Shadow Mountain
ISBN: 978-1609074609
Published Sept 9, 2013
Trade paperback, 320 pages
I thoroughly enjoyed this Gothic
regency romance and was swept away into this story with its unusual
heroine. Kate Worthington grew up with her childhood friends Sylvia
and Henry Delafield, who are from a well-to-do family. They have a
stately manor named Blackmoore on the cliffs above the seashore where
they spend their summers and where Kate has longed to go but has
never been allowed because the Delafields do not approve of her
family. When Kate becomes a young lady, she finally gets to visit
Blackmoore, and all her longings unravel as she struggles to protect
the man she loves.
The story alternates between the
present and the past (4 years previous) as Kate's story comes to
light and the mystery of why she is so adamant about not marrying is
revealed. We also get to know exactly why the Delafields disapprove
of her family. I must say that this built suspense and kept me turning the pages. There were a few twists and turns in the story. The dialogue is witty
and propels the story along beautifully. This is not a typical
romance but a proper Austenesque-like one where the tension builds
between the two characters until I was so emotionally invested I
couldn't put the book down. It's the best kind of romance. Full of
real emotions, situations and circumstances. It's sexy without the
sex.
Kate is a strong independent character.
She is different and I never knew what to expect from her. She
dreams of going away to India with her aunt. She is willing to
sacrifice for the one she loves. Henry is a strong character too,
with good principles and a certain subtle vulnerability the only
enhanced his good character and manliness, if that makes sense. I
loved how well the author built up these main characters. I loved
their scenes together, past and present, which made me understand the
extent of their relationship and what it was built on.
Note: This book is rated C = clean read.
To read more reviews, visit the Shadow Mountain tour page.
Julianne Donaldson grew up as the daughter of a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot. She learned how to ski in the Italian Alps, visited East Berlin before the wall came down, and spent three years living next to a 500-year-old castle. After earning a degree in English, she turned her attention to writing about distant times and places. She lives in Utah with her husband and four children.
Connect with Julianne on Facebook.
Reviewed by Laura
Disclosure: Thanks to Shadow Mountain for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.
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