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sâmbătă, 14 septembrie 2013

Blog tour: Review "Blackmoore" by Julianne Donaldson - A Proper Romance

Blackmoore

Author: Julianne Donaldson


Publisher: Shadow Mountain


Published Date: September 9, 2013


Paperback/Kindle: 276 pages


Genre: Regency Romance


Book Brand: A Proper Romance

ISBN# 978-1-60907-460-9

 I received an ARC copy from the publisher 

Synopsis:

Kate Worthington knows she can never have her heart’s desire and so believes she will never marry. But Kate’s meddlesome mother has other plans. Kate journeys to the stately manor of Blackmoore on the cliffs above the seashore, where she must face the truth and the man that has kept her heart captive.


Set in northern England, Blackmoore is a Regency romance that tells the story of a young woman struggling to learn to follow her heart. With hints of Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters, Blackmoore is a page-turning tale of romance, intrigue and devotion.

My review:
It's official! Blackmoore has become one of my favorite books and believe me, I've read a lot. It's not only because of the Jane Austen feeling that you get when you read it, but also due to all the greatness that you encounter inside the pages. I fell in love with Kate and Henry from the beginning, they are so perfect for each other and I was keen to see them together even before they were aware of their feelings. I've found sweet and sad moments that made my eyes teary, wishing to see them happy.   

Kate Worthington decides one day that she won't marry at all and tells everyone about it, but not the real reason behind it. Her only impediment is her cruel and despicable mother who does everything in her power to find a man for Kate, and she succeeds by making a bet that she knows her daughter won't refuse. In order to let her go to India (the country she and her spinster aunt want to visit) and also give up on the idea of marriage, she must receive three proposals during her first visit to Blackmoore and to reject them. Not that difficult, believes Kate, but when she asks Henry to help her in this matter, she will discover that her friend takes his job seriously and her heart might not be as determined to refuse him as she wished at the beginning. And with his beautiful and romantic proposals I wouldn't deny the love that he expects in return and neither would you. Henry is the perfect gentleman and the best friend and lover any girl dreams about. In times like these I start to believe I was born in the wrong era. Ha ha!

Blackmoore is the mansion where Henry Delafield and his sister Sylvia spend their time every summer of every year, leaving Kate to dream about this amazing place, without being able to see it. The reason she can't go with them is their mother's refusal, because she has special plans for Henry with a specific Miss St. Claire and they don't include Kate. After many stories and years passing by, Kate is still dreaming to taste the mysteries of Blackmoore, so one day Henry makes it happen (against his mother's wish) and it's the perfect timing for Mrs. Worthington to scheme her plan. Now Kate's whole existence begins to tremble. 

The story is complex and full of romantic tension that I really loved. The attachment that you feel towards the characters is genuine and the same way is hatred, especially given to Kate's mother who is a reckless and shameful woman, in comparison to all the kindness and good temper that we see in her daughter. Although this is true, nobody wants to be connected with them, making poor Kate feel an outsider everywhere she goes. And when even her older sister copies her mother, these is no chance for her to be appreciated for who she is.   
Let's talk a little about the cover - it's gorgeous. It shows Kate in her journey to Blackmoore, the building we can see in the back, surrounded by fog and enigma. The dress she wears is so classy and pretty, proper for those times.        

I won't say more about it so you will be able to enjoy it entirely, without ruining the surprise, but I want to recommend it to all of you with all my heart and all my blessings, because I am very happy I had the opportunity to read it. The information that I learned about birds was very interesting and I began to pay more attention to their songs when I hear them outside. It really is a great book! 

If you liked Blackmoore, don't hesitate to read "Edenbrooke", a book also by Julianne Donaldson. You can find it here.

5 out of 5 butterflies



About Julianne Donaldson:

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.

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