Smitten by the Brit (Sometimes in Love, #2)

by Melonie Johnson

[stacey_is_sassy]

A Hero any mother would love…

I know there will be a LOT of readers who will absolutely LOVE Theodore, the sixteenth Duke of Emberton. No, this is not a historical romance, it’s contemporary, but we do get to hang out with the upper-crust for a little while. I have to take a step back in reviewing this one because good old Theo does absolutely nothing for me. I didn’t even get a heart flutter, goofy smile and not one skerrick of a contented sigh passed my lips. So, while I thought this was a good story and I was thoroughly entertained, Theo just wasn’t for me. I wonder if you’ll be able to work out why the Duke of Emberton didn’t float my boat…

I was fortunate enough to meet Bonnie and Theo when I read Melonie Johnson’s debut romance, Getting Hot with the Scot. Bonnie, at the time, was engaged to her childhood sweetheart, Gabe, and was looking forward to setting a date for her wedding. Now, I wasn’t feeling overly confident that this date was going to get set, to be honest. I know for a fact, that if I was away from hubby even before he was my hubby we would be communicating every day and numerous times. I did not get that vibe at all. When Bonnie (while still engaged) met Theo, there were sparks flying. Bonnie, being the good girl that she is, ignored those sparks and returned home to the loving arms of her fiancé.

Bonnie shouldn’t have ignored those sparks because Gabe, the douchewaffle, didn’t ignore the sparks flying back at home.

Theo has a lot of family obligations and a duty to see his family line succeed. Unfortunately, the Emberton estates are verging on the brink of bankruptcy and it’s up to him to fill the coffers. What better way than to marry himself off to the highest bidder. He knows that’s what he has to do (as his Mama tells him often) but he also knows that a marriage match like that will probably not involve love. When Theo meets Bonnie sparks fly when he is absolutely enthralled with her red-haired, freckled beauty. If only Bonnie was a millionaire heiress with a good family name.

There was a lot about Bonnie that resonated with me. Her love of Shakespeare and Austen, scribbling down her thoughts and finding comfort surrounded by books, were things I could relate to. There were also things that I couldn’t relate to as well. She was just a wee bit timid, innocent and shy, especially when it comes to meeting blokes. Bonnie had been with Gabe since they were teenagers and had never kissed another man. I can’t even comprehend not having a comparison of good against bad. How would you know you’ve got a good egg if you haven’t dealt with a rotten egg first? I think, Bonnie knew from the first meeting that Theo was the best kind of egg for her.

Theo is the most well-mannered, polite and thoughtful gentleman that I’ve met (in the romance reading world) in a long, long time. He’s not demanding, bossy or arrogant. Theo walks you to the door, places a kiss on your cheek, and wishes you sweet dreams. Kind gestures, thoughtful dates and sweet surprises are exactly what you should expect when dating Theo. He’s the perfect gentleman.

Now, even though Theo was not the perfect hero for me, I did enjoy my time Smitten by the Brit. Seeing the sights, catching up with friends and meeting Theo’s very cool sister, Tabitha, made this a very entertaining read.

BUT

The one thing that did leave me a little frustrated (besides the fact that Theo doesn’t float my boat) was that Bonnie and Theo’s relationship doesn’t really start to come together until the very last pages. Theo’s family obligations and Bonnie’s break up leave them with many obstacles to overcome before they can even attempt a relationship. Don’t get me wrong, I knew they were meant for each other from their very first meeting, it just took them a wee while to catch up to me. We’re not left hanging for some sexy times either, it’s just that these knuckleheads took their bloody time to get to the real connection.

So, did you guess why Theo didn’t float my boat? I’ll give you a hint…

He’s not demanding, bossy or arrogant.

This book will be perfect for a lot of readers because Theo is a sweet, thoughtful and caring hero who uses his manners A LOT. Bonnie will appeal to a lot of readers because she's just like one of us. I highly recommend Smitten by the Brit and will not hesitate to read more from Melonie Johnson in the future.

Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.