Romancing the Countess by Ashley March (Romancing #1)
Historical Romance
September 6, 2011
Paperback
Signet
Reviewed by Mandi
Upon finishing Romancing the Countess I realized this is really a sad book. And I don’t mean that it makes this is a bad book – there are some parts in here that are really well done. But the book starts with such a painful moment that sets the course for these characters.
The book opens with Sebastian learning the news his wife, Angela was killed in a carriage accident. Thinking she was going to the country since the city was making her ill, he is devastated to discover she has died. But this is just the start to his devastation. He soon finds out she wasn’t alone in that carriage. His best friend Ian was with her, and they were running away….together. They had been having an affair for at least a year, and had fallen in love. Sebastian had no idea.
But Ian’s wife, Leah knew all about it. Oh, she didn’t know they were on the run together, but months ago she walked in on her husband Ian and a partially naked Angela. Although Ian and Angela know she saw them, Leah decides to keep it a secret. She pretends to be the dutiful wife, all the while desperately lonely and ashamed of her marriage. So when Leah gets the news that Ian is dead, her outlook on life is much different than Sebastian’s. After Ian’s death, she does admit to Sebastian the extent of Ian and Angela’s relationship. For the sake of his 18 month old son, he begs her to keep this affair a secret. He doesn’t want a scandal to land on his son or family.
Leah now wants independence, something she has been craving for so long. She dresses in mourning, but her demeanor doesn’t match her dreary dress colors. She feels a little rebellious, but still lonely. When she decides to host a house party, just months after Ian and Angela’s death, a scandal starts to brew.
I think Ian and Angela’s individual grief is portrayed well. Sebastian turns to anger and rage as he learns, denies, and eventually accepts that his wife loved another man. Leah forgets the ton and their strict rules and pushes the boundaries of good society. At first when she starts acting out, and decides to have this big house party, I kept waiting for the scandal to come about. I mean she is not acting like a widow should and was getting away with it for a bit. But eventually it does – in full force and I like how it is done. Leah’s loneliness and her continuing anger towards Ian is played up well.
I think the hardest part of this story is for the reader to be convinced of Sebastian’s love of Leah. You know Sebastian was deeply in love with Angela. At the beginning of the book he can barely function because his beloved wife is going to the country for a few weeks without him. He is that much in love. And then he had no idea of the affair. So you have to believe in a brand new love for the hero. While this book skips ahead months at a time, the reader still must feel Sebastian’s new connection to Leah. And to complicate matters, she was married to the man Angela had the affair with. Or maybe this doesn’t complicate matters. Maybe it makes sense for these two to find each other. At the beginning of each chapter is a little excerpt from love letters written from Angela to Ian, so as the reader you can experience their love for each other. Is this to make us more on Leah and Sebastian’s side? To prove that Angela and Ian were truly in love? For me, it just added to the sadness of this book.
I find it interesting that Sebastian is ready to move on before Leah is. Leah has had months to live with the knowledge of the affair but it has hardened her to romance. There were also times I questioned Leah’s spirit. Sometimes she felt very strong like nothing could break her. She could care less what society thinks. But at other times a simple lustful glance from Sebastian throws her off kilter. She also works so hard to have some independence and gives it up very easily.
So the point to all my babbling? I think this romance is a hard sell. While the physical relationship between Leah and Sebastian is held off, the intimacy grows somewhat fast. I think if more time than just a few months passed between Sebastian losing his wife and having new feelings for Leah, I would have believed in this romance much more.
I’m curious to hear other people’s thoughts on this one because I think there are going to be strong opinions supporting both sides. I almost feel as if I need to reread this book again, now that I know everything that is going to happen to see if I come out with a stronger opinion. For now I feel a bit flip-floppy.
And for that I’ll give it a C+.
Recent Reviews
Once Upon a Chapter – A+
Love to Read for Fun – B-
Book Lovers Inc – 4/5
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I guess I had a different take on it as I divorced my cheating husband … if you have been betrayed and not known about it – you deal with the betrayal in a completely different mindset than those who know about an ongoing affair.. ps Leah has more to lose [ie pregnancy] than Sebastian does…
I think Ashley did a good job in portraying Sebastian falling in love with Leah. He realized that while he was in love with Angela, it was something completely different with Leah. He realized what it is to truly and deeply love someone, not the idea, Ashley explained that with his memories of Angela when he was able to analyze and dissect them, and how she differed from the way when Leah was with him. I loved the fact that Leah had such strong opinions and wouldn’t be swayed because Sebastian was the man. I know he did a lot of comparison through out the book which I just wanted to strangle him for, especially when he verbalized some of them to Leah, however it was something he needed to do to put Angela in the past where she belongs.
I thought Sebastian comparing Leah and Angela felt like something natural for him to do.
He realized that while he was in love with Angela, it was something completely different with Leah. He realized what it is to truly and deeply love someone, not the idea, Ashley explained that with his memories of Angela when he was able to analyze and dissect them, and how she differed from the way when Leah was with him.
But in the first chapter – it felt like he was soooo deeply in love with Angela. Did he have enough time with Leah to really feel like what he has with her is different? When he looks back on his time with Angela, are his memories clouded with betrayal? Was love with Angela really just an idea? I don’t think so. I think he truly loved Angela. Even after he starts to dissect them. He realizes maybe her love for him was not true. I think this is my main sticking point – for me, it felt like true love with Angela, and then he went to true love with Leah. Which is fine, but I just don’t think there was enough time for him to go from one to the other.
I began this book last night so am too new to it to meaningfully participate in the discussion. But I’m feeling the overwhelming sadness of these innocent damaged people, rooting for them, although at this point Sebastian seems so judgemental. I can’t wait to see how it all resolves. I think the premise is pretty original, and it is far from a rompy Regency.
Oh I agree – this book definitely has a different premise. And such a different feel from Seducing the Duchess. I like her voice :)
Oops. Or vapid Victorian. :)
This book is on my TBR shelf so I’m chiming in here without having read the book yet. But I have to wonder…if Ian was so deeply in love with Angela, what was he not doing for her that she felt the need to stray? IMHO, people satisfied in their marriages stay home (usually). But I could be naive in my thoughts here. Also, was Ian a known philanderer when Leah married him and did she know that? If so, it is unlikely he would change and she was probably aware of that fact. Therefore, I don’t think she was as deeply hurt as she would have been otherwise when she discovered Ian & Angela. It doesn’t sound to me like Leah’s heart was really vested in her marriage.
Was Sebastian and Lea’s HEA believable? If Sebastian was so far in love with his faithless hussy of a first wife, was he able to trust and give his love to Leah then? I would think he would need time to recover from not only first hussy wife’s betrayal, but her death.
Very interesting review! Sounds like the premise was very difficult to pull off. Of course, the short cut is to make the previous marriages unsatisfying in some way. Ambitious to try it this way.
Urgh. I’m looking for a new historical romance series to sink my teeth into. Shame this one misses the mark.
Great review.
Nice review Mandi. This one sounds sad. I dislike when nice people are hurt. :(
This sounds a bit different from most historical romances, I might have to check it out.
I haven’t been here in awhile-I like the new purple background!
I haven’t read the book, so can’t offer you my opinion. It does sound intriguing though, and original.
I have not read this one personally, but my friend, Angela, did a guest post today and she really liked it.