by Sandra Scholes, guest reviewer
In 1910 Albuquerque, New Mexico, Charity Blythe and Edwin Payne, her betrothed are very much in love and due to be wed soon, but life in the bedroom is proving to be boring for him, who tells her she has to perform better than she has lately if she wants to be his wife. This creates tension that leads her to think about whether or not she wants to be his if he acts so stubborn. He treats her as though she is already his, and when she can't do what he wants, he becomes angry and takes his wrath out on her.
Even ladies before the 1920's were supposed to be chaste, and have a sense of decency around men, and the reader will feel as though Edwin should know that already. While Charity wants love, he desires sex from her as though she was just for his pleasure alone. She hates his nagging tones, and he dislikes her shyness in bed. Both aren't in tune with each other, and as they have both been engaged for three months he is pushing her to see a physician about her problem submitting to him.
This one certainly warranted a four star rating as it drew me in right at the beginning, and carried me on the rest of the way - I wanted, needed to find out what would happen next when Charity saw the physician and was pleasantly surprised at the outcome. Dillon Ramsay is the physician who caters to her needs, but not in the way she expected. They discuss her sex life with Edwin, and he discovers that it isn't her who has a problem with sex, it's him. His lack of caressing, loving kisses and closeness make her shy away from wanting sex with him. If only he were more responsive to her needs she might try harder to please him - but when he isn't doing enough to please her, it's a wonder she lays with him at all.
Charity's trip to the physician was all that was needed for her to find out the real problem and the solution to it so easily, but when she does the one thing she never though she would do, it sets her wanting more of the same, but from her new husband. In this volume, the dialogue is wonderful, there is comedy, seriousness and the story drives the reader from the start with an ultimately believable plot.
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This post was written by...
Sandra Scholes – who has written 169 posts on Love Romance Passion.
Sandra delights in immersing herself in anything period romance, says that supernatural romance novels have a tendency to grasp her in a way that some don't, and thinks GLBT romances have that extra something and show a different way of how people of the same sex find love and try to keep it. She likes a wide variety of novels and is interested in reading stories, and in some cases, the shorter the better. Romance of all genres can keep her interest, but she finds that the Regency period is one of her firm favourites. Learn more about Sandra in her Reader Highlight.
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Ooh, a 1910 setting!