A Foolish Heart

Romance Retold #1

by Martha Keyes

She wants him back. He'll have anyone but her.


Mercy Marcotte doesn't deserve a second chance at love. At least, that's what she's believed since jilting Solomon Kennett, the man she loved, when his fortunes took a turn for the worse. But Solomon is back from the West Indies, rich, aloof, and about to offer for Mercy's best friend. Mercy resolves to stay out of it—until her friend runs off with another man. She can't stand by while Solomon is humiliated yet again.


Whatever the past, Solomon Kennett is taking control of the future. He is certain he will get what he wants now that he has proven himself worthy of consideration by even the most fastidious of fathers. When the woman he is supposed to propose to is kidnapped by another man, he feels honor-bound to go after them—only to be followed by Mercy, the woman who spurned him years ago. With end goals, loyalties, and history at odds for all involved, nothing is as it seems. The last thing anyone needs is a love potion to further entangle things. Skeptical in the highest degree and determined not to surrender control to his heart, Solomon finds himself wondering if there isn't perhaps something to the potion after all.


A Foolish Heart is a sweet Regency retelling of Shakespeare's timeless classic A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Genres: Romance, Regency, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Romance, Audiobook, Retellings

247 pages, ebook

First published March 1, 2020

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet story. The first pages sucked me in and I was so excited for what was to come. Lots of twists and turns left me wondering where this was going and it started to get a bit silly. There were not many romantic, tension moments. For two people who were still in love you couldn't feel it. I just felt like I was missing something. Not one of her best.

[Tim Covell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keyes tells us at the beginning that this is a Regency romance take on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. That sets high expectations. I've had the pleasure of seeing this play performed outdoors, in a local park, on warm summer evenings under a starry sky, and always enjoy it.

From the beginning, it's apparent this is not so much a retelling as a story that uses elements of the play. For example, the two couples are present, but Solomon (Demetrius) does not reject Mercy (Helena) after meeting Deborah (Hermia). Instead, Mercy jilted Solomon due to his family's (genteel, and temporary) poverty. This shifts the main character development from a confused man to a regretful woman. However, it does transpire that Solomon is expected to marry Deborah, who has her heart set on Frederick (Lysander). Deborah and Frederick set out to elope, but they don't tell Mercy. Instead, it is Solomon who gets the news directly. Mercy still follows him.

The primary second-chance romance plot and the secondary elopement plot are strong enough that I did not mind the departures from the play, and it became a pleasure to spot analogs. The ditzy cousin Viola is a great Puck. The four lovers end up at Solomon's aunt's house, the supposed destination of the lovers in the play, and there's an appropriately magical aura to the house and grounds, while the aunt has elements of Titania. Despite the wonderful whimsical nature of the story at this point, the 'love potion' scenes are a stretch.

As I read more, I was disappointed that the misunderstandings did not go as far as they do in the play. There's a suggestion or two of characters that may represent the group of labourers, but that is not pursued. I suspect these were compromises to keep the story more consistent with Regency romance. Still, there were funny scenes, and an unexpected resolution.

Keyes writes well, and this is the first in a series of Shakespeare inspired Regency romances. I'm curious to see what will come next. I'm not sure Shakespeare's comedies, which often balance dark elements with ribald humour, are great fodder for sweet Regency romance. However, even with the darker elements and double entendres removed, aspects of Shakespeare's comedies add spice to Regency romance tropes.

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series got recently new covers and new titles.

Having read months ago one of the books (book 3, A matchmaking mismatch / True of heart) I took the opportunity to read all three books in the (new) correct order. Fortunately book 1 was just 99 cents and book 2 was free, yay!

I had a great time reading Redeeming Miss Marcotte. It was fun, the characters were likeable (the main characters Mercy and Solomon, and cousin Viola, anyway.. cousin Deborah was selfish, spoiled and mean and I didn't care much for her hea).

I liked how both MCs changed with time, and how Mercy resented her earlier decisions and tried to do better.

Cousin Viola was just a secondary character, but I loved her so much,she was delightful!!

4,5 stars.

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second Chances

I enjoyed this story. It follows the path of the pain of rejection , pride, and forgiveness/reconciliation.

I really liked the motley cast of characters, they are all very different and yet the blend works well together.

This is a sweet romance with kissing.

Source: Kindle Unlimited

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is probably 4.5 stars for me. There were a few times I thought the pace really slowed down, but then it would pick back up and I wouldn't want to put the book down! If I hadn't read that it was a re-make of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," I would have thought it was a re-make of Jane Austen's "Persuasion." Apparently, I'm a lot more familiar with Jane Austen's works than Shakespeare's!

Mercy was young and foolish when she ended her engagement to Solomon when his fortunes changed. Now it's 2 years later and he has become a wealthy man. Mercy discovered she had made the biggest mistake of her life long before she knew he had become wealthy. She foolishly thought love like theirs would come again.

Solomon foolishly believes he has moved past Mercy and can marry her cousin. A cousin who has no plans to marry him.

I really liked Mercy and Solomon, and I thought this book had some fun secondary characters, too!

[Abigail McKenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok here's the thing: if this had just been Mercy and Solomon's story, I would've had a much better time. If I didn't have to put up with the absolute nonsense of every other character in the book, I might've even liked it. But as it stands I just... I can't. The number of times I wanted to look at Deborah like "GIRL??" was a lot lol help

Mercy and Solomon were very much giving Persuasion energy, though, and I loved them for that. I'm not all that familiar with A Midsummer Night's Dream so I can't speak to the adaptation accuracy, but I wanted to like this. I didn't. But I wanted to.

I've liked enough from Martha Keyes that I'm going to continue reading her books but unfortunately this one wasn't for me. 2.5 stars.

[Lyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed this one. It’s not a big misunderstanding - there’s a real issue that has to be worked through. Sad how rare that is, but I digress. The retelling was excellent. I loved the humor throughout. Seems like the other cousins will get their own stories - can’t wait!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun story that combined Shakespeare and regency romance. There are some twists and turns, true to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream but it has a great regency theme and story about it. I really enjoyed it.

[Emily Tuft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably my favorite of Martha Keyes’ books that I have read so far. Was a quick read when I sat down and got into it.

[Donna Weaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book.

[Karen Darling · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐
This was a fun "retelling" of A Midsummer Nights Dream. There wasn't a lot of connection because it had all been made 2 years prior but the characters and story were still fun.

[Ashley Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a sweet retelling of "A Mid Summer Night's Dream."

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 This was a sweet and clean romance (which I appreciate), but I didn’t enjoy it as much as other Martha Keyes books.

[Sally Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick fun read. I liked the story of the main characters having been engaged before. And I really like the side characters.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully Captivating Story

I found this story captivating and once I started reading - I didn't want to put it down. I know this is a sweet regency retelling of Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Nights Dream which I have never read. That didn't take away from me enjoying the whimsical parts of this story.

I liked Mercy Marcotte and wanted her to have her second chance with the man she had decided not to marry when his family lost their fortune. After two years of separation she regrets her decision and has never stopped loving him. When he returns to England- she finds out he will be marrying her cousin Deborah. For Mercy, seeing Solomon Kennett face to face again after two years was wonderful but the cold aloof attitude he shows her makes her quickly realize he's never forgiven her.
When her cousin chooses to run away to avoid marrying Solomon, Mercy decides to go after her to bring her home. That's where this story goes from sane to humorous insanity.

Solomon Kennett, loved Mercy Marcotte and her rejection drove him to succeed In the West Indies to restore his family fortune. Coming back to England he never expected to meet her when he arrived at her uncle's home to finalize his engagement to her cousin. Seeing Mercy makes him realize she is still in his heart. His pride and anger at her rejection won't let him allow her a second chance. Going to save her missing cousin throws them together and allows him to take a second look at Mercy.

This story had some hilarious situations including a love potion gone wrong.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 stars) - Persuasion meets A Midsummer Night's Dream

What a fun and original idea! Mercy followed the advice of her family & broke off her engagement to Solomon after his father lost the family fortune.

Solomon returns from the West Indies with a fortune and a huge, unforgiving chip on his shoulder.

Circumstances transpire to throw them in each other's way again. Mix a love potion into the situation and things get complicated - and hilarious!

*Clean romance level: passionate kisses, nothing graphic

[Vonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the intentions of this story, to convey the difficulties of "honesty" above "integrity".

Solomon had been previously rejected by Mercy 2yrs ago, so, yeah, he kind of doesn't want her to be around him when he returns home. I find it rather coinky-dinky that Solomon is also in business with Mercy's uncle, who then attempted to hoodwink an "arrangement" between him and the daughter, Mercy's cousin, Deborah.

My problem is...this is riddled with a lot of Shakespeare quotes, from all over his texts, but has only a smidgen to do with what I could recall of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM...which is when folks get mired in the shenanigans of battling Fae. So, a comedy of errors ensue where they are doused or have to ingest "magic" of some kind...I forget what it is in the play, but in this book... damn, it was as if an entire household agreed to be "roofied". It's only an herbal elixir, except Viola...the romantic mastermind, accidentally slipped Solomon Deadly Nightshade/Belladonna?!?...and, so the moments when this story is supposed to mirror AMND--it barely does [the wrong people confessing love to one another, deeply], it barrels out of control into Solomon nearly regurgitating every single one of his organs. But he does keep lamenting his "love" for Mercy, except he will forget everything once his head and stomach are both clear of the elixir he drank.

The other thing was... Mercy's reasoning for rejecting Solomon from Chapter One. They were not made very clear, rather foggy and confusing. But the reasoning was so much clearer to why she did it 2yrs later and Solomon returns.

He wanted to run off to Jamaica and buy a plantation, or several, and make his fortunes of whatever he grew there...but he was uprooting Mercy from everything she knew at home. She dearly adored and loved Solomon, but moving to some unknown quantity scared her, especially giving up every mode of comfort at home for a strange country--not knowing if Solomon would make any profit from what business he planned to start. I have no idea why she could not admit it more succinctly to Solomon but made it come off as, "My family...and my family fortune...mean more...".

I do think her addiction to letter writing and throwing them away allowed her to think out her own confusions until she had come to the conclusions she had, then had a ton of regrets because Solomon HAD made a name for himself out in Jamaica.

But, it also feels a bit like Anne Elliot in PERSUASION...where maybe the rejection was the sad, brokenhearted trajectory needed to catapult Solomon into making more of a success of his plantation business than it ever would have been had Mercy accepted his proposal. You never know.

There were A LOT of characters in this book where I could've dealt with less of. There was a solid story behind Solomon being so dead set against even considering Mercy as "wife material" ever again. This book felt a little crowded, but I am assuming these were minor characters who might become MCs of later books in this series. That's fine, but it kept taking away the more profound and seriousness of what was between Mercy and Solomon...and simply allowing them to work out their emotions and feelings organically, instead of coercing or forcing them into closer proximity.

I think adding the antics of "elopement" and chasing after the cousin, with so many people in pursuit, THEN tacking on the antics of everyone drinking the elixir...??? None of this felt natural or tangible.

I could have done better with Solomon doing the simple thing of coming over to the house, where Mercy was living for the Summer...and pursuing Deborah--Him being there for family dinners or even going to small house parties or something....and having THAT be where we see a lot of their bumping into each other and mishaps where Mercy might be confronted with Solomon... Viola would still be there and, also, Deborah could still be her flighty emotional self.

This book had a great core that kept being devoured by lesser moments, but at least Mercy and Solomon did have their better clashes until their HEA.

[The Sleeping Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mercy's letter she wrote to Solomon but never sent was outstanding. However, the reason(s) for why she turned down Solomon the first time never crystallised for me beyond her worry about financial stability and the thought she could find the perfect ingredients for happiness with someone else. I suppose I was reading with lenses tinted by Jane Austen's 'Persuasion', but come on. I might have missed if there was any familial pressure to call it off, but I expected more of it, especially when within the two years Solomon left she has turned down two eligible suitors, one a lord. And the ending? You would have thought Mercy's parents always thought the world of him. So yes, I thought her reasons were flimsy, or not explained or explored well enough.

Moving on, none of the other characters really impressed me. Edith (cynical of love, romance and marriage) and Viola (believer of love, romance and HEA... an optimist) were just as described. Viola spouts Shakespeare and other quotes. They felt a little flat, but I expect their forthcoming books will develop them further, so I'm not that fussed.

I was more annoyed by Mercy's cousin Deborah who was flighty, immature and even mean. Her concept of love was skewed, with a liberal dash of jealousy. I didn't like her, even though she does clean up a little at the end. Mr C, Deborah's lover, urgh. He at one point recognised that Deborah's character and behaviour wasn't what he had thought it was, and he hesitates. I applauded that and hoped the author would explore this avenue. Unfortunately, it was not to be. With Viola's elixir, he temporarily attaches himself to Mercy. Misguided or stupid? This book does use the premise and plot of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', so that at least is explainable. Whether or not it translates well to regency era is another issue. Anyway, I'm not confident in Deborah or Mr C's 'love' or emotional maturity, even though there is a turnaround by the pair to face Deborah's father honestly.

Despite this, I did like Mercy and Solomon's interactions that conveyed the yearning, warmth and connection that must have once been. I appreciated Solomon's insights towards the end about his ignorance, his true feelings and motivations. The writing and the flow was good, and I finished this with ease. My rating is 2.5 stars - 3 stars.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly, I am unfamiliar with Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, so I couldn't help but feel that perhaps I was missing out on elements of that original story that were present in this Regency retelling. Even so, I still enjoyed a well-written tale that stands solidly on its own for those of us lacking knowledge of Shakespeare. If I hadn't known this was intended to be a retelling, I would not have noticed anything amiss, and I can only imagine that those who are acquainted with the original play will find an entertaining reimagining here. This was a more somber romance story than I typically prefer, but it was most definitely realistic and relatable in the way it captures the heartbreaking uncertainty of broken love. The inner angst, the yearning, the unwillingness to honestly communicate, the self-recrimination and feelings of failure and disappointment...it's all here. I did have some difficulty believing the undying love between the characters, both primary and secondary, as so much of the story was focused on how it was gone and unrecoverable. I did not get a true sense of the depth of the love between the hero and heroine until much later when I suddenly recognized parallels with Jane Austen's Persuasion. Oh, that love letter! The mentions of it kept me curious, and it was certainly worth the wait!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Regency stories and retellings of fairy tales and classic stories and A Foolish Heart combines both in a fun, refreshing way. I wasn't as familiar with Shakespeare's original play so I looked it up before I read A Foolish Heart. I was very curious as to how Martha Keyes would craft her story to include elements of Shakespeare's work and I believe she did a very good job of weaving in the original with the new. It is clearly a take on Shakespeare's work, but it stands as a story in and of itself. If you hadn't know it was a retelling of another story, I believe you would still enjoy this one. Martha Keyes writes the regency time period very well and her characters are always endearing, unique and charismatic. There may have been more of the unusual and extreme in characters and events in this story, but that adds to the charm, wit and heart of the book. There was a lot of tug and pull on the heart with matters of heartbreak, forgiveness and trust. For an almost impossible circumstance and choice before the main characters, they were able to overcome their obstacles to find their way back to each other. Humility, forgiveness and truelove truly have the power to heal hearts, time and wounds. I will always include works by Martha Keyes in my must read list and highly recommend them.

[Ashlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shakespeare meets Jane Austen in this Shakespeare retelling set during regency times in England. You get the classic struggle of women of the time where they had often times had to marry for money and not love. Mercy had both until Solomon's family loses their fortune. She breaks off their engagement leaving Solomon brokenhearted, but determined to prove her wrong and earn his fortune back. When he returns having done just that, drama ensues. Because, of course. That's what happens when you make choices you come to regret.

Overall, I enjoyed this story, but it didn't completely blow me away me. The best I could explain why is I didn't feel completely sucked in to the point of having to keep reading as quick as I could. This book is a spin on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Nights Dream and I remember it being one of my more liked of his plays. It's been quite some time since I read it so I can't completely vouch for how many similarities there were, but I did notice some of the main plot elements, such as characters running away to elope, people falling in love with the wrong people, and ultimately a happy ending. Deborah did drive me nuts, but I'm pretty sure that is an accurate reflection of the character from A Midsummer's Night Dream that she represented. I almost considered giving it three stars, but since I thought to myself "hm I'm interested in reading more stories like this," I figured that earned it 4 stars.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Destiny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forgiveness... Can you imagine? *Cue Hamilton music*

This book left me speechless. Tender. Compassionate. And down to earth. Yet managed to maintain that same fanciful mood Shakespeare wove so elegantly.

Mercy Marcotte made a mistake two years ago... She’s known that. Yet it was, perhaps, never so clear as the day she glanced up along the stairwell of her best friend’s home to lock eyes with the image of her failure.

Solomon Kennett is the ice king. Broken by his love’s lack of trust, he left England for the West Indies to recover his family’s fortune. Now two years later he’s rich, revenge-seeking, though he won’t admit it, and returned to prove himself. Determined to settle for a loveless, but advantageous match, Solomon takes the first marriage advice he receives upon his return and calls upon Mercy’s cousin, Deborah.

Solomon and Mercy. This is their story. A retelling of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream, A Foolish Heart will pull you in and leave you thirsting for more. I would know.... I only just finished and am already beginning the second novel in the series. I’ll admit I wasn’t familiar with Martha Keyes before reading, but I sense I’ll soon be much acquainted with all of her writings if they’re anything like A Foolish Heart.

[Carolyn McClellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review may contain spoilers.

I really liked this book that featured a likable h and H. Two years prior to the current setting Mercy Marcotte had fallen in love with Solomon Kennett but refused his proposal of marriage when his fortunes took a turn for the worse. That being her first season she didn't realize at the time that what she felt for Solomon was unique and genuine. Solomon was devastated by the rejection and sets off for the West Indies to make his fortune. When he returns to England a rich man, Mercy is forced to face her feelings for him once again. None of the men that have courted her in his absence can compare to her feelings for him. To complicate matters, her uncle is so impressed with Solomon's business acumen that he wants Solomon to marry his daughter, Mercy's cousin to combine their fortunes. Unfortunately for Solomon, that young lady has other plans in mind with a different suitor. The author has created a delightful tale of mayhem, heartbreak, with true love prevailing.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[JS · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a surprise! I was curious to see how the author could turn Midsummer Night's Dream into a Regency romance and how much magic would or wouldn't be incorporated. I was a little hesitant about how it might work out, but I think it worked rather well!

If I hadn't been told it was a MND retelling, I confess I would have been put off a bit by the whole potion thing, feeling like it just was too out of the blue, but knowing there was a non-random reason for it, I was impressed with the author making it work as well as she did.

Of course there were things I didn't love. I didn't really feel like the book addressed how Mercy's character changed very much--I would have liked to really see her fight against the things that had kept her from her love before. And her cousin that was always quoting Shakespeare--I found her to be a bit tiresome by the end.

But despite things that I would consider flaws, it was a fun read, and I would read more of these Regency Shakespeare novels for the sheer joy of a fun, light-hearted romantic retelling that I could count on having no sex, etc. So, fun!

[Leslie Books and Socks Rock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the idea of a Shakespeare and Regency smash up/retelling! I love Shakespeare but to be honest - I’m not an expert but I enjoy the plays I’ve seen. So I was happy with this retellings because there were subtle nods of Shakespeare so if you’re expecting it to be just like “A Midsummer’s Night” you may be disappointed.
📚
This story follows Mercy, her cousin Viola and Mercy’s scorned lover Solomon. It’s all twisted and tangled like Shakespeare comedies are 😁 Mercy’s cousin Deborah wants to elope with Mr. Coburn but Mercy tries to stop them knowing her uncle wouldn’t approve and would cut Deborah off without her dowry. While Mercy was looking out for her cousin’s best interest, little did she know that her uncle would scheme to wed Deborah to Mercy’s once love Solomon. But Mercy rejected Solomon.
📚
This was a second and third chance love story with a magical love elixir gone awry. I had to read to the end to see how it would all play out but of course “All’s well that ends well” I can’t wait to read the next book in the series which is based off of “Much Ado About Nothing”
📚
Martha Keyes writes beautifully.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Foolish Heart was such a well-crafted novel. I am super impressed by the way in which author Martha Keyes took on and succeeded in making a Regency Shakespearean novel. Admittedly I am not super familiar with the play A Midsummer Night's Dream, but from what I do know about it and the way this story plays out, fans of Shakespeare will definitely enjoy this novel. The fun random bursts of poetry throughout the novel also gave it this authentic feel that added to the craft it took to write this story. The story fit within the Regency world and the author remained authentic to the time while still having some of the chaos and comical elements that give a nod to its inspiration.
Mercy and Solomon were wonderful lead characters and I enjoyed how the pain of their past didn't make the book too heavy with the help of wonderful side characters. There was a good balance between heart and humor. At one point in the novel I was so invested in what was happening with Solomon I seriously could not set the book down.
I am definitely excited to read more in this series and recommend this book.

[Jeanie's Kindle · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a gentleman's father gambles away everything including his estate and his entire fortune, can he really expect a lady to hold a proposal? What assurance does she have that he will even be able to put food in her mouth or a roof over her head? What about children? Will they all be penniless and have to live as paupers? When you have been raised as gentry, you must consider if you want to lower you station. If not, you must break the betrothal. After all there is more than one fish in the sea.
Solomon was crushed by Viola's broken betrothal. He was sure that the love they shared was the stuff of legends and not to be taken lightly. Yes, his father had gambled everything away. But he was certain he could earn a fortune back in short order and restore his family's fortune and good name.
His anger at Viola would be his drive to show the world just how rich he could be.
Two years later he would return to England from the Jamaica richer than Midas. He would find a bride and show everyone how well he had done. He did not expect Viola to still be single, or that he would still care.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My Wild Heart" is a romance set in Regency England. It was inspired by Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Mercy refused Solomon's marriage proposal when his family lost their fortune, but she's regretted following her parents advice ever since. Solomon has regained a fortune, but he's disillusioned with marriages based on love and agrees to consider marrying a woman he barely knows. That woman is determined to marry a man that doesn't meet with her father's approval. They all end up together while on a chase to stop an elopement. A friend attempts to use a love potion to reassure each couple of the enduring love they hold for each other. Only, it makes them all question their attachments.

The main characters were engaging, had depth, and reacted realistically to events. They questioned what was most valuable in a marriage partner and what would make it an enduring, happy marriage. There was some humor, but the underlying issues are more serious than the comedic play. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical romance.

[Kerstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good, clean retelling of "MidSummer Night's Dream". I am familiar with the play so I found it fun to see how Keyes converted it to a Regency romance. I think she did a good job. There is definitely an element of the original play that gets too goofy for me and this book had some parts like that too, but in smaller doses which I appreciated. I felt like it was a fun, believable conversion time period wise. I look forward to the other books in this series! I enjoyed the characters and their developments. I appreciated that in the end everyone took credit for their mistakes and tried to correct their errors.

Clean.
Language/profanity: none
Sex/innuendo: Kissing scenes that were a little prolonged, but not uncomfortable in description. They were more than I care for, but still appropriate. I'm extra picky about kissing scenes. There was a scene of a male character bathing, mild in description.
Gore/Violence: None. Some description of sick room things, but mild.
Dark/Creepy: none