Escape reading of the romantic variety. Not technically a romance novel because it's too long, but romance is at the center of it.

I am not a fan of romance-centered books, and this one offers a two-fer: the main character listens to her mother reading another book, which is included for our enjoyment, in the evenings. The inner book is shorter and reads very much like a romance novel except that the male character doesn't quite fit the mold. But on to the main story:

Julia Warwick is suddenly stricken blind after she falls from a horse. The condition is determined to be psychological, as there is no physical basis. Her impatient, controlling husband puts her in an institution, where she is supposed to work with a therapist who does not inspire trust.

Meanwhile, the man Julia was going to marry nine years before is released from prison, where he had been sent for the murder of Julia's best friend. While Julia found it hard to believe that he committed the murder, she did not make a good witness on the stand. Because a man on death row in Florida suddenly confessed to the murder Christian is set free. However, he knows that he will never truly be free if his neighbors still harbor suspicions about him. He therefore determines that he must discover what really happened.

Thus it is a romantic story and a mystery, sort of. Something of a detective story, although Christian goes about his detective work in a rather haphazard way. What does he find out? Does he rebuild his relationship with Julia? Do they ride off into the sunset? You'll have to read it to find out.

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I had questions. Julia stumbled on the witness stand, was confused, perhaps browbeaten by the prosecutor. Yet she believed that Christian did not do the deed. However, instead of helping to free him, she gets married and tries to forget him! I really didn't grasp what that was about. All those years and she didn't visit, didn't help the man who was funding the lawyers in any way. Julia had a child, which is why she wanted to marry quickly. The child is Christian's. She believes that it would only hurt him more to know he had a child and he was in prison for life. Seriously - if she thought he was innocent why wasn't she trying harder to get him out? And she must have known others were. So why not let him know? Even if he were to spend his life in prison wouldn't he like knowing he had a child?

Threads of this story did not hang together for me. It isn't the type book I love anyway, of course. I am sure many others would not be bothered by it. ( )

I enjoy this author, I liked the Irish books better but this was enjoyable and well written. ( )

An enjoyable read about a young woman who suffers from blindness after being thrown from a horse--except that the doctors can find no physical reason for the blindness. Set in Virgina fox-hunting territory, this book leads us through the life of the protagonist and we watch her discover her past through a novel written by her mother. Definitely worth reading. ( )

Painfully predictable. Only read because it was recommended. Guess I am just not a romance novel kind of girl. ( )

really like