5 stars Too short and yet, exactly right. Anything longer would have prolonged the pleasure unnecessarily (though I wouldn’t have complained). Were it a longer story, I'd have continued to enjoy it, luxuriating it in the poetic prose of undying and endless love. I’ve barely had enough of these characters. Still, their story has been fully told, no further conflicts upon the horizon, their happily ever after achieved. Now, I'm left to revisit some of the words that tickled my fancy or impressed my imagination. Sometimes while reading, I'll imagine how something could have been worded differently to add clarity or poetry. Other times, I'll muse on the perfection of the words that were chosen. Tracy Sumner compelled me to do the latter much more so than the former. It was pure joy. There was one scene in particular that caused me to pause and reread it, astounded by the emotions it evoked. I love to quote authors, but I generally try not to be excessive. In this case, however, I find it unavoidable, by this scene alone, reduced to a reader falling in love with a fictional character. Are you going to marry me, Raine? Not to sound missish, but if you want this”—he nodded to the bedchamber—“you’re going to have to marry me to get it. My body, mind, and soul are yours if you’ll agree to take them. But I won’t ruin you. I won’t. And I can’t share any more of myself and wonder if I’ll get it back. I’m in too deep. He swallowed hard, his sapphire eyes darting to the floor, and she knew with such sweet simplicity that her roguish, complicated, brilliant watchmaker was as delicate of heart as she. “You fear being beholden, but what if I were to tell you I would be wholly beholden as well? What if we are worth more than any promise you made to yourself?” His gaze lifted, his earnestness smoothing away her fear like a plane to rough wood. “I won’t own you in any way you don’t own me.” Penny, Christian’s “valet” and best friend, adds some welcome comic relief to a story that could have easily wandered into mawkishness with its raw emotions and sentimental romanticism. He offered that nervous laughter that draws you back to reality, reminds you that its best not to lose yourself completely in a fictional love affair, lest you suffer the broken heart. When Christian fumbles his first proposal to Raine, Penny sums it up nicely: “Ah, I’ve read this play before. You bumble, then Miss Mowbray says something you don’t want to hear, and boom, a sulking, insolent man appears, stage left.” Christian begrudgingly acknowledges that Penny is correct, admitting: “Then I got angry, and that sulking, insolent bloke you mentioned joined the party. It wasn’t pretty.” I appreciated that Christian didn’t take himself too seriously or think himself some model of perfection. He was also cognizant of Rain’s imperfections and loved her as a complete package, even recognizing that her flaws made her more interesting. I appreciated that there were no contrived conflicts between Raine and Christian—an avoidable misunderstanding or interference from some nefarious villain intent upon destroying their love. There was no heartbreaking falling out, no grave event that drove them apart. This made the unfolding of their relationship much more relatable and believable. And relaxed. It was enough to have Raine’s internal conflict as the challenge to be overcome. It was sufficient for the enjoyment of their eventual happiness together. And I did enjoy this story. Immensely. I highly recommend it. August 16, 2020
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