This traditional regency, set 1815 is basically about two people discovering each other, their similar interests, and the peeling back of layers of personality imposed by society and family obligations. The old saying "opposites attract" is apt here. The hero is called "Sir Boring" by his classmates when growing up. As an adult, he is happiest immersed in his estate and his library. He doesn't feel the need to marry.The awakening to what he is missing in companionship and love is what one remembers from this book.The scenes leading up to the first kiss were well thought out.William overprotected by an ailing mother, never had a childhood and is a reserved, withdrawn 32 year old.William's grandmother Lady Margaret, is determined to break him out of his shell. Thus, she helps her goddaughter Adriana Addington to leave Italy and come to London. Her plan is to throw the two together on the trip to her Scottish castle for the Christmas holidays. She tricks William into escort Adriana on the trip.Both hero and heroine are prickly to each other upon meeting; he knows his grandmother is pushing "wife material" at him and she thinks he is stuffy and arrogant with his nose stuck in a book.The chemistry that occurs between two reluctant people keeps the story moving along. Different happenings along the route to Lady Margaret's bring out the best qualities in William.Adriana isn't a simpering miss but courageous to a fault. The robbery scene adds to the plotline. More I can't tell, for fear of giving away the ending.Blossoming love, jealously, fear for loved ones and battling an evil man are like spices in a cake - keeps you wanting to see what's happening next.Lynn has done a good job of characterization; even the secondary characters are well drawn and essential to the plot. Each secondary character has a part of the bringing together of the hero and heroine. They just don't fill the scene. Two in particular - Sir Perrick Kingston and Miss Naomi Lowe struck me as viable enough to have stories of their own!
The Christmas Charm
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 23 years ago
An absolutely charming book. The spunky half Italian heroine is a nice change from the usual English miss. Nice hero, too, plus the interesting, well-researched coach trip.A delightful read!
Opposites Attract
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
When Adriana Addington arrives from Italy to become the companion of her godmother, she is hoping for a bit of adventure before she takes up her post. Viscount Borland is only wanting a peaceful Christmas at his estate with his books. The scheming Lady Margaret is hoping that tricking her grandson into escorting Adriana to Scotland will finally do the trick and Borland will succumb to the young lady's beauty and wed. From the time the pair meet Adriana is challenging all of Lord Borland's ideas about life. The trip to Scotland is full of one misadventure after another with both getting the chance to rescue the other. This is a fast paced fun read and I am looking forward to the two sequels that are to follow Adriana's sister and brother whom we meet briefly at the book's opening.
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