Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Good book with intriguing main characters. Viscount Langdon is holed up on an island in Cornwall, recovering from the effects of a railway crash. He has a hard time coping with the changes in himself and frequently doubts his sanity. The book opens as he stalks the cliffs of his island, more drunk than sober, railing against the fates that left him feeling that he no longer deserves to be his father's heir. But worse than that, the bone-deep loneliness is slowly destroying him. As he yells into the wind, "A woman! A woman! My kingdom for a woman!" the lightning reveals a woman washed up on the island's shore. It isn't until he gets her unconscious body to his home that he recognizes her.
Marlowe is an infamous courtesan in London. The story of how she came to be in that position is heartbreaking, but she has accepted the consequences of her choices and made the best of them. She is especially unusual in that her hobby is flying a hot air balloon, which is how she washed up on Langdon's island.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Langdon and Marlowe develop. They have encountered each other in London and noted sparks of attraction between them. But she is the mistress of another man, and he doesn't poach. The book's first half is spent with Langdon and Marlowe on the island while the storm rages. I loved watching them get to know each other - talking, flirting, doing day-to-day things, and discovering they like each other very much. But life doesn't stand still, and eventually they return to London.
Neither forgot their time together. Marlowe's time with her current protector is ending, and she must decide her next steps. She could move on to another man, but her heart wants Langdon and not as his mistress. However, she is well aware of their class differences and that her profession makes her unsuitable for him to marry. Langdon also knows the likely repercussions of proposing marriage. He doesn't want to create problems for his family but also wants the woman he loves.
There is plenty of angst on both sides as Marlowe and Langdon work through the obstacles keeping them apart. It isn't easy to overcome expectations and prejudices, and I enjoyed seeing Langdon's determination. His big moment at the end was fantastic. I loved the final chapter, and the epilogue was a terrific conclusion.
Marlowe is an infamous courtesan in London. The story of how she came to be in that position is heartbreaking, but she has accepted the consequences of her choices and made the best of them. She is especially unusual in that her hobby is flying a hot air balloon, which is how she washed up on Langdon's island.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Langdon and Marlowe develop. They have encountered each other in London and noted sparks of attraction between them. But she is the mistress of another man, and he doesn't poach. The book's first half is spent with Langdon and Marlowe on the island while the storm rages. I loved watching them get to know each other - talking, flirting, doing day-to-day things, and discovering they like each other very much. But life doesn't stand still, and eventually they return to London.
Neither forgot their time together. Marlowe's time with her current protector is ending, and she must decide her next steps. She could move on to another man, but her heart wants Langdon and not as his mistress. However, she is well aware of their class differences and that her profession makes her unsuitable for him to marry. Langdon also knows the likely repercussions of proposing marriage. He doesn't want to create problems for his family but also wants the woman he loves.
There is plenty of angst on both sides as Marlowe and Langdon work through the obstacles keeping them apart. It isn't easy to overcome expectations and prejudices, and I enjoyed seeing Langdon's determination. His big moment at the end was fantastic. I loved the final chapter, and the epilogue was a terrific conclusion.
