Blackmoore

Review originally published on my blog: AWordsWorth.blogspot.com
ARC provided by publisher for review

Kate Worthington is many things, but she is not like her mother and sisters. The women in her family have an ill-gotten legacy of scandal, and even though their mistakes have cost her everything her heart desires, Kate is determined to break the tradition. She's forsworn marriage - and love - and seeks only to escape to India with her spinster aunt. After a long-desired visit to Blackmoore, of course. Blackmoore is the ancestral home, and future inheritance, of Kate's best friend Henry Delafield. Kate's plans are not her mother's plans however, and Kate quickly discovers just how far her mother is willing to push her to get her own way. show more Even as she seems to escape easily - agreeing to obtain (and reject) three proposals of marriage while at Blackmoore, thus earning the trip to India - Kate is sucked deeper into a vortex she cannot escape. She is forced to confront her own demons, all her hidden secrets, opening her heart up to searing pain and losing everything precious all over again. Blackmoore was supposed to be a dream come true, but it feels more like a nightmare to Kate.

I loved this book. Loved this book. I love Kate, and her struggles - she's trying so hard to keep herself from hurting, to break the mold of her family. She's fighting so hard that she gets a little lost, and that's a feeling I can relate to myself. But she is a fighter, so she's going to make it - you know she is, one way or another - and you root for her, and cringe and cheer for her by turns. And then there's Henry. Oh stars, but is there Henry. He's the perfect boy-next-door best friend, but he's also ... well, Henry. The heir of Blackmoore. A gentleman. Someone Kate has known and loved her whole life, and so, so much more. He's fighting too, fighting to be true to himself and understand the struggles that are sending Kate into the wild dangers of India. Their individual stories are so closely intertwined ...

Donaldson does a masterful job of weaving in the backstory, as Kate - and Henry - get brave enough to look back into the past, we experience it through their memories. Each "flashback" adds depth to the "present" story, and isn't distracting or confusing the way they can be at times. And the characters, oh the color and breath in the characters. I just ... You've got to read this. It's a Regency story with spunk and flair and surprises that will take your breath away. show less

Katherine Worthington has known little of love. Every day she has witnessed the consequences of love gone wrong—from her parents’ loveless marriage rife with infidelity to her sisters’ scandalous behavior. She has only ever had friends Sylvia and Henry Delafield (sister and brother), her cat Cora, and her little brother Oliver to give her heart to and receive any kindness or affection from. She yearns for adventure and has informed everyone that she never intends to marry. She has always dreamed of visiting Syliva and Henry’s ancestral home, Blackmoore, and finally, at age 17, she has finally been invited. Her spinster Aunt Charlotte has also invited her on the adventure of a lifetime, a trip to India. However, when Kate refused show more an elderly, diseased gentleman’s marriage proposal, her mother hurts her in the only way she can—she refuses to allow her to go to Blackmoore or to go with her Aunt Charlotte. In desperation, Kate makes a Faustian bargain with her mother—if she receives and refuses three marriage proposals while at Blackmoore, she can go to India. If she cannot accomplish this, she will be completely in her mother’s power and do whatever she asks. When Kate arrives at Blackmoore, she comes to realize that it is no more magical than her own home, and this is only emphasized by the fact that Henry and Sylvia’s mother makes it perfectly clear that she is not welcome. After unsuccessfully flirting with several guests, Kate hatches a brilliant scheme. Surely Henry would be willing to propose to her three times to help her realize her dream of India? However, Kate discovers that things aren’t quite so simple and that her own heart is in serious danger.

This was a very bitter-sweet story. The author does a wonderful job at only revealing things bit by bit, almost painfully slowly, so that you do not fully understand the depth of Kate’s soul until nearly the end of the book. For much of the novel she comes off as somewhat selfish and naïve, but the reader comes to realize that she understands and feels more than nearly anyone else and has sacrificed her own heart for the benefit of others. The whole theme of birds and cages was beautifully carried throughout the novel and reminded me of Jane Eyre, my favorite book ever. Very few books ever come close to making me cry, but I got teary-eyed over this one. show less

Seventeen-year-old Katherine Worthington knows her heart and she knows that - despite her mother's wretched schemes and plans for her future - she will ultimately never marry. She is determined to join her Aunt Charlotte and travel to India instead - if only to quiet her restless spirit and to escape the family she abhors. But Kate's meddlesome mother has other plans. She strikes a bargain with Kate: Kate may certainly go to India, yes, but only after she has secured - and rejected - three marriage proposals.

Kate journeys to the stately manor of Blackmoore determined to fulfill her end of the bargain and enlists the help of her dearest childhood friend, Henry Delafield. But when it comes to matters of the heart, bargains are show more meaningless and plans are changeable. There on the wild lands of Blackmoore, Kate must face the truth that has kept her heart captive for so many years. Will the proposal she is so determined to reject actually be the one thing that will set her heart free?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The characters truly jumped off the page at me, and I felt such empathy for Kate's plight, that I was quite literally crying at certain points in the story. That might mean that I'm more tender-hearted than perhaps I should be, but it's a personality trait about myself that I wouldn't change. I give this book a definite A! show less

This is the kind of story I'm always hoping to stumble upon when I pick up a historical fiction novel. I thought the language, etiquette and characterization was flawless. I didn;t mind the flashbacks, as they were in chronological order and the author laced the story with enough intrigue that I was dying to unravel the mysteries of Kate as well.

Normally when a misunderstanding of the two main characters' feelings is what separates them, I can barely trudge through the story; it usually makes the characters behave unnaturally and stupidly. But this was done so well! Kate starts it by declaring she will never marry almost immediately after the tenor of their relationship begins to change. And she never elaborates, until the very end. show more Henry is engaged, defends his fiance and seems content. I found it totally believeable.

I thought the falling out with Sylvia was realistic as well. Kate's mother and sisters were appropriately cringeworthy- I felt every bit as desperate to get them away from Blackmoore as Kate did.

The plot was so well done. The way Kate backed herself into a corner in the heat of the moment was something I could see myself doing. And I so appreciated the way Sylvia spoke her mind and called Kate on the ugliness of her behavior; it was so well done, that I felt similar emotions of shock and shame, having missed the immortality of what she had agreed to as well. I couldn't believe it.

Miss St. Clair was the perfect opponent. Lovely, refined, etc. She reminded me of Caroline Bingley, except with more confidence (and good reason). Her condescension was subtle enough that she could get away with strategically placed barbs that would only make Kate look insecure and petty if she spoke up.

I loved the birds and music and other supporting characters. This was just so well done I could go on for ages.

Now, onto the criticisms:

I thought there was a little too much description in the first couple of chapters (there was hardly any dialogue and this was particularly troublesome right after the plot dropped.

I didn't think Kate worried enough early on about the possible ramifications of her hasty actions.

But my biggest problem was the us of Kate's "demon." I didn't think much of it when she was advised to play music to release (and essentially be rid of) her demons. But at the end of the book, it actually says, "and this time the demon told me to write." So now the demon is giving advice? And she follows it?! I thought this sent the totally wrong message, especially the context of love. I get that she was tormented, but I don't think anyone would advise following the guidance of your "demon" or tormentors. It was such a brief moment, but it was poignant for me. Not in a good way.

Anyway, the only other complaint that I have is how short the follow up was. It left too much unanswered and I craved more.

All in all, I loved this book.

*I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.* show less

Not a single likeable character in this book. If I saw the words "bird" or "cage", or read some variation of Kate versus Kitty again, I am convinced I would have tossed the book across the room. (And that's a cardinal sin. UGH - a cardinal is also a BIRD.) I only give this book 2 stars because I enjoyed the setting and gothic feel. I'm disappointed - so many others seem to love this book.

This book went too quickly, but I couldn't stop reading it. I liked that it was in the first person of Kate. Her description of the scenery made it feel like you were there. Perhaps the end was a bit rushed, but it was good.

One of the most heart tugging books I have read in a long time. What I loved particularly about the writing, was how the romantic tidbits were peppered throughout the book, starting from chapter one. This was a refreshing change when you have to wait for the two characters to start feeling something towards one another...50 pages in. Ms. Donaldson subtly worked it in from the beginning providing the reader something to grasp and look forward to with each page turn.

I couldn't give the book the last star, because I felt the ending was a bit rushed. Particularly when compared with the tempo of the rest of the book. Some of the decisions made just didn't seem perfectly in character, in my opinion.

All in all I loved this book. Julianne show more Donaldson's writing is exactly what I look for in a romance novel.

***Possible Spoiler Alert***
While I loved the character development, I did not particularly like the heroine. Not because of any fault of the writer, but rather of the character herself. Why she made the decisions she made in the last few chapters, baffled me. I felt that of the two, Henry seemed more devoted than anything she had ever demonstrated. show less