Willy W. reviewed on + 503 more book reviews
A beautifully written non-traditional romance.
Beauty and the Beast. The hero: a brilliant rake suddenly afflicted by stroke loses his speech and winds up in a brutal insane asylum. The heroine: a pious Quaker who has spent her entire life caring for the needs of others finds a man she recognizes in an asylum and takes up his cause.
Such an unusual story, at least the first half of it being mostly about this man's struggle to communicate - a mind that seems to think properly but can no longer process language - either taking it in or letting it out. In his frustration he is driven to violence. It seems maudlin, which it is, but it also slowly develops a relationship between these two wildly different people that wouldn't be believable without a slow start.
The story is so well researched and well written. The love story is paced brilliantly with just enough to keep things going. The love scenes are sparse but beautifully told, original, and sexy.
There is so much for this couple to overcome. He is a very unheroic character but has been set very low by his circumstances. She is such a bigot, in her Quakerly way. Their families, their circumstances, their background, even their religion is set to keep them apart. The story is a long arc of obstacles that they overcome to be together.
Such a beautiful book and story. A keeper for sure.
4.5 stars
Beauty and the Beast. The hero: a brilliant rake suddenly afflicted by stroke loses his speech and winds up in a brutal insane asylum. The heroine: a pious Quaker who has spent her entire life caring for the needs of others finds a man she recognizes in an asylum and takes up his cause.
Such an unusual story, at least the first half of it being mostly about this man's struggle to communicate - a mind that seems to think properly but can no longer process language - either taking it in or letting it out. In his frustration he is driven to violence. It seems maudlin, which it is, but it also slowly develops a relationship between these two wildly different people that wouldn't be believable without a slow start.
The story is so well researched and well written. The love story is paced brilliantly with just enough to keep things going. The love scenes are sparse but beautifully told, original, and sexy.
There is so much for this couple to overcome. He is a very unheroic character but has been set very low by his circumstances. She is such a bigot, in her Quakerly way. Their families, their circumstances, their background, even their religion is set to keep them apart. The story is a long arc of obstacles that they overcome to be together.
Such a beautiful book and story. A keeper for sure.
4.5 stars
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