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Sep 15, 2011BethHMW rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Jasper Renshaw, Viscount Vale is disconcerted when he is left at the altar by his fiancee, the second time he has been turned aside by a fiancee. He is bemused and agreeable however, when Melisande Fleming offers herself to him as a bride. Melisande is thrilled that the man she has watched from a distance and loved for the past few years. But she also knows that revealing her love could hurt her irrecoverably. Vale, meanwhile, is highly curious about the mysteries contained within his wife and makes every effort to discover them, while also trying to uncover the betrayer who lead an entire regiment to be massacred during his time in the military. As Vale continues to dig, his obsession threatens to tear the couple apart. The second in a series, Hoyt crafts highly realistic characters with weaknesses rather than idealized individuals. Melisande is shy and afraid of heights, while Jasper is emotionally scarred by his experiences in the military. Hoyt also doesn't reduce servants to wallpaper, instead the major subplot focuses on Melisande's lady's maid and Vale's valet. I also always highly appreciate Hoyt's fairy tale that she includes in her historical romances, sections of which head each chapter and really expound on the themes and plot developments occurring in the main narrative. Just as enjoyable as I expect from Hoyt with a particularly sweet ending.