The Perfect Waltz

This was lovely. It dealt with a slighly more serious and mature subject matter than most regency romances I've read -- the hero's young sisters had been kidnapped when they were very small and are still coping with it; the oldest carries a knife with her wherever she goes, and the youngest doesn't speak -- but it does so with grace and sensitivity. It still has all the qualities I love about romances (wonderful characters, a lovely romance, and a sense of fun), but it also has an added layer of complexity. I really enjoyed it. It's a moving, touching story about the power of love to heal wounded souls (except it's nowhere near as soppy as I just made it sound). Recommended!

Sebastian Reyne has built himself up from a life in the factories. Fighting his family's misfortunes, he has, with his strength and business acumen, raised himself up from poverty. Now he is looking for a practical wife to serve as a mother/older sister to his traumatized younger sisters.

That's why he is courting Lady Elinore, an older bluestocking with a firm belief in Rationality. Is it any surprise then that Sebastian finds himself more and more drawn to the effervescent and beautiful Hope Merridew? Despite his best friend's best efforts to throw them together, Sebastian resists temptation as he is convinced that Hope will be overwhelmed by the darker, harsher side of life. But Hope is much stronger than she seems.

This is a show more beautiful story, about more than just the love between a man and a woman. It encompasses the love between siblings and how that can help overcome the effects of abuse, protectiveness, helplessness... The true warmth to this book was very moving.

I also really liked the side stories about Sebastian's best friend, Hope's twin (although I hope there's another book for her), and the orphanage. show less

Maybe rounded up a little. Hope had seemed a bit immature and selfish in the first book, not to a terrible degree, but enough that I wasn't sure I would enjoy her as a main character. But this story played up her better qualities, and though she's still not my favorite type of heroine, I did end up liking her. There's some 'other woman' courting drama, but no sexual involvement, for those who have particular feelings about that. There's also a sideline relationship, but not a lot of attention is taken away from the main couple to be given to them. I liked the familial relationships and how they evolved. Overall I enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed this regency. Sebastian was a big lug and I loved the way he fell for Hope while resisting it for the sake of what he felt was best for his little sisters. Not your typical romance novel story.

http://ktleyed.blogspot.com/2010/08/perfect-waltz-by-anne-gracie.html

The Perfect Waltz is not a typical romance novel in some ways, and in many ways it is. The difference in this novel and so many others is that it deals with some difficult subjects. Our wonderful hero Sebastian has two sisters; his sisters were kidnapped before he could protect them properly. You see Sebastian didn’t start out as a rich man in ton society, he married into it. Due to what happened to his sisters they are a hard pair to deal with, they run off governesses one straps a knife to her thigh the other doesn’t talk. What is he to do? Find the perfect wife, of course. Ah, yes this is where we find it is a typical romance novel.

But fate and Sebastian will find themselves at odds, he wants a sensible, older, do good wife who show more will be able to handle his sisters. Fate wants him to have a lively, fun, chipper young woman. Sebastian of course rails against this. He won’t list to his friend who tries to tell him that Miss Hope Merridew is probably the best match he could find because hope has suffered too. Hope suffered under the brutish hand of her grandfather who was abusive. Truly what better woman than that to help care for some battered children?

The story is written well, and over all I enjoyed it better than the first one. It still has a few small moments where it drags, but over all I did enjoy it. I liked the subject matter, and I liked that it was not afraid to go into deeper topics. The nice thing about this book as well is that it is a stand a lone there are some references to The Perfect Rake, but not many. You will still be able to know what’s going on. And enjoy getting to know Hope Merridew. If you’re looking for a historical romance, I recommend this one. show less

I like Anne Gracie. This book is perhaps not as good as "The Perfect Rake," but it is a charming book nonetheless. Coming to town to find a bride to take care of his gamine-esque sisters, he immediately writes off hope as vacuous and vapid because of her beauty - ignoring the fact that she may have depths that he doesn't imagine. While I like Sebastian as the hero - he's dark and mysterious, a little rough, but with a good heart, I think Hope is a little bit of a dull heroine. She's beautiful, smart, intelligent, loving - she has no faults, really, which makes her a bit unbelievable. There is, of course, the abuse in her past, but that can hardly be said to be a fault. Lady Elinore - Sebastian's first choice of bride - is a far more show more interesting character, and I particularly enjoyed that subplot. As in all of Gracie's books, however, the writing is good, and the book is an enjoyable read. show less

Lady Wombat says:

Ah, a new author to follow! Strong writing, a believable plot, and strongly developed primary and secondary characters. Looking forward to reading others by this writer.