Helpful Score: 3
The description on the book jacket made me slightly uneasy -- it made it sound like Abby blackmailed Jack into marrying her, a "marry me or die" kind of thing. I'm so grateful I decided to read it anyway. It wasn't that way at all.
Both Abby and Jack are wonderful, well-developed characters who I really enjoyed reading about. They take their time getting to know one another; they talk to each other and they come to trust one another. Slowly and gradually, they fall in love -- their relationship felt very real and solid to me, more so than most romance novels, because of the time they took to get there.
The magical subplot -- healing Jack, the prejudice against wizards and witches in this version of England, etc -- was just an added bonus. Great fun, and an excellent read!
Both Abby and Jack are wonderful, well-developed characters who I really enjoyed reading about. They take their time getting to know one another; they talk to each other and they come to trust one another. Slowly and gradually, they fall in love -- their relationship felt very real and solid to me, more so than most romance novels, because of the time they took to get there.
The magical subplot -- healing Jack, the prejudice against wizards and witches in this version of England, etc -- was just an added bonus. Great fun, and an excellent read!
Helpful Score: 2
Abigail Barton is the daughter of a prominent baron, Sir Andrew Barton. He is also a very well-respected wizard, as it would happen. He trained Abby well, and she is quite capable of running the household in his abscence.
As it would happen, the hero of the story, Jack Langdon, is mortally wounded near the Barton grounds. Abby, being a skilled healer, is able to heal him...at a high price. Her stipulation for attempting to heal a mortally wounded man is Jack's hand in marriage. Astonishingly enough, he agrees. They marry, with equal hesitation and eagerness. Many twists reveal themselves throughout the story: magic, the academy that Jack was sent to, and bits and pieces of their own pasts come to life as they grow and become accustomed to their marriage.
As it would happen, the hero of the story, Jack Langdon, is mortally wounded near the Barton grounds. Abby, being a skilled healer, is able to heal him...at a high price. Her stipulation for attempting to heal a mortally wounded man is Jack's hand in marriage. Astonishingly enough, he agrees. They marry, with equal hesitation and eagerness. Many twists reveal themselves throughout the story: magic, the academy that Jack was sent to, and bits and pieces of their own pasts come to life as they grow and become accustomed to their marriage.
