buy into the obstacles that were keeping them apart, which meant the last parts of the book where they were dithering around I found very frustrating.
Now, we come to my confusion. There were so many characters in this book. Perhaps if I was knowledgeable about all of Burrowes previous works this may have been a fantastic addition to this book. But, as I’m not, I had trouble keeping up with who was who and what relationship they had with Valentine and eachother. Which one of them was his brother, his best friend, the best friend of his brother….There were also references to events that must have happened in previous books, but as this is the first one I have read in this series I was a little at sea. This could be the price I pay for starting a series halfway through, however, I wasn’t quite sure what purpose some of the characters were supposed to play.
Although, the overabundance of male characters did result in one very notable thing. Something I have genuinely never experienced in any other romance novel. Lots of very casual, non-sexual male nudity. They swam together naked. They bathed together. Helped each other undress when needed. There was even hair washing. I am not gonna lie, it added a star on to this rating, it was probably my favourite thing about this whole book.
This book wasn’t a winner for me, I felt like there wasn’t enough to the romance or the story to stretch it into a full length novel and if all the unnecessary bits were cut out, it would have made a great novella instead.
I only started reading Grace Burrowes this year and so far I have enjoyed all of her books, so I don’t know if my lack of enthusiasm for The Virtuoso is because it’s an older one of her works (originally published in 2011), or if it just wan’t for me. I found this book too slow for my liking whilst at the same time being a little confusing. Although, some of the confusion could be my own fault, this is book three in the Windham series and I haven’t read the previous two.
I do appreciate a slow burn romance, and I did like that the relationship between Valentine and Ellen built up really naturally, and although it wasn’t burning with passion it was nonetheless lovely. However, I didn’t quite buy into the obstacles that were keeping them apart, which meant the last parts of the book where they were dithering around I found very frustrating.
Now, we come to my confusion. There were so many characters in this book. Perhaps if I was knowledgeable about all of Burrowes previous works this may have been a fantastic addition to this book. But, as I’m not, I had trouble keeping up with who was who and what relationship they had with Valentine and eachother. Which one of them was his brother, his best friend, the best friend of his brother….There were also references to events that must have happened in previous books, but as this is the first one I have read in this series I was a little at sea. This could be the price I pay for starting a series halfway through, however, I wasn’t quite sure what purpose some of the characters were supposed to play.
Although, the overabundance of male characters did result in one very notable thing. Something I have genuinely never experienced in any other romance novel. Lots of very casual, non-sexual male nudity. They swam together naked. They bathed together. Helped each other undress when needed. There was even hair washing. I am not gonna lie, it added a star on to this rating, it was probably my favourite thing about this whole book.
This book wasn’t a winner for me, I felt like there wasn’t enough to the romance or the story to stretch it into a full length novel and if all the unnecessary bits were cut out, it would have made a great novella instead.
January 31, 2015
What a fantastic book. Grace Burrowes' books just keep getting better. I liked Val in the other books, and I loved getting to know him in this one. When he is told that he must stop playing the piano or risk losing the use of his hand completely he is devastated. He heads for the country and the estate he won at cards. It is in appalling condition and he begins the work of restoring it. There he sees Ellen Markham again, and begins to get to know her. Ellen is living in a cottage on the estate, raising plants and flowers, and grieving the loss of her husband. They connect quickly, and she begins to treat his hand and his soul. But there is something odd going on, and there are accidents that can't be explained. As Val and his friends investigate, he realizes there is something fishy going on. And he can tell that there is something bothering Ellen. They begin to trust each other and have more reason to do so as the book goes on. But Val feels he has nothing to offer to a woman. Ellen feels that something in her past will cause him to turn away from her and hate her. I kept reading this well past when I should have been in bed.
November 18, 2011
The lead in this story, Valentine Windham, was a supporting player in the author's previous books in the series. The quiet piano virtuoso was one of my favorite and most memorable characters from a book ever. That's some pretty high expectations to set on a character, and I'm glad to say that Val did not disappoint on his own story. Much gentler, kinder, and more artistic than the heroes we're used to seeing in historical romance, Val is my favorite type of hero. The type who is kind to everyone, and not afraid of his feelings. The only thing I could possibly say that I was almost disappointed in was that his injury prevented him from actually playing the piano.
I'm not sure I really loved Ellen, but maybe that's because Val was so special and it seemed like Ellen's good traits really weren't described. It was more like she was "there" instead of being someone really outstanding. It was hard to see why exactly Val liked her so much. The story was skewed more towards Val's point of view anyway. It was really his story, which was fine with me, it really worked here.
I liked all the musical terms scattered throughout the book. The reader could see that Val thought musically even if he wasn't actually playing.
There is so much emotion in the book, you really get a deep sense of the characters' feelings. One thing about the author's books is that there is a lot to absorb so they do read rather slow. You can't start reading one of her books and expect to fly through it. There are many intricacies to each character that you need to absorb to really feel the book's emotions.
The Virtuoso did not disappoint and it's definitely going on my keeper shelf. I hope we're lucky enough to see more of Valentine in the Windham sisters' series.
ARC sent from publisher in exchange for honest review
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
I'm not sure I really loved Ellen, but maybe that's because Val was so special and it seemed like Ellen's good traits really weren't described. It was more like she was "there" instead of being someone really outstanding. It was hard to see why exactly Val liked her so much. The story was skewed more towards Val's point of view anyway. It was really his story, which was fine with me, it really worked here.
I liked all the musical terms scattered throughout the book. The reader could see that Val thought musically even if he wasn't actually playing.
There is so much emotion in the book, you really get a deep sense of the characters' feelings. One thing about the author's books is that there is a lot to absorb so they do read rather slow. You can't start reading one of her books and expect to fly through it. There are many intricacies to each character that you need to absorb to really feel the book's emotions.
The Virtuoso did not disappoint and it's definitely going on my keeper shelf. I hope we're lucky enough to see more of Valentine in the Windham sisters' series.
ARC sent from publisher in exchange for honest review
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
June 21, 2013
What I love the most about Ms. Burrowes work is that she has a unique ability to take a reader into another world from the first pages. She paints her scenery with words much as a painter uses a brush. Her characters are rich in both their ability to love, their sense of humor, the torment of life and the ability to overcome. In reading the last of the series I loved the way she brought back characters from her first two books allowing the love affair to continue while engraving into your heart a new love. The hardest thing the reader will have to face is the guilt one feels when they once again fall for the leading man having betrayed the love they felt for the previous leading men in her earlier books. In a world where titles dictated your placement in society it is refreshing to read of a group of men who use their title only sparingly for the benefit of others. She spins a story of men who are not afraid to show their emotion and more importantly they openly express their love and support for one another without worrying what others must think. Her men are always strong, protective of the women they love, supportive, loving and if the world was filled with more men like them we might live in a better place. The only regret I have in reading this book is that it came to an end and once again I had to say good bye to characters that felt more like family and friends than words on a page. Well done!
March 28, 2018
Virtually perfect
I absolutely love Grace Burrowes Windham novels. Her writing is compulsively readable and engaging, and her characters are beguiling, entertaining, and just plain wonderful.
My only quibble is that she seems to emphasize her heroines monthly courses a lot, in all of her books. This is not something I’m used to reading in any novel, let alone a romance. I’m inclined to be a little jealous of a character whose period starts on a Thursday and is done by Sunday, and whose only complaint is a tendency to be moody just before it starts.
I absolutely love Grace Burrowes Windham novels. Her writing is compulsively readable and engaging, and her characters are beguiling, entertaining, and just plain wonderful.
My only quibble is that she seems to emphasize her heroines monthly courses a lot, in all of her books. This is not something I’m used to reading in any novel, let alone a romance. I’m inclined to be a little jealous of a character whose period starts on a Thursday and is done by Sunday, and whose only complaint is a tendency to be moody just before it starts.
October 17, 2011
Ahh, Grace Burrowes writing is comfort food for the romantic soul. This is yet another installment of the Windham's and I think this is the best yet. A sweet savory story with just the right amount of spice in the ultimately perfect moments.
Valentine Windham just has a place in my heart and has had since I first met him. Don't get me wrong as I do so love his brother's stories but this one touches the soul deep down. He is handsome if not down right beautiful, has a sense of humor, a heart felt undying love of music and more compassion than any man should possibly posses. Sounds like love doesn't it?
Ellen FitzEngle Markham is a delicate beauty who looks very fragile but is stronger than she herself will attest to. She carries the title "Duchess of Roxbury" but she has not used such title since her beloved husband died some years back. Will a sudden strange man appearing in her life give Ellen the courage to go against the current Duke of Roxbury and finally grab a hold of her life and live it the way a lady of her status should?
Our author has given us a story of two people who have a bit of luck suddenly drop in their laps but first they must overcome all the perils and dastardly deeds that will plague them. Two very sensitive artistic souls that truly belong together forever. Two very wonderful people that you will fall in love with the first moment you encounter them in this story.
The story is a game of luck, a stroke of chance with all kinds of meddling in the affairs of the heart. A story that makes the hero and heroine realize in due time that they are more alike than not but can they do anything about how they feel about each other before it is too late. A story of greed, spite, hatred, fear, loathing, dangers around each and every corner only to confront friendship and love that will surly must overcome this evil. Oh how I wish it were me in this story.
Now that we have had stories about our Windham brother's I do hope to see some about the sibling sisters. I would also love to see a story about the Duke and Duchess of Moreland. Ahh, one can only hope that this is not the end to such beauty.
I wish I may, I wish I might, I wish a wish on stars tonight that Grace Burrowes will delight me more in the near future with her storytelling of yesteryear's delights.
Valentine Windham just has a place in my heart and has had since I first met him. Don't get me wrong as I do so love his brother's stories but this one touches the soul deep down. He is handsome if not down right beautiful, has a sense of humor, a heart felt undying love of music and more compassion than any man should possibly posses. Sounds like love doesn't it?
Ellen FitzEngle Markham is a delicate beauty who looks very fragile but is stronger than she herself will attest to. She carries the title "Duchess of Roxbury" but she has not used such title since her beloved husband died some years back. Will a sudden strange man appearing in her life give Ellen the courage to go against the current Duke of Roxbury and finally grab a hold of her life and live it the way a lady of her status should?
Our author has given us a story of two people who have a bit of luck suddenly drop in their laps but first they must overcome all the perils and dastardly deeds that will plague them. Two very sensitive artistic souls that truly belong together forever. Two very wonderful people that you will fall in love with the first moment you encounter them in this story.
The story is a game of luck, a stroke of chance with all kinds of meddling in the affairs of the heart. A story that makes the hero and heroine realize in due time that they are more alike than not but can they do anything about how they feel about each other before it is too late. A story of greed, spite, hatred, fear, loathing, dangers around each and every corner only to confront friendship and love that will surly must overcome this evil. Oh how I wish it were me in this story.
Now that we have had stories about our Windham brother's I do hope to see some about the sibling sisters. I would also love to see a story about the Duke and Duchess of Moreland. Ahh, one can only hope that this is not the end to such beauty.
I wish I may, I wish I might, I wish a wish on stars tonight that Grace Burrowes will delight me more in the near future with her storytelling of yesteryear's delights.
May 18, 2013
Grace Burrowes is a very talented writer, and she creates characters you come to really care about. This is a good thing, as the first three books in the
Windham
series are basically the same plot, with different people and settings. The Heir: duke’s heir, burdened by the demands of running the duke’s estates, spends the summer in London and falls in love with a women beneath him in social status who is keeping deep, dark secrets. The Soldier: duke’s illegitimate son moves to his new estate in Yorkshire and falls in love with a woman beneath him in social status who is keeping deep, dark secrets. The Virtuoso: duke’s piano-playing son injures his hand, travels to his new estate in Oxfordshire and falls in love with a woman beneath him in social status who is keeping deep, dark secrets. I enjoyed these books a lot and may even reread them some day, despite the repetitive nature of the major and minor plotlines (each brother makes love exactly the same way, as if, in addition to a fencing-master, they had a f---ing master to teach them the perfect steps; each one likes to brush and braid a woman’s hair; if a woman is pregnant, and they all are before the wedding, she sleeps and cries a lot).
Probably, if you don’t read them one after another, as I did, the repetition is less bothersome. I'm still giving The Heir three stars, but four for the others.
See my review of the Windham series here.
Probably, if you don’t read them one after another, as I did, the repetition is less bothersome. I'm still giving The Heir three stars, but four for the others.
See my review of the Windham series here.
April 25, 2016
The only reason I read this book is because I was behind in my 2016 reader challenge. It took pretty much everything I had to finish this book. This is the last book in the Windham series and yes, I have read all three, and they were all just okay.
First of all I want to say that the stories were okay, they all started out well and the first two books have an enormous amount of sex . To be honest, I skimmed over a bunch of pages because sex never moves the story forward. Blatant sex scenes in books are tiresome and it's the same shit over and over again. The Virtuoso had less sex but it was just as ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, I like sex but not pages and pages and pages of it. These books are like soft porn/erotica so if you're into that, then this may be for you.
The men in these books were the most understanding, patient, men on the planet. I had to tell myself over and over again that these stories took place in a parallel universe, where things look the same but they are not. In all three books the damsel in distress is hiding a secret and nothing comes out until the very last pages. It's all, oh, I love you, but I cannot marry you, I am not worthy bullshit.
If you are looking to catch up on your reading challenge and you like copious amounts of sex while reading the same layout in each book, this series might be what you are looking for. As for me, I am going to delete these books from my library.
First of all I want to say that the stories were okay, they all started out well and the first two books have an enormous amount of sex . To be honest, I skimmed over a bunch of pages because sex never moves the story forward. Blatant sex scenes in books are tiresome and it's the same shit over and over again. The Virtuoso had less sex but it was just as ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, I like sex but not pages and pages and pages of it. These books are like soft porn/erotica so if you're into that, then this may be for you.
The men in these books were the most understanding, patient, men on the planet. I had to tell myself over and over again that these stories took place in a parallel universe, where things look the same but they are not. In all three books the damsel in distress is hiding a secret and nothing comes out until the very last pages. It's all, oh, I love you, but I cannot marry you, I am not worthy bullshit.
If you are looking to catch up on your reading challenge and you like copious amounts of sex while reading the same layout in each book, this series might be what you are looking for. As for me, I am going to delete these books from my library.
October 29, 2011
Nice home-making heroine brings comfort to tortured peer of the realm.
First time, charming.
Second time, very dark and moving.
But the third time? Meh. I found Val charming in the other two books and was quite looking forward to learning more about him. Wah. His daddy didn't love him. Really? That was his deep dark pain? The pain that kept him pouring his soul into the piano? And Ellen, well, I found Ellen just a little....boring.
And what is with the constant reference to menses in all Burrowes novels? Why must all the heroines get weepy, confession-inducing PMS? Why can't they be rage-filled, ceramic-tossing, knife-wielding angry when they have PMS?
First time, charming.
Second time, very dark and moving.
But the third time? Meh. I found Val charming in the other two books and was quite looking forward to learning more about him. Wah. His daddy didn't love him. Really? That was his deep dark pain? The pain that kept him pouring his soul into the piano? And Ellen, well, I found Ellen just a little....boring.
And what is with the constant reference to menses in all Burrowes novels? Why must all the heroines get weepy, confession-inducing PMS? Why can't they be rage-filled, ceramic-tossing, knife-wielding angry when they have PMS?
August 28, 2013
Wasn't my favorite of her's, but readable. I don't know if I just wasn't in the mood, or what, but it took some talking into to keep reading the book. I really liked Val's character in other books, but he didn't really shine in this one. I also didn't like the main female lead all too much either; she was just kind of a blase, no personality character.
July 27, 2017
hmm... uh. This book. What the eff happened to Val? Wasn't he funny and interesting in the last book?? He was ungodly dull in this one. He was super sweet and I mean that's nice... but thats not what I want! This book was sweet and boring and NOTHING happened.
September 4, 2021
I enjoyed this one better as an audiobook - thanks to my public library I've been able to revisit this series, and listen to the very talented James Langton perform them all to me.
March 1, 2018
4.5 stars.
Grace Burrowes has become my safety-net. As soon as another's book becomes trite or silly or boring I run to my stack of Grace Burrowes books and grab one at random. Comforting. Sweet. Funny. With likable characters and - my favorite - meaningful relationships between all of the heroes.
Ellen is a widow in hiding. Heart-broken and lonely in the woods - she gardens and shields herself from everyone. Valentine is out in the boonies after being told he's damaged his hand too much to play his beloved piano. Val and Ellen lie to each other about a bunch of dumb things. Didn't matter. They were strong and real and believable. I adored both of them.
My plan is to back away from the Burrowes and get to my growing ARC pile...but I promise you - as soon as a book disappoints me I'll be dashing headlong into Burrowes' waiting arms.
Grace Burrowes has become my safety-net. As soon as another's book becomes trite or silly or boring I run to my stack of Grace Burrowes books and grab one at random. Comforting. Sweet. Funny. With likable characters and - my favorite - meaningful relationships between all of the heroes.
Ellen is a widow in hiding. Heart-broken and lonely in the woods - she gardens and shields herself from everyone. Valentine is out in the boonies after being told he's damaged his hand too much to play his beloved piano. Val and Ellen lie to each other about a bunch of dumb things. Didn't matter. They were strong and real and believable. I adored both of them.
My plan is to back away from the Burrowes and get to my growing ARC pile...but I promise you - as soon as a book disappoints me I'll be dashing headlong into Burrowes' waiting arms.
September 24, 2020
Grace Burrowes writing is so good, and many of the things she says is so wise, I just wish these stories weren't quite so formulaic.
January 31, 2015
This is the story of Valentine Windham, youngest of the three surviving sons of the Duke of Moreland. Valentine has always marched to the beat of a different drum, immersing himself in music, much to the chagrin of his father the Duke. Becoming a pre-emminent piano player, hence the title The Virtuoso, as well as a successful manufacturer of pianos, Val has yet to receive his father's approval of his lifestyle. It is in this book that he finally finds out why. This is also the story of Valentine finding true love in the person of a simple widowed gardener, Ellen FitzEngle, living in a cottage on her rundown estate, refusing to use her title of Baroness Roxbury. Of course there is a deep dark secret or two behind her actions, which Valentine works hard to uncover after winning the estate title in a card game with its heir, the most unscrupulous Baron Roxbury, cousin of Ellen's late husband. As Valentine works to put the estate to rights, he quickly falls in love with Ellen, but cannot convince her to trust him and reveal her secrets. Nor can he convince her to accept his marriage proposal. Thus the intricacies of the story unfold.
Since I have read the other two books in this trilogy of the Windham brothers, I have become familiar with Burrowes's style. She uses wonderful descriptive writing that make her scenes come alive as well as her characters. It is easy to feel transported to this time and place in Regency England. Also, in this particular novel, it is evident that Burrowes possesses a knowledge of music which she readily displays throughout. Everything in Val's mind is expressed in musical themes, melodies, and instruments. The crescendo ending of the book is a musical performance conducted and written by Val that tells the story of his and Ellen's meeting and developing love for each other. However, as in each of the other books, Burrowes takes a long time getting to the 'secret' in this book. She also created women who seem to be strong enough to struggle through their meager existences, flee from their troubles, resign themselves to lifetimes of unhappiness, but yet not intelligent enough to recognize or accept the help offered by their paramours from an extremely influential family. While I can understand the female characters initially believing themselves unworthy of the attentions of their lovers and feeling that their pasts will prevent them from accepting marriage proposals, this attitude gets a bit old as the story progresses. After all, these are important men who claim to love them, are willing to accept them, and offer them protection. Because of the depth written into her male characters, it is hard for the reader to reconcile these actions of the female heroines. After quick willingness to engage in intimate relations with the men they love, continued seeking of their attentions, and professions of "I will always love you, but cannot marry you," the female characters become unbelievable. I realize I may not be an authority on the mores of the times, but I have read enough books, both historical and romance set in this period, to know these actions don't match up. It is one major complaint I have about these books. Another is, after lengthy descriptive passages building the storyline and characters, the resolution rushes to a close in a page and a half. After reading twenty page love-making scenes, I would like a little more to my endings.
Although these comments may seem harsh, I still rated this book four stars because of the wonderful descriptive writing mentioned above, the character development that makes you know and become involved in their lives (even if getting annoyed with them at times), and it is an interesting story that the reader wants to follow to the end. There are also several emotional scenes written well enough to bring tears to my eyes, especially the musical scene referred to earlier. With such strong writing talent, I wish Burrowes would bring more believability to some situations and avoid letting her major characters become whiny to the point of being unsympathetic. I need to love these female heroines, not feel they are pathetic.
Since I have read the other two books in this trilogy of the Windham brothers, I have become familiar with Burrowes's style. She uses wonderful descriptive writing that make her scenes come alive as well as her characters. It is easy to feel transported to this time and place in Regency England. Also, in this particular novel, it is evident that Burrowes possesses a knowledge of music which she readily displays throughout. Everything in Val's mind is expressed in musical themes, melodies, and instruments. The crescendo ending of the book is a musical performance conducted and written by Val that tells the story of his and Ellen's meeting and developing love for each other. However, as in each of the other books, Burrowes takes a long time getting to the 'secret' in this book. She also created women who seem to be strong enough to struggle through their meager existences, flee from their troubles, resign themselves to lifetimes of unhappiness, but yet not intelligent enough to recognize or accept the help offered by their paramours from an extremely influential family. While I can understand the female characters initially believing themselves unworthy of the attentions of their lovers and feeling that their pasts will prevent them from accepting marriage proposals, this attitude gets a bit old as the story progresses. After all, these are important men who claim to love them, are willing to accept them, and offer them protection. Because of the depth written into her male characters, it is hard for the reader to reconcile these actions of the female heroines. After quick willingness to engage in intimate relations with the men they love, continued seeking of their attentions, and professions of "I will always love you, but cannot marry you," the female characters become unbelievable. I realize I may not be an authority on the mores of the times, but I have read enough books, both historical and romance set in this period, to know these actions don't match up. It is one major complaint I have about these books. Another is, after lengthy descriptive passages building the storyline and characters, the resolution rushes to a close in a page and a half. After reading twenty page love-making scenes, I would like a little more to my endings.
Although these comments may seem harsh, I still rated this book four stars because of the wonderful descriptive writing mentioned above, the character development that makes you know and become involved in their lives (even if getting annoyed with them at times), and it is an interesting story that the reader wants to follow to the end. There are also several emotional scenes written well enough to bring tears to my eyes, especially the musical scene referred to earlier. With such strong writing talent, I wish Burrowes would bring more believability to some situations and avoid letting her major characters become whiny to the point of being unsympathetic. I need to love these female heroines, not feel they are pathetic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2012
Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
The Virtuoso bears out the saying that “When one door closes, fortune will usually open another”. Bereft at being denied his music, Valentine (Val) Windham plans to bury himself in the refurbishing of a rundown manor. However, the gentle, unassuming Ellen FitzEngle, once the mistress of the old manor, opens new feelings, hopes, and purpose for Val.
Deciding how to do justice to a story so revealing of emotions that range from the depth of misery to ecstasy while it entertains with subtle humor, understatements that sparkle, descriptions that bring places and people to life in one’s imagination, plus a tension building undercurrent of downright meanness, takes some thinking about.
This book stands alone in its completeness. However, it is the third book of the trilogy about the sons of the Duke of Moreland. If you read The Heir and The Soldier, The Virtuoso will catch you up on the Windhams you already know and will bring into bright focus the youngest of the sons, Valentine, who has always felt like a misfit that his father did not understand.
With his music Valentine gave one of his brothers a lifeline when war and traumatic stress had dragged him to his own personal hell. His music soothed the misery of another brother, allowing him to rest when pain wracked his body, and little Winnie’s nightmares abated with help from her Uncle Val’s music. Valentine had enchanted great audiences with his amazing music. Now, he must give up his music for an undetermined length of time, maybe forever. Music is his muse, his mistress, his soul’s home. How will he fill his days?
His lucrative businesses function well without him, so he and his friend Darius Lindsey go to a dilapidated manor Val won from Fredrick Markham, the new Baron Roxbury, a devious wastrel young Lord who was known to sell his vote in Parliament to the highest bidder—along with other mean, reprehensible doings that furnish him with money.
“She’s waited for me” is Val’s first thought when he sees the neglected yet elegant, graceful, serene manor; all at once he has purpose in life. But oh, my, that which is just a short distance through woods brings even more purpose to his life.
Ellen FitzEngle, widow of the former Baron of Roxbury lives in a cottage there among her flowers, herbs, fruit trees and vegetable garden along with Marmalade, her cat. Even with the beauty and bounty she creates, Ellen cannot dispel the guilt, grief, and fear that dogs her tracks in the day and haunts her nights. On the outside, she has a graceful serenity about her, yet on the inside she feels inconsequential and unworthy of love and the station in life that should be hers.
As new neighbors and acquaintances from time past, Val and Ellen forge a unique connection. They soothe each other’s deepest wounds while standing together against a common adversary. Their love that grows and the gentle erotic love scenes are breathtaking.
The many truly interesting secondary characters help propel the plot along and create sub-plots as they fill in needed back story and actions—some humorous, some intriguing, and others dangerous and devious. The interactions of all the characters reveal life in and around a small village in the Regency time of English history.
Grace Burrowes’ unique writing style captivates immediately and her use of understatement, gentle humor, and remarkable imagery engages all the senses.
The Virtuoso, like her previous novels about the Moreland family, is a sensual, delightful tale. It transports readers back into English Regency time and immerses them in vicarious experiences with Valentine and Ellen. Ms. Burrowes sets just the right pace for revealing a smorgasbord of emotional needs, fears, and secrets while creating a love story that makes the heart sing with joy and the soul sigh with satisfaction.
The Virtuoso is a splendid, sparkling, sensual love story--a keeper.
The Virtuoso bears out the saying that “When one door closes, fortune will usually open another”. Bereft at being denied his music, Valentine (Val) Windham plans to bury himself in the refurbishing of a rundown manor. However, the gentle, unassuming Ellen FitzEngle, once the mistress of the old manor, opens new feelings, hopes, and purpose for Val.
Deciding how to do justice to a story so revealing of emotions that range from the depth of misery to ecstasy while it entertains with subtle humor, understatements that sparkle, descriptions that bring places and people to life in one’s imagination, plus a tension building undercurrent of downright meanness, takes some thinking about.
This book stands alone in its completeness. However, it is the third book of the trilogy about the sons of the Duke of Moreland. If you read The Heir and The Soldier, The Virtuoso will catch you up on the Windhams you already know and will bring into bright focus the youngest of the sons, Valentine, who has always felt like a misfit that his father did not understand.
With his music Valentine gave one of his brothers a lifeline when war and traumatic stress had dragged him to his own personal hell. His music soothed the misery of another brother, allowing him to rest when pain wracked his body, and little Winnie’s nightmares abated with help from her Uncle Val’s music. Valentine had enchanted great audiences with his amazing music. Now, he must give up his music for an undetermined length of time, maybe forever. Music is his muse, his mistress, his soul’s home. How will he fill his days?
His lucrative businesses function well without him, so he and his friend Darius Lindsey go to a dilapidated manor Val won from Fredrick Markham, the new Baron Roxbury, a devious wastrel young Lord who was known to sell his vote in Parliament to the highest bidder—along with other mean, reprehensible doings that furnish him with money.
“She’s waited for me” is Val’s first thought when he sees the neglected yet elegant, graceful, serene manor; all at once he has purpose in life. But oh, my, that which is just a short distance through woods brings even more purpose to his life.
Ellen FitzEngle, widow of the former Baron of Roxbury lives in a cottage there among her flowers, herbs, fruit trees and vegetable garden along with Marmalade, her cat. Even with the beauty and bounty she creates, Ellen cannot dispel the guilt, grief, and fear that dogs her tracks in the day and haunts her nights. On the outside, she has a graceful serenity about her, yet on the inside she feels inconsequential and unworthy of love and the station in life that should be hers.
As new neighbors and acquaintances from time past, Val and Ellen forge a unique connection. They soothe each other’s deepest wounds while standing together against a common adversary. Their love that grows and the gentle erotic love scenes are breathtaking.
The many truly interesting secondary characters help propel the plot along and create sub-plots as they fill in needed back story and actions—some humorous, some intriguing, and others dangerous and devious. The interactions of all the characters reveal life in and around a small village in the Regency time of English history.
Grace Burrowes’ unique writing style captivates immediately and her use of understatement, gentle humor, and remarkable imagery engages all the senses.
The Virtuoso, like her previous novels about the Moreland family, is a sensual, delightful tale. It transports readers back into English Regency time and immerses them in vicarious experiences with Valentine and Ellen. Ms. Burrowes sets just the right pace for revealing a smorgasbord of emotional needs, fears, and secrets while creating a love story that makes the heart sing with joy and the soul sigh with satisfaction.
The Virtuoso is a splendid, sparkling, sensual love story--a keeper.
October 5, 2011
I reviewed this novel for Romance Reader At Heart website:
RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:
Valentine Windham, ‘Val’ to his friends and family, is a man that eats, breaths, and dreams his music. For a doctor to tell him that if he does not rest and try to heal his left hand, which has been swollen and paining him ever since his elder brother’s death, is like condemning him to a lifelong purgatory. Shortly after, Val’s luck in cards gains him an estate that is a need of repair. He welcomes the distraction and heads out, accompanied with his best friend, to decide if he’ll keep the property.
Ellen FitzEngle has lived in a tiny cottage adjacent to the Markham Estate for a few years now, ever since she was a widow. Her life is peaceful, and her days are filled with tending her herb and flower gardens, which are her livelihood. Occasionally, a memory of a young Gentleman kissing her passionately the year before will sneak into her lonely days, and she’ll daydream about what if’s and maybe’s of one day…
As Ms. Burrowes brings these two souls together, we are treated to a love story that is so fragile and tender, it will have you aching for them. What I most admire about this author is the time and care she takes in developing her characters and their feelings for each other. She never rushes that aspect of the story and equally takes the time in presenting her plots in such a way that you can’t help but turn the pages devouring the story!
Ever since I read her first novel THE HEIR, I have been amazed by her prose. She never fails to astound me by giving her characters real life crises; real life emotions; real life passions; and with that, bring them so vividly to life!
This family has now become my family, and I will forever love them all; and if the old Duke wasn’t so much smitten with his Duchess, I would have given her a run for her money!
I look forward to their adventures and will never be bored with them. Their love of one another has touched my heart, and it will touch yours. The romance, passion, and sensuality that Ms. Burrowes so eloquently conveys to us through her characters, is something that has a life of its own. Highly recommended, and VIRTUOSO is a keeper.
Melanie
RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:
Valentine Windham, ‘Val’ to his friends and family, is a man that eats, breaths, and dreams his music. For a doctor to tell him that if he does not rest and try to heal his left hand, which has been swollen and paining him ever since his elder brother’s death, is like condemning him to a lifelong purgatory. Shortly after, Val’s luck in cards gains him an estate that is a need of repair. He welcomes the distraction and heads out, accompanied with his best friend, to decide if he’ll keep the property.
Ellen FitzEngle has lived in a tiny cottage adjacent to the Markham Estate for a few years now, ever since she was a widow. Her life is peaceful, and her days are filled with tending her herb and flower gardens, which are her livelihood. Occasionally, a memory of a young Gentleman kissing her passionately the year before will sneak into her lonely days, and she’ll daydream about what if’s and maybe’s of one day…
As Ms. Burrowes brings these two souls together, we are treated to a love story that is so fragile and tender, it will have you aching for them. What I most admire about this author is the time and care she takes in developing her characters and their feelings for each other. She never rushes that aspect of the story and equally takes the time in presenting her plots in such a way that you can’t help but turn the pages devouring the story!
Ever since I read her first novel THE HEIR, I have been amazed by her prose. She never fails to astound me by giving her characters real life crises; real life emotions; real life passions; and with that, bring them so vividly to life!
This family has now become my family, and I will forever love them all; and if the old Duke wasn’t so much smitten with his Duchess, I would have given her a run for her money!
I look forward to their adventures and will never be bored with them. Their love of one another has touched my heart, and it will touch yours. The romance, passion, and sensuality that Ms. Burrowes so eloquently conveys to us through her characters, is something that has a life of its own. Highly recommended, and VIRTUOSO is a keeper.
Melanie
October 2, 2016
DESAFÍO HISTÓRICO: E de El pianista (5/6)
Me encanta decir que estaba equivocada. Este con mucho tiene pinta de ser mejorcito que los dos anteriores. Val ♥
Ellen es una viuda un tanto melancólica, se dedica a la jardinería y vive una vida ermitaña. Sus profundos ojos están llenos de una tristeza que no tiene pinta de irse jamás y no creo que lo haga. Esos secretos que Ellen guarda son muy dolorosos para cargarlos sola. Y está resignada a vivir sufriendo por ello. Pero Val siendo Val entra como un remolino a su vida y todo tiene color, de nuevo, para ambos.
Val había creído que su vida útil había acabado cuando su mano virtuosa se lesiona misteriosamente pero poco a poco olvida el dolor de su mano para prestar toda su atención en Ellen. Yo creo que como una novela de un lord que se enamora de la vecina de al lado esto es preciosisimo. Disfruté mucho de las interacciones de ambos y su romance.
¿Y lo que más me gustó? La amistad masculina tan extraordinaria que tienen estos chicos. La relación de Devlin y Val es hermosa como lo habían demostrado en el libro anterior. Nick, Axel, Darius, todos tienen tanta intimidad, son tan cercanos, tienen tan poca vergüenza para demostrar su afecto que su extrañeza me engancha de sobremanera.
Ahora, descubrir que hay TODA una serie sobre estos secundarios fue un bum para mi corazón, ¡hasta mi hermoso Douglas tiene historia! Ya me los enlisto como proyectos en inglés.
-----------------------------
¿Cómo que no se queda con Morgan?¡Si me dijiste en el primer libro que estaba enamorado de ella! ¡ENAMORADO, mujer de Dios! ¿Para qué molestarte en escribir escenas entre ellos dos si vas a tirarme este libro en la cara? D: ¿Para qué?
Me encanta Val, pero no tengo ganas de leer su ruina todavía. De seguro la chica es tan mediocre como las últimas dos. Así, no hay protagonista masculino que aguante ni lectora que no sufra.
Me encanta decir que estaba equivocada. Este con mucho tiene pinta de ser mejorcito que los dos anteriores. Val ♥
Ellen es una viuda un tanto melancólica, se dedica a la jardinería y vive una vida ermitaña. Sus profundos ojos están llenos de una tristeza que no tiene pinta de irse jamás y no creo que lo haga. Esos secretos que Ellen guarda son muy dolorosos para cargarlos sola. Y está resignada a vivir sufriendo por ello. Pero Val siendo Val entra como un remolino a su vida y todo tiene color, de nuevo, para ambos.
Val había creído que su vida útil había acabado cuando su mano virtuosa se lesiona misteriosamente pero poco a poco olvida el dolor de su mano para prestar toda su atención en Ellen. Yo creo que como una novela de un lord que se enamora de la vecina de al lado esto es preciosisimo. Disfruté mucho de las interacciones de ambos y su romance.
¿Y lo que más me gustó? La amistad masculina tan extraordinaria que tienen estos chicos. La relación de Devlin y Val es hermosa como lo habían demostrado en el libro anterior. Nick, Axel, Darius, todos tienen tanta intimidad, son tan cercanos, tienen tan poca vergüenza para demostrar su afecto que su extrañeza me engancha de sobremanera.
Ahora, descubrir que hay TODA una serie sobre estos secundarios fue un bum para mi corazón, ¡hasta mi hermoso Douglas tiene historia! Ya me los enlisto como proyectos en inglés.
-----------------------------
Me encanta Val, pero no tengo ganas de leer su ruina todavía. De seguro la chica es tan mediocre como las últimas dos. Así, no hay protagonista masculino que aguante ni lectora que no sufra.
September 3, 2018
Why did no one warn me of the extensive use in this book of the prolonged, infuriating plot device of "I can't tell you my secret because you'll immediately spit on my face in disgust and leave me forever so I'm going to insist on not telling you anything besides cryptic hints for at least half the book, but of course the secret will be barely anything bad on my character because this is a romance novel there's no way you would actually leave," only in this case it was 80% of the book?
Towards the end, I wish them both into oblivion, and if they would both go up in flames, I wouldn't care.
For the last few books of this author, I haven't felt any real spark between the couples, so all the sex scenes, usually way before any real chemistry developed, didn't do anything for me and I've skipped them whole sale. That trend continues here. There was a bit of a spark in the first Windham book, but I was still more focused on their actual relationship rather than the sex. Only The Captive hit all the right spots for me in the best way, and the second book in that series. Everything else haven't measured up, unfortunately.
On another note, the excuse for Val's profusion of original muscles before he started doing physical work on the manor is that he played the piano. A lot. Are you freaking serious??
P.S.: My poor Morgan, ohwhat you could've been, but you got disappeared instead. :( But maybe your character would've been butchered and driven me to my wit's end so it might be a good thing.
Towards the end, I wish them both into oblivion, and if they would both go up in flames, I wouldn't care.
For the last few books of this author, I haven't felt any real spark between the couples, so all the sex scenes, usually way before any real chemistry developed, didn't do anything for me and I've skipped them whole sale. That trend continues here. There was a bit of a spark in the first Windham book, but I was still more focused on their actual relationship rather than the sex. Only The Captive hit all the right spots for me in the best way, and the second book in that series. Everything else haven't measured up, unfortunately.
On another note, the excuse for Val's profusion of original muscles before he started doing physical work on the manor is that he played the piano. A lot. Are you freaking serious??
P.S.: My poor Morgan, ohwhat you could've been, but you got disappeared instead. :( But maybe your character would've been butchered and driven me to my wit's end so it might be a good thing.
December 18, 2011
Val is a great hero. His character keeps this book from being the "same old, same old" Regency romp. While still masculine and sexy, Val has more in common with the contemporary "beta geek" hero than the usual alpha male or Regency rake. Val's artistic temperament is believable and well developed. He's gentle, thoughtful, and somewhat self-contained. Ellen is a wonderful compliment to Val's character. Her blend of strength, world-weariness and innocence is charming.
Both Val and Ellen are keeping secrets, but for the most part it works with the story. I did think the secrets went on too long, which has been the case (in my opinion) for all three books in this series. But even so, I loved the slow, gentle development in the relationship, and the level of communication and trust, even with the secrets. In fact, they both admit to the other there are secrets, and that helps the reader believe the relationship is real.
The public manner of Val's declaration wasn't to my liking, but overall the book was very enjoyable.
Both Val and Ellen are keeping secrets, but for the most part it works with the story. I did think the secrets went on too long, which has been the case (in my opinion) for all three books in this series. But even so, I loved the slow, gentle development in the relationship, and the level of communication and trust, even with the secrets. In fact, they both admit to the other there are secrets, and that helps the reader believe the relationship is real.
The public manner of Val's declaration wasn't to my liking, but overall the book was very enjoyable.
January 10, 2012
This one's pretty "meh" - I really didn't enjoy it. The language felt too modern for me and coupled with a vague 19th century setting (I couldn't figure out if this was Regency or what) it just didn't settle well. Val's family is too complicated in structure (and never fully explained - this is apparently book #3 but trying to connect everyone together is confusing) and the villain menacing Ellen didn't quite seem all that menacing, just a nuisance who, in the end, disappears without a fight. Book could have been about 75 pages shorter by cutting unnecessary scenes like the villager in the tree musing on the sabotage of the barn and cottage he witnessed, yet he never does anything WITH his knowledge.
Not going to track down the first two.
Not going to track down the first two.
November 28, 2011
This is now my all-time favorite romance. I was up until 4am finishing it. It was beautifully written and I loved the musical metaphors. It was refreshing to read a story in which the love was strong throughout and the tension was because of the circumstances they lived with, not tension between the characters themselves. I want to savor Grace Burrowes's books. I want to read them all, and soon, but I will give them the time they deserve.
September 12, 2022
This is a three star book to me, averaging out some five star elements and some one star elements.
It is hard to for write reviews first books (to me) by authors, almost harder when I like them, because of how I like to think about books. I also recognize that in mass market books, in a really really narrow genre of HR (often limited to Regency), the differences between authors that are actually minute can actually feel really, really wide, with big ripple effects on how I feel.
I'm reserving judgment on Grace Burrowes until I read a couple more of her books, but she did not immediately turn me off the way some first books to me do.
But here are somethings that I noticed about Burrowes and I'm going to try to be descriptive rather than judgmental because I'm not yet sure if I am just noticing something different and chafing at being different, or not liking something.
1. There are a LOT of characters. Between Val's brothers, his friends, the townspeople, his enemies, there are just a lot of names! And some of the names are weirdly similar, especially for secondary characters. Like there is Darius, who sometimes goes by Dare, and a Dayton, who sometimes goes by Day. Some of this could have been solved by me reading the first two books in the series first, maybe. So again, reserving judgment, but I found the volume of characters was not matched with a volume of character sketching. It felt rich in names, not in connection or personality.
2. The musical metaphor throughout was just deeply embarrassing to me. Truly, ymmv, but very very few romance novel authors can write about non-writing art in a way that I don't find in embarrassing. This gets compounded by there being a very public gesture connected with the music, which again, I found embarrassing and I think the heroine would have too!
3. In this book, both the hero and the heroine are keeping secrets from each other. The reader knows the hero's "secret" and does not know the heroine's. As a result, we spend a lot of time in the hero's POV. I think the split might be close to 70/30. I don't mind this as a rule! I've been singing Anne Mallory's praises over it for the past few weeks.
But first off, I felt like I had no idea why the hero felt he couldn't tell the heroine that he was the younger son of a Duke. She knew he was wealthy and untitled. After telling her, he was still...wealthy and untitled? She doesn't even have prejudice against the aristocracy! It felt like an excuse to both have secrets.
Then I couldn't figure out how she even pulls off letting the townspeople thinking she is just a widow, rather than the widow of the recently deceased Baron?? Like she is using a different name, but she was married to him for multiple years when they were the Baron's tenants and her late husband is not characterized as a lackadaisical landlord. Some people seem to know her connections and others do not. It's weird.
And then HER secret, why we can't spend more time with her POV, felt kind of like a last minute afterthought, especially considering how weight and traumatic it was. Also the solution to her problem, felt last minute and underdeveloped.
4. The hand thing--there is never an explanation of what is going on with his hand! Lack of modern medicine and all, but also kind of delusion to you have to be under to think "playing the piano is bad for my hand, but I can build a roof??" Also I came up with the obvious solution maybe five pages into the book.
But I did like quite a bit of the book!
The couple has great chemistry, even with how little I felt I knew about Ellen. I felt like their dialogue of starting the affair was realistic without being derivative of other romance novels that I read
Basically, the author's ability to write chemistry that I cared about is going to have me return to her, especially because I think this was written pretty early in her career. I'd like to see what she can do with a slightly more standard POV set up, where one character isn't keeping a secret. That structure is just really hard to do well, especially when you are committed to some semblance of dual POV.
It is hard to for write reviews first books (to me) by authors, almost harder when I like them, because of how I like to think about books. I also recognize that in mass market books, in a really really narrow genre of HR (often limited to Regency), the differences between authors that are actually minute can actually feel really, really wide, with big ripple effects on how I feel.
I'm reserving judgment on Grace Burrowes until I read a couple more of her books, but she did not immediately turn me off the way some first books to me do.
But here are somethings that I noticed about Burrowes and I'm going to try to be descriptive rather than judgmental because I'm not yet sure if I am just noticing something different and chafing at being different, or not liking something.
1. There are a LOT of characters. Between Val's brothers, his friends, the townspeople, his enemies, there are just a lot of names! And some of the names are weirdly similar, especially for secondary characters. Like there is Darius, who sometimes goes by Dare, and a Dayton, who sometimes goes by Day. Some of this could have been solved by me reading the first two books in the series first, maybe. So again, reserving judgment, but I found the volume of characters was not matched with a volume of character sketching. It felt rich in names, not in connection or personality.
2. The musical metaphor throughout was just deeply embarrassing to me. Truly, ymmv, but very very few romance novel authors can write about non-writing art in a way that I don't find in embarrassing. This gets compounded by there being a very public gesture connected with the music, which again, I found embarrassing and I think the heroine would have too!
3. In this book, both the hero and the heroine are keeping secrets from each other. The reader knows the hero's "secret" and does not know the heroine's. As a result, we spend a lot of time in the hero's POV. I think the split might be close to 70/30. I don't mind this as a rule! I've been singing Anne Mallory's praises over it for the past few weeks.
But first off, I felt like I had no idea why the hero felt he couldn't tell the heroine that he was the younger son of a Duke. She knew he was wealthy and untitled. After telling her, he was still...wealthy and untitled? She doesn't even have prejudice against the aristocracy! It felt like an excuse to both have secrets.
Then I couldn't figure out how she even pulls off letting the townspeople thinking she is just a widow, rather than the widow of the recently deceased Baron?? Like she is using a different name, but she was married to him for multiple years when they were the Baron's tenants and her late husband is not characterized as a lackadaisical landlord. Some people seem to know her connections and others do not. It's weird.
And then HER secret, why we can't spend more time with her POV, felt kind of like a last minute afterthought, especially considering how weight and traumatic it was. Also the solution to her problem, felt last minute and underdeveloped.
4. The hand thing--there is never an explanation of what is going on with his hand! Lack of modern medicine and all, but also kind of delusion to you have to be under to think "playing the piano is bad for my hand, but I can build a roof??" Also I came up with the obvious solution maybe five pages into the book.
But I did like quite a bit of the book!
The couple has great chemistry, even with how little I felt I knew about Ellen. I felt like their dialogue of starting the affair was realistic without being derivative of other romance novels that I read
Basically, the author's ability to write chemistry that I cared about is going to have me return to her, especially because I think this was written pretty early in her career. I'd like to see what she can do with a slightly more standard POV set up, where one character isn't keeping a secret. That structure is just really hard to do well, especially when you are committed to some semblance of dual POV.
August 27, 2023
Thought I'd actually be taking this book with a hint of leisure (given the heavy subject matter and all), but good writing/character relationships came charging through. First off: TW for miscarriages, as in plural. Forced miscarriages, at that. Poor Ellen.
I think this is a different novel than the cover would have you believe:
*The side profile of the heroine is not story aesthetic accurate (Ellen is a widow turned gardener, and is often seen in casual day dresses with sensible (or none at all) footwear, a cinnamon/red blonde braid beneath a floppy gardening hat. Don't know where this wannabe prom dress came from.
The pace of the novel is, like I said, deceptively leisurely. It's got a small cast of characters, all of whom have met before, and are set about restoring a dwindling country estate, while Ellen and Val fall madly (yet slowly) in love, all while dodging death brought on by a mysterious person who's creating precarious situations out of everyday items (i.e. herbal teas, damaged bricks, and sawed trees/shingles). This is seen through how the romantic leads treat their affair: there's a lovely scene from the beginning where you (and they also think) they're about to do-the-do, but Val stops the frantic pace, content to essentially enjoy the embrace... among other things... that preclude sex.
Val is a pro unto himself (our guy takes precautions against unwanted pregnancy, but straight-up tells her if an accident were to happen, he'd marry her in a minute. Love and lust from the jump, and he offers her period comfort! Be still, my heart!) and because of this, it made me feel for his own struggle. His left hand seems to be affected by what we now know as arthritis and is ordered to not play the piano for the foreseeable future. But music is how Val shows comfort/love to others (composing lullabies/sound soothers even to adults in his life), as well as giving himself a way to feel productive yet relaxed. And also, without this, who is he to himself?
Ellen's life broke my heart. She was married to a man she was... comfortable with. Hers was an odd marriage, in that he appeared to love her more than she loved him. I like that she can admit that she liked the security his affection gave her, the fact that she's financially independent (on a smaller scale, of course, given the setting) because of their marriage. But because of all this lukewarm aftermath, she's kind of lost on how to properly mourn him. Top this off with the fact that we go through most of the story thinking she (or perhaps Frances) was infertile, only to discover she became pregnant 3X, only to be tricked into ingesting a tea given by "fuck, off Freddy!" (i.e. our big bad), which he told her would aid in digestion, but really induced a miscarriage each time. Jesus. Not to mention her safe haven of a home being destroyed by this imbecile. It broke my heart reading her say: "This was where I healed each time, where I learned to be a different version myself because I had to. Now that's all gone."
Side note, when Val seriously asks "Do you become intolerable/indisposed during your menses? Taking to your bed, eating a tin of chocolate, needing salves?" And Ellen goes "Yes. I'm also a mess before and during that time." Besides the tin of chocolates, I found a kindred spirit! Bonus: Val doesn't ask this to be rude? He asks it to legit know what he needs to bring/do should she choose to have him near during that time of the month. What a king bowing down for his queen!
The smuttiness is palpable. And there's slight kink exploration (Val genuinely asks if she's into spanking/bondage), as well as different sex acts talked about/acted upon in a loving/respectful, yet fun way.
My cons are the cover (inaccurate doesn't begin to cover it) and the rushed final chapter. I would've liked to see Ellen announce her own pregnancy, given that infertility might not be in her cards, after all. But I truly adored these two and their little country haven/naughty picnics/nights. A lot to love here.
I think this is a different novel than the cover would have you believe:
*The side profile of the heroine is not story aesthetic accurate (Ellen is a widow turned gardener, and is often seen in casual day dresses with sensible (or none at all) footwear, a cinnamon/red blonde braid beneath a floppy gardening hat. Don't know where this wannabe prom dress came from.
The pace of the novel is, like I said, deceptively leisurely. It's got a small cast of characters, all of whom have met before, and are set about restoring a dwindling country estate, while Ellen and Val fall madly (yet slowly) in love, all while dodging death brought on by a mysterious person who's creating precarious situations out of everyday items (i.e. herbal teas, damaged bricks, and sawed trees/shingles). This is seen through how the romantic leads treat their affair: there's a lovely scene from the beginning where you (and they also think) they're about to do-the-do, but Val stops the frantic pace, content to essentially enjoy the embrace... among other things... that preclude sex.
Val is a pro unto himself (our guy takes precautions against unwanted pregnancy, but straight-up tells her if an accident were to happen, he'd marry her in a minute. Love and lust from the jump, and he offers her period comfort! Be still, my heart!) and because of this, it made me feel for his own struggle. His left hand seems to be affected by what we now know as arthritis and is ordered to not play the piano for the foreseeable future. But music is how Val shows comfort/love to others (composing lullabies/sound soothers even to adults in his life), as well as giving himself a way to feel productive yet relaxed. And also, without this, who is he to himself?
Ellen's life broke my heart. She was married to a man she was... comfortable with. Hers was an odd marriage, in that he appeared to love her more than she loved him. I like that she can admit that she liked the security his affection gave her, the fact that she's financially independent (on a smaller scale, of course, given the setting) because of their marriage. But because of all this lukewarm aftermath, she's kind of lost on how to properly mourn him. Top this off with the fact that we go through most of the story thinking she (or perhaps Frances) was infertile, only to discover she became pregnant 3X, only to be tricked into ingesting a tea given by "fuck, off Freddy!" (i.e. our big bad), which he told her would aid in digestion, but really induced a miscarriage each time. Jesus. Not to mention her safe haven of a home being destroyed by this imbecile. It broke my heart reading her say: "This was where I healed each time, where I learned to be a different version myself because I had to. Now that's all gone."
Side note, when Val seriously asks "Do you become intolerable/indisposed during your menses? Taking to your bed, eating a tin of chocolate, needing salves?" And Ellen goes "Yes. I'm also a mess before and during that time." Besides the tin of chocolates, I found a kindred spirit! Bonus: Val doesn't ask this to be rude? He asks it to legit know what he needs to bring/do should she choose to have him near during that time of the month. What a king bowing down for his queen!
The smuttiness is palpable. And there's slight kink exploration (Val genuinely asks if she's into spanking/bondage), as well as different sex acts talked about/acted upon in a loving/respectful, yet fun way.
My cons are the cover (inaccurate doesn't begin to cover it) and the rushed final chapter. I would've liked to see Ellen announce her own pregnancy, given that infertility might not be in her cards, after all. But I truly adored these two and their little country haven/naughty picnics/nights. A lot to love here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2025
I wanted to like this book more, and it had things that I really enjoyed, but overall it took me more than 200 pages to get into the story and the MMC annoyed me for most of the book.
What worked for about the book:
- Loved the cottagecore vibes. The cottage in the woods, the gardening, the swimming, the descriptions of nature. The setting of this book was truly my favorite part.
- The male friendships are so fucking sweet and well done in this book; I would love to see more of that in books and media in general.
- This moment: “If you give your supper waltz to anyone else, Ellen, I will spank you on the steps of the church.” 👀😆
- FMC Ellen was a baddie. I LOVED her. She was so smart and competent and passionate. She had a lot of tragedy in her past and was so alone but she persevered in a way that has to be admired.
- I didn’t like MMC Val, but he did get better by the end.
What didn’t work for me:
- While I don’t mind a slower pace in general, the narrative dragged. I felt like I was reading this book for weeks, but it was only like 3 days. It could have used some editing. Lots of mundane conversations that didn’t drive the plot forward.
- This was the third book in the series and it didn’t work well as a standalone. I was confused A LOT.
- There are so many secondary characters and they all go by like 3 different names used interchangeably. I CAN’T.
- While the male friendships were well written, the female characters did not get as much attention. - There is ONE other female character in this book and her and Ellen’s friendship develops almost completely off-page, meanwhile I have to listen to dudes discuss the tedious details of repairing the manor or random drama smh.
- The spice was exactly okay.
MMC Val gets his very own section full of eye rolling from me:
- This guy!! Ugh!!!
- He very much objectifies women, at one point comparing them to pets and houseplants (he thought he was complimenting women with this speech, bless his little heart).
- He and his friends called the local unmarried women “eager little heifers,” and joked about how they’d be “panting” to dance with him. I hate this kind of ridicule.
- Whiny, immature, you get the picture
- “I’m not here to seduce you.” Then immediately puts on the full court press.
- “We’re going to take every measure to prevent getting you with child.” Shoots his load inside her 3 paragraphs later 🙄
This had potential. Oh well.
What worked for about the book:
- Loved the cottagecore vibes. The cottage in the woods, the gardening, the swimming, the descriptions of nature. The setting of this book was truly my favorite part.
- The male friendships are so fucking sweet and well done in this book; I would love to see more of that in books and media in general.
- This moment: “If you give your supper waltz to anyone else, Ellen, I will spank you on the steps of the church.” 👀😆
- FMC Ellen was a baddie. I LOVED her. She was so smart and competent and passionate. She had a lot of tragedy in her past and was so alone but she persevered in a way that has to be admired.
- I didn’t like MMC Val, but he did get better by the end.
What didn’t work for me:
- While I don’t mind a slower pace in general, the narrative dragged. I felt like I was reading this book for weeks, but it was only like 3 days. It could have used some editing. Lots of mundane conversations that didn’t drive the plot forward.
- This was the third book in the series and it didn’t work well as a standalone. I was confused A LOT.
- There are so many secondary characters and they all go by like 3 different names used interchangeably. I CAN’T.
- While the male friendships were well written, the female characters did not get as much attention. - There is ONE other female character in this book and her and Ellen’s friendship develops almost completely off-page, meanwhile I have to listen to dudes discuss the tedious details of repairing the manor or random drama smh.
- The spice was exactly okay.
MMC Val gets his very own section full of eye rolling from me:
- This guy!! Ugh!!!
- He very much objectifies women, at one point comparing them to pets and houseplants (he thought he was complimenting women with this speech, bless his little heart).
- He and his friends called the local unmarried women “eager little heifers,” and joked about how they’d be “panting” to dance with him. I hate this kind of ridicule.
- Whiny, immature, you get the picture
- “I’m not here to seduce you.” Then immediately puts on the full court press.
- “We’re going to take every measure to prevent getting you with child.” Shoots his load inside her 3 paragraphs later 🙄
This had potential. Oh well.
November 9, 2019
Valentine Windham adalah seorang pianis tetapi tangannya mengalami cedera (yg saya herannya gak dijelaskan penyebabnya itu apa)... dan krn itu Val "mengungsi" ke pedesaan. Di sanalah dia bertemu dgn Ellen, janda Baron Markham.
Uniknya, mereka baru benar-benar berkenalan setelah setahun bertetangga. Dan keduanya jelas saling tertarik. Tetapi ada aura misteri yg melingkupi janda ini. Apa sebabnya maut menyatroni Ellen melulu? Kenapa banyak kecelakaan yg terjadi di sekitarnya?
Ini novel kedua yg saya baca dr author. Pertama kali saya baca via ebook, "The Heir" saya merasa gak menarik bukunya tapi saya gak tahu apa sebabnya (krn gak nulis reviewnya). Nah kali ini saya baca buku terjemahannya, ternyata ahaaaa.... 💡💡💡 saya tahu sekarang. Gaya penulisan author walaupun banyak dialog, cenderung membosankan dan berputar-putar di situ-situ saja masalahnya, bikin ngantuk bacanya 😪😪😪😪
Saya juga kurang suka klimaks ceritanya, yg mengesankan Ellen sbg korban. Sudah pasti Ellen bukan favorit heroine saya. Yg lebih nyebelin lagi tokoh antagonisnya udah jahat bodoh pula.
Tapi mungkin pecinta romance yg suka suasana kekeluargaan yg kental, novel ini cocok utk Anda. Kamu bisa menemukan semua saudara (bahkan ayah) Valentine yg berduyun-duyun meninjau desa tempat tinggal Valentine ini. Saya mah males baca yg model begini. Un-faedah!!!🤦♀️🤦♀️
Uniknya, mereka baru benar-benar berkenalan setelah setahun bertetangga. Dan keduanya jelas saling tertarik. Tetapi ada aura misteri yg melingkupi janda ini. Apa sebabnya maut menyatroni Ellen melulu? Kenapa banyak kecelakaan yg terjadi di sekitarnya?
Ini novel kedua yg saya baca dr author. Pertama kali saya baca via ebook, "The Heir" saya merasa gak menarik bukunya tapi saya gak tahu apa sebabnya (krn gak nulis reviewnya). Nah kali ini saya baca buku terjemahannya, ternyata ahaaaa.... 💡💡💡 saya tahu sekarang. Gaya penulisan author walaupun banyak dialog, cenderung membosankan dan berputar-putar di situ-situ saja masalahnya, bikin ngantuk bacanya 😪😪😪😪
Saya juga kurang suka klimaks ceritanya, yg mengesankan Ellen sbg korban. Sudah pasti Ellen bukan favorit heroine saya. Yg lebih nyebelin lagi tokoh antagonisnya udah jahat bodoh pula.
Tapi mungkin pecinta romance yg suka suasana kekeluargaan yg kental, novel ini cocok utk Anda. Kamu bisa menemukan semua saudara (bahkan ayah) Valentine yg berduyun-duyun meninjau desa tempat tinggal Valentine ini. Saya mah males baca yg model begini. Un-faedah!!!🤦♀️🤦♀️
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