Better-than-average romance, great characters, good plot. Liked the imperfect hero/heroine roles. ( )

The following review I've done for Romance Reader At Heart website



RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:


Jo Beverley knows her craft, and she never disappoints. Her books are not just fun and exciting to read, but they make you feel like you're right in the thick of things! What a wonderful and unique love story she brings us this time.

I found the plot original and unique; the story fresh and engaging. In giving us Cate (Catesby Burgoyne), she has created a character that just melts our hearts. He's a gentleman and a dutiful son and a hero to our heroine. In rescuing Prudence, he rescues himself, as well. We watch him struggle before and after he becomes an heir to earldom, and we can't help but root for him.

Life for Prudence Youlgrave has not been easy. She's impoverished through neglect of her brother, and by the time Cate rescues her from a bunch of bad guys, she's had enough and is planning to take her destiny into her own hands. We cheer her on as she confronts her brother and especially his wife.

Our hero and heroine are strong on their own, but together, they're a force to be reckoned with. Their love story was sweet and tender, and I liked that the author took the time and care in developing a true and genuine relationship between Prudence and Cate. Ms. Beverley took no shortcuts with this story. This romance felt real and not rushed. Also, it was much, much fun catching up with Diana, the Countess of Arradale, as she puts in a cameo appearance.

If you're looking for a love story that will warm your heart and give you the "fuzzies", look no further than AN UNLIKELY COUNTESS.

Melanie ( )

Had to slog through the first third of this slow-starter, then things picked up.

Lots of stock characters, the ol' 'should I tell?' romance premise, but likeable major characters nevertheless.

Surely Jo Beverley has her computer programed to write romances like these, however, there are far worse out there. ( )

Lady Wombat says:

After hearing Jo Beverley speak at the RWA conference (about what romance writers, particularly American ones, get wrong when they write about the English past), it was fun to get hold of her latest and give it a read. Beverley writes intelligently about intelligent characters, something that is all too rare in the field, and her research and historical grounding shine through in this addition to her oeuvre.

But this isn't one of her best books. It begins slowly, with the h/h meeting in the first chapter but then not seeing each other again until almost a third of the book is over. Once they do get together, there is little, emotionally, keeping them apart, which was an interesting change from most historical romances. Here, the h/h like each other from the start, and there is little of the typical romance fighting/antagonism between them. A friendly, enjoyable relationship, although the lack of sexual tension between the two (and lack of sexual consummation throughout the book!) made the relationship less compelling that it might have been, as did the too-sudden turnaround at the novel's end by the hero's sister-in-law. An interesting exploration of class differences, but not the most engaging narrative.

I reviewed this book for Romance Reader At Heart website:

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Jo Beverley knows her craft, and she never disappoints. Her books are not just fun and exciting to read, but they make you feel like you’re right in the thick of things! What a wonderful and unique love story she brings us this time.

I found the plot original and unique; the story fresh and engaging. In giving us Cate (Catesby Burgoyne), she has created a character that just melts our hearts. He’s a gentleman and a dutiful son and a hero to our heroine. In rescuing Prudence, he rescues himself, as well. We watch him struggle before and after he becomes an heir to earldom, and we can’t help but root for him.

Life for Prudence Youlgrave has not been easy. She’s impoverished through neglect of her brother, and by the time Cate rescues her from a bunch of bad guys, she’s had enough and is planning to take her destiny into her own hands. We cheer her on as she confronts her brother and especially his wife.

Our hero and heroine are strong on their own, but together, they’re a force to be reckoned with. Their love story was sweet and tender, and I liked that the author took the time and care in developing a true and genuine relationship between Prudence and Cate. Ms. Beverley took no shortcuts with this story. This romance felt real and not rushed. Also, it was much, much fun catching up with Diana, the Countess of Arradale, as she puts in a cameo appearance.

If you’re looking for a love story that will warm your heart and give you the “fuzzies”, look no further than AN UNLIKELY COUNTESS.

Melanie ( )