Review: Beauty and the Blacksmith by Tessa Dare

Beauty and the Blacksmith by Tessa Dare

Book 3.5 of the Spindle Cove series

Publisher: Avon Impulse

Publication Date: April 30, 2013

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

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

Summary (from Goodreads):

 

At last, Diana gets a romance of her own! But with the last man anyone in Spindle Cove expects...

Beautiful and elegant, Miss Diana Highwood is destined to marry a wealthy, well-placed nobleman. At least, that's what her mother has loudly declared to everyone in Spindle Cove.

 

But Diana's not excited by dukes and lords. The only man who makes her heart pound is the village blacksmith, Aaron Dawes. By birth and fortune, they couldn't be more wrong for each other...but during stolen, steamy moments in his forge, his strong hands feel so right.

Is their love forged strong enough to last, or are they just playing with fire?

What I Liked:

 

First, a warning: I have not read any of the other books in this Spindle Cove series. In fact, I've never read anything by Tessa Dare. So, I may not know the relationships of some characters to others, or background of the setting or several characters, or so on. Nevertheless, that did not stop me from understanding and enjoying this book

 

I really liked this book. It is a novella, and therefore, it is short, but it is fun and swoony and so CUTE! I was thrilled by the character development in this book, despite the brevity of the story. Diana is a sturdy character from the beginning, but she definitely develops some more backbone as the story progresses. 

 

Aaron is FABULOUS. Ever since Will Turner, I have acquired a liking for blacksmiths. Well, Aaron is no exception. Right from the start, he is one to make your heartstrings kick. He did not undergo too much character development, but I feel like he didn't need to. But maybe I am just biased. *wink wink*

 

Even though I have not read any of the other Spindle Cove books, I got a good feel and understanding of the setting of the story. The place of the story is exquisitely described, and subtly, the author draws the readers into Spindle Cove. The time period is unmistakably historical - Regency, if I am not mistaken. I love Regency-era fiction. But that is no secret.

 

YAY for no love triangle! No foreseeable love triangle, anyway. Diana and Aaron get a nice ending, as is expected. But it is a CUTE ending. This book is so cute. I love the sort-of proposal scene. If you read the novella, you will love it as well. 

 

I know this is a novella, but when this book ended, I was dying for more! Good thing there was a preview of the next book that filled the last 25% of this book, right? NO. Because now I want more of that book! I think I have found myself a new historical fiction author to love!

 

What I Did Not Like:

 

I don't really have any complaints with this book. I enjoyed it; it was a quick and engaging read. Why 4 stars and not 5 stars? It feels like a 4-star book to me. It's a great historical fiction read! 

 

Would I Recommend It:

 

Of course I would! Especially if you have read the previous books in this series, or plan on doing so. Although, my recommendation would be to read the series in order. BUT, as with me, it is not necessary.

Rating:

 

4 stars. This novella is absolutely adorable!

 

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!