Laura Martin (1) (1952–)

Good book. Leo and Josh Ashburton's parents died when they were very young. Leo was taken in and raised by his great-aunt, a cold, emotionless woman who refused to take Josh and keep the brothers together. A family friend took Josh and gave him a loving home. Unfortunately, that home was in India, creating a years-long separation. As the book opens, Josh arrives in England for the first time in more than twenty years. Though they wrote letters during the intervening years, Josh can't wait to see Leo and immediately heads to his London home. He's dismayed to see a ball taking place and goes to the garden to wait for the right time to approach Leo. There he meets the lovely Lady Elizabeth.

Beth escaped the ball to hide in the garden, avoiding facing Leo. An understanding between Leo and her late father has Beth all but engaged to him. Her father's death and massive debts put Beth, her sister, and her mother in dire financial straits, and her mother pressures Beth to push the engagement forward. Leo feels honor-bound to follow through on his promise though he doesn't wish to marry just yet. Beth doesn't want a loveless match but believes she has no choice.

I loved the first meeting between Josh and Beth. Josh and Leo look enough alike that Beth mistook him for Leo at first. There was an immediate connection and attraction between Beth and Josh, but they fight it. Thanks to Leo's extreme reluctance, Josh and Beth frequently find themselves thrown together. Unfortunately, Beth's shrewish and selfish mother keeps the pressure on Beth to bring Leo up to scratch. The more time they spend together, the deeper the feelings grow between Josh and Beth. I liked how Josh's attention helped Beth find some of the strength she needs to stand up to her mother. I especially enjoyed the theater fire scene and Beth's determination to help.

In a terrific scene at the beach, Josh and Beth finally give in to their feelings for each other and plan their future together. I ached for Josh, who didn't want to hurt Leo but felt both of them deserved love in their lives. Leo impressed me with his frank talk with Josh, and I had high hopes for Josh and Beth's future. Then disaster struck with Beth's younger sister Annabelle. Beth's mother pushes all the buttons that work on Beth's guilt, and suddenly they are right back where they started. I hurt for Josh, who is brokenhearted and ready to run back to India, and I wanted to shake Beth for not standing up for her own needs. When Beth discovers how far her mother is willing to go to get her way, she realizes the depth of her mistake. I loved seeing Beth in the position of begging for Josh's forgiveness because of what she did. The ending was terrific, and the epilogue showed a bright outlook for their future.

Though Leo often comes across as cold and unfeeling, his interactions with Josh show otherwise. When Leo, Josh, and Beth visit the great-aunt, her attitude explains a lot. I liked Leo's willingness to follow through on his promise while ultimately allowing Josh and Beth to reach for their dreams. Another glimpse into Leo's true self came during his interactions with Beth's sister. I liked how he stepped up to help at the end.

A mystery surrounds Beth's sister Annabelle, who never leaves their home in the country. I ached for both of them with the revelation of their history and loved that they were so close. Their mother is selfish, snobbish, and manipulative, and deserves more trouble than she ultimately receives.… (más)

Good book about two lonely people whose past hurts hold them back from living full lives. As a young child, Annabelle was badly scarred on one cheek. Since that time, Annabelle's mother told her over and over that she must stay at home to spare others the sight of her scars. After years of this treatment, Annabelle believes that her scars are who she is and that no one would see past them. On those rare occasions Annabelle left the property, she always wore a veil to hide her face. If it hadn't been for her sister, Beth, her life would have been miserable indeed. Then Beth married and left for India with her husband, leaving Annabelle with only her selfish, shrewish mother.

Leo, the heir to a viscount, needs a wife. The current (dying) viscount insists that Leo marry if he wants to inherit the funds necessary to maintain all of the properties. Leo is a very private man who keeps everyone at a distance. After the deaths of his parents when he was a child, he and his brother were separated. Josh went to India with his guardian, while Leo lived with a different guardian. She was a cold, unfeeling woman who made sure he was cared for but showed no affection. His one attempt at a loving relationship ended in disaster. He hides behind a mask of aloofness, certain that if he comes to care for someone, sooner or later, that person will be taken from him.

I liked watching the relationship develop between Leo and Annabelle. With her sister married to his brother, they know each other a little bit. When Leo needs to find a wife, he knows what he needs - a woman who accepts that he cannot offer love. Annabelle seems to be a perfect choice - a woman uninterested in Society, content to stay at home. When he lays his proposal in front of her, Leo is honest about his expectations. While Annabelle longs for a marriage like her sister's, she knows it is unlikely. Marrying Leo provides a way to escape from under her mother's thumb and have a home of her own.

Neither Annabelle nor Leo expected the attraction or the feelings that grew between them. Leo planned that he would spend most of his time in London while Annabelle lived in the country, rarely spending time together. But when he became ill right after their wedding, Annabelle cared for him. The more time they spent together, the more they discovered they liked each other. Though wary, Leo agreed with Annabelle that friendship and companionship were possible. Unfortunately for his plans, Leo found the walls around his heart crumbling.

I liked how Leo saw past Annabelle's scars to the fascinating woman she was. Disgusted by how her mother treated her, Leo showed Annabelle that she was more than her scars. I liked how he encouraged her to leave off her veil and face people head-on. I liked seeing the changes in Annabelle as her confidence grew. For Annabelle, the more time she spent with Leo, the more she wanted their marriage to be real. When they were together, she watched him begin to relax and enjoy their time together. I liked how she encouraged him to talk about his good memories and his relationship with his brother. But letting go of their fears isn't easy, and both Leo and Anabelle have moments of backsliding. When one of those moments sends Annabelle running back to safety, both of them must face their fears and their feelings and decide which is more important. I loved the ending and seeing them both choose love over fear. The epilogue was fantastic, with a peek into the lives of both Ashburton couples a few years into the future.

#netgalley… (más)

Very good book. The story opens with two different people making their way through the snow to Hailsham Hall. Thomas, Lord Hauxton, is a friend of the Duke's, a widower who has suffered many losses over the last several years. He looks forward to the peace of the countryside, away from the society determined to draw him back in. His hosts are not home when Thomas arrives, delayed on their travels by the same storm. It's late, and he's cold, so he heads right to bed.

The second person is Henrietta. Henrietta is a woman of good birth who is also a painter. It isn't just a hobby; it is a calling. Her mother disapproves, so Henrietta has been sneaking out for years to do her painting. On this day, Henrietta's mother discovered the deception and, in a fit of rage, destroyed the painting that Henrietta spent months working on. Hurt and angry, Henrietta flees to Hailsham. The Duchess is her cousin and best friend, and her haven when she needs one.

Thanks to some confusion among the servants, Henrietta was sent to the same room occupied by Thomas. Their reactions when Henrietta discovered the bed was already occupied were pretty amusing. Henrietta made quite an impression on Thomas, as he did on her. The next morning could have been very awkward, but both Henrietta and Thomas are straightforward people and moved past the night's events easily. Fate isn't entirely done with causing awkward situations, and a rambunctious dog and an unexpected bathtub encounter created some more tension. However, the weather ensured that Henrietta and Thomas had ample time to spend together, and they soon formed a cautious friendship.

Both Henrietta and Thomas have made the decision not to marry. Thomas's many losses made him reluctant to risk caring about someone again. Henrietta is confident that marriage would mean the end of her ability to paint, so she plans to remain a spinster. Neither of them counted on the attraction that sparked between them and the enjoyment they found in each other's company. I loved Thomas's vocal support of Henrietta's painting and his genuine awe of her talent. There are a couple of great scenes with Thomas, Henrietta, and her mother, where he makes that appreciation very clear.

It is easy to see that Thomas and Henrietta's feelings for each other grow and change. Henrietta soon starts to dream of possibilities, even though she is well aware of his anti-marriage intentions. There was hope in her heart when those feelings seemed to be returned anyway. Her despair was heartwrenching when a close call brought all of Thomas's fears rushing to the surface and sent him running. I wanted to shake him until his teeth rattled and make him see what he was throwing away. I loved it when he finally saw the light and feared that he had ruined everything. His big moment at the end was an emotional baring of his heart. I loved the epilogue and Thomas's demonstration of his love and support.… (más)

Good story. I thoroughly enjoyed the romance aspect, which was enhanced by the setting. I have seen very few historical romance stories set in Australia during the early years, and this one was very well done.

George has just arrived back in Sydney after being away for three years. Although he enjoyed his time in England and the countries he visited during his return trip, he missed his home. As he's walking away from the ship, he hears the terrified screams of a woman and doesn’t hesitate. What he found was a young female convict being ruthlessly whipped, a sight he couldn't stomach. He purchased her indenture on the spot and took her home to his farm to work there.

Alice was convicted of a crime she didn't commit and transported to Australia. The journey was wretched, and her time since arrival was not much better. Between the man in England who lured her away from home and into trouble, and the men on the ship and land, Alice has lost all inclination to trust a man ever again. She was extremely wary of George's offer to work out her sentence on his farm.

I liked both Alice and George. Alice is a survivor and has far more inner strength than she realizes. Her wariness around George was understandable. I loved that she dared to make her position clear when her suspicions made her think George had nefarious intentions. Her first few days are a bit rough as she adjusts to the change in her circumstances. George is a wonderful man. Born and raised in Australia, he loves his land and his country. He is also a man with a kind, nurturing, and protective heart, as shown by his collection of stray and rescued animals.

I enjoyed seeing the development of the relationship between George and Alice. There are sparks between them from the start that both try to resist. Alice, because of her distrust of men in general, and George, because Alice is an employee. I loved how George understood why Alice was so prickly and was amused by her more often than not. Because of his acceptance of the difference in their positions, George goes for the friendship option with Alice. I loved seeing him show her the beauties of his homeland and work on building her trust. There were some funny moments involving George, Alice, and unexpected encounters with animals. There were also some very moving moments as Alice regains some of her ability to trust. It was also easy to see that the feelings between them grew stronger. I ached for Alice, who believed that she was nowhere near good enough for him. As she began to realize the depth of her feelings for him and suspect his, she was also haunted by a secret from her past. I hurt for both of them when she finally confessed that secret, though I also wanted to smack George for his reaction. The ending was quite nerve-wracking until they found their way back to each other. The epilogue was terrific. I liked seeing where they were a few years down the road, especially the changes in Alice.

I also liked seeing George's two friends, Sam and Ben, again, along with their wives. The close friendship among the three men is fantastic. I loved the way that they teased each other, and also supported each other. I loved that each of them had excellent advice for George, even though he wasn't always willing to listen to it. I also liked their kindness and support for Alice and her relationship with George. I also loved their wives, Georgina and Francesca. They were so down-to-earth in spite of their society backgrounds. It was great to see the way they took to Alice and their parts in bringing Alice and George together.… (más)