Review: The Reluctant Countess by Wendy Vella

The Reluctant Countess by Wendy Vella

Publisher: Loveswept

Publication Date: January 14, 2013

Rating: 4 stars
Source: Ecopy provided by the publisher

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

From rising romance star Wendy Vella comes a Cinderella story of whirlwind passion between a dashing earl and a beautiful countess—and the secret that threatens to tear them apart.

Regal, poised, and elegant, Sophie, Countess of Monmouth, is everything that a highborn lady should be. But Sophie is hiding a past that is far from royal. When Patrick, Earl of Coulter, realizes that her story doesn’t add up, he resolves to find out the truth of what Sophie and her sister-in-law are concealing. Although Sophie has every reason to avoid him, the handsome and charismatic Patrick awakens something wicked deep within her soul . . . a powerful need that Sophie must stifle in order to protect her place in society.

Despite Sophie’s humble background, the raven-haired beauty has won Patrick’s heart. But what Sophie needs now is an ally. Viscount Myles Dumbly, the disgruntled former heir of Monmouth, is determined to expose Sophie as a fraud to recapture his lost inheritance. Soon Patrick is drawn into a fight for both their lives. Somehow he must find a way not only to rescue Sophie from poverty once and for all, but to keep her in his arms forever.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: The Escape Diaries, The Devil’s Thief, and The Magic.

What I Liked:

OH MY GOSH I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH! AHHHH!!!!!

Seriously though. Nowadays, I rarely have the time oto re-read books. But this book? I have read and re-read it like, LITERALLY, 10 times or more. The whole thing. One to a few days in between each read. I love this book THAT MUCH.

Let me start with the story itself. The plot is so simple, but it gets pretty twisty and interesting as the reader goes on. Right from the start, we know that Patrick and Sophie have some serious chemistry, but we also know that Patrick suspects something of Sophie. That is basically the first half of the book. The second half of the book deals with what Patrick suspected of Sophie, and how that situation is handled. Trust me, that sounds boring and silly, but I loved the plot of this book. I could probably tell you what happens in every scene, in order. This book is addicting.

The characters - Sophie and Patrick. I really like Sophie; she is sweet and down-to-earth, but she fits in well in society. She plays her role as an artistocratic lady well, and yet she remembers her place that she held before she came upon the position she holds. I really, REALLY like Patrick. He is everything that an alpha male is, and if not, should be. He is handsome (hot!), swoony, brooding, tempermental yet gentle, protectice, oh-so-ripped, and a perfect gentleman. I think he is an excellent hero, and a perfect complement to Sophie. They are such a great couple!

So, love triangle? No. Not in the serious sense. Sophie and Patrick are the primary couple.

You all know how much I LOVE historical fiction, especially historical romance. Well. THIS is exactly why I love historical romance. This book is definitely one of my favorite (if not, my FAVORITE) historical romance books I have read.

The ending is SO PERFECT. For those of you who like happily-ever-afters (like me!), you will enjoy the ending of this book. Actually, you will enjoy the entire book!

What I Did Not Like:

Honestly, the second half of the book was not as enticing and interesting as the first half. After Patrick and Sophie, um, get together (I don't want to ruin anything for anyone!), there is a certain point in the book where it is still amazing (really! I promise!), but it's not the same high-level quality in terms of the romance, and in a way, the events of the plot. I love the first half of the book. I like the second half of the book. But that's my only complaint. And it is not that big of a deal. Did I mention how many times I re-read this book? Ten plus, and counting.

I am also not a huge fan of the cover, but that is not really up to the author. I'm just saying.

Would I Recommend It:

YES YES YES! You would be doing yourself a favor if you bought this book and read it. Seriously, any of you romance, historical fiction, and/or historical romance lovers out there will LOVE this book. Trust me!

Rating:

4 stars. I really, really liked this book! Historical fiction and romance is usually a great combination, and this author pulled off her story superbly.

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