Everybody Needs A Little Romance

Their marriage lasted only slightly longer than the honeymoon—to no one’s surprise, not even Bryony Asquith’s. A man as talented, handsome, and sought after by society as Leo Marsden couldn’t possibly want to spend his entire life with a woman who rebelled against propriety by becoming a doctor. Why, then, three years after their annulment and half a world away, does he track her down at her clinic in the remotest corner of India?

Leo has no reason to think Bryony could ever forgive him for the way he treated her, but he won’t rest until he’s delivered an urgent message from her sister—and fulfilled his duty by escorting her safely back to England. But as they risk their lives for each other on the journey home, will the biggest danger be the treacherous war around them—or their rekindling passion?

If you haven’t read a Sherry Thomas book, you are truly missing out. Her writing is absolutely beautiful. When I hear people talking about distinct voices and storytelling, Ms. Thomas is one that always come to mind. I just haven’t read another book that has that little something extra in the storytelling like Ms. Thomas. How about an excerpt to prove it?

Not Quite A Husband is set in the late 1800s, just before the turn of the 18th century. But a later time period didn’t take away from the olden days of stories where men were considered gentlemen in polite society, but a little naughty everywhere else. Ladies were still expected to be simpering misses, but our heroine, Bryony (isn’t that a gorgeous name?), is anything but.

No, not at all! Bryony is actually surgeon. She’s gone to school and everything. It was refreshing to read about a woman who made something of herself without having done so in hiding behind a man’s name. Benefit of the later time period.

The hero is Leo, a brilliant mathematician. Now I absolutely abhor math and all things related, so I wasn’t too sure about Leo. But boy-oh-boy, it didn’t take him long to win me over. Had my math teachers been more like Leo, I might have enjoyed that subject a little more.

But back to the story. I fear another author would have butchered this storyline. Ms. Thomas, master that she is, tread very well. In Not Quite A Husband, the characters made their own messy bed by their own actions and then laid in them. Or well, suffered, perhaps.

I’m confusing you, aren’t I? Well, it’s not always easy to write a spoiler-free review, ya know.

In the beginning, I was one hundred percent in Bryony’s camp. Leo did something to her and screwed things all to the devil and back. I didn’t know what it could be, but I was certain that’s the way things happened. But then it didn’t take long where I shamelessly switch over to Leo’s side and decided it was all Bryony’s fault why they weren’t together. I didn’t know what Byrony had done, or why, but I knew sweet Leo couldn’t have been the source of their relationship problems. Indeed, the more I read, the angrier I got with Bryony for the treatment she unleashed on on poor, poor, handsome Leo. 

But then it happened again. I was able to instantly forgive Byrony, but I couldn’t quite leave Leo this time. It was no doubt by this point that an action he took was the root of their problems, indeed should have been a deal-breaker for me as a reader, but I couldn’t leave him. I was even guilty for feeling sorry for him, like I was betraying Byrony because I wanted her to desperately see his reasoning’s. And that’s what propelled me to turn the page and the next, and the next, instead of closing the book, despite what Leo had done. The more he talked and explained, I couldn’t decide who deserved my sympathy the most.

Now you see why I enjoyed this book so much? These two really reached down deep inside and planted themselves with me. I still find myself thinking of them. Are you interested now? How about a free book?

GOOD!

Because I have a copy going to one commenter. Leave a note and I’ll pick a winner….

Keri Ford

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