Christian, Duke of Jervaulx, is one of the richest and most popular members of society, as well as a notorious rake and womanizer. Maddy (Archimedea) Timms is a devout Quaker who lives with and cares for her blind mathematician father. Maddy knows Christian from a distance, because he also happens to be a mathematical genius who is writing a paper on geometry with her father. However, she is disgusted by his pride and worldliness. But when a tragic accident leaves Christian unable to understand or communicate with other people, he is incarcerated in a lunatic asylum – and Maddy is the only one who might be able to help him. As she patiently tries to communicate with Christian, sparks start flying, but many obstacles stand between them and their happy ending.

Okay, I’ll admit it: although it’s a romance novel, I genuinely liked it! :) The love story wasn’t just a superficial I-hate-you-oh-wait-I-love-you plot; Maddy and Christian have to deal with a lot of real problems, even after their attraction to each other is revealed. Christian’s infirmity has left him insecure and hesitant to trust anyone. Maddy knows that, should she marry Christian, she will be completely out of place in his world. Christian’s family is trying to get him declared legally incompetent so that they can get their hands on his estate. Maddy’s longing for Christian goes against her Quaker beliefs. I was so glad that Kinsale recognized and dealt with all these problems in the book, avoiding a simplistic resolution. The two main characters were also well done, especially Christian – even at the end of the book, he remains complex and has a dark side to him. I didn’t even have a problem with the writing style, which only occasionally slipped into cliché. I enjoyed this book a lot and would definitely recommend it!

One of the best romance novels of all time. I love this book. It is a deeply moving story of the power of love and the nature of people when stripped to their most deeply held selves. ( )

This book is a pinnacle for me. It really changed my concept of what could be done in "genre" writing. It's not an "easy" read. You cannot turn your brain off for this one. There is the whole issue of the atrocious treatment of the mentally ill in the late regency time, there is Maddie's faith and strict religious belief's, difficult issues that are handled with intelligence and not glossed over, and yet , at the heart of it all, there is an enduring love story,.
This touched me, deeply, and I cannot recommend it enough. ( )

An emotionally exhausting but fantastic love story between two people from opposite sides of the social hierarchy in nineteenth century England.

This book was not something I finished in a few days. I had to step away from it several times because it was so heart wrenching. Not an easy read but Kinsale is an excellent storyteller. ( )

This book was a recommendion. I am so glad that I picked it up. It is an intense, often disturbing, look at mental illness treatment during the late regency.

Our hero, the Duke of Jervaulx (pronounced Shervoh), suffers a stroke leaving him with an impaired memory and loss of speech. Our Quaker heroine, Maddy, struggles to help him recover and escape from the cruelty of the treatment and his family. Some of the plot premise is not quite true but the intensity of the characters and action makes up for the plot holes. Well worth reading. ( )