Reviewed by inlibrisveritas on
This romance seemed far more interested in the historical aspect that many others I have read and found myself actually curious about the events that were alluded to. It’s clear that Joyce did her research and tried to paint a very vibrant image of the time period. Mistaken identity takes on a new feel when war comes into play. I liked the added intrigue that came from Bedford’s involvement with Julianne, and all the little surprises along the way. I will say if you lean more towards fluff romance then this is probably one to skip as it does get into the politics of the time as both Paget and Julianne are very active in that part of their society. Personally, I liked the change of pace from the usual fluffy romances that kind of ignore the historical events of the time.
I do like our couple though they can both be maddeningly stubborn. Julianne is an optimist and a support of the French Revolution, she believes in democracy and has somewhat romantic notions of what the war is really like. Paget, however, has seen what the war does to people and supports the monarchy. These two get themselves into situations that were entirely avoidable if they took a moment to truly think on their course of action, but they both think they are doing what’s best for other people. The romance between them is passionate and of course rife with issues stemming from Paget’s lie to Julianne’s desire to help the cause. They could be so frustrating but it was such a satisfying pairing in the end.
Overall I really liked the added historical context and the writing was wonderful, though I can readily acknowledge that this one is not for everyone.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 24 December, 2017: Finished reading
- 24 December, 2017: Reviewed