Lady Meredith Ann Merrick must not weaken against the temptation of Varian. He will be her ruin. Varian Morgan cannot indulge his yearning for his beautiful hostage. This wayward sprite can only become his destruction. Captive of desire, Meredith is swept away to America and into the arms of a man she cannot resist. Will love be enough to overcome her doubts, as Varian’s mystery only becomes more mysterious? Can passion bind two people trapped by secrets and the past? When unexpected events send Meredith and Varian back to England, they are forced to share with each other the secrets each have been desperate to keep in hiding. Reeling in shock, their histories linked in ways neither could have ever imagined, Varian forces Meredith into a marriage of necessity instead of a union of love. Unable to resist Varian’s seductive hold over her, is it possible that their unrelenting and fiery passion can bring Meredith to forgive the man who shattered her heart?
Review:
Face to Face: The Deverell Series Book 2 by Susan Ward
Rewarded: FIVE STARS *****
I dove straight in to Face to Face by Susan Ward having just glanced at the synopsis to get a feel for what it might be about, I don’t like knowing too much about a book in case it ruins the experience. My brain zeroed in on that first captivating line of the blurb, “Lady Meredith Ann Merrick must not weaken against the temptation of Varian. He will be her ruin.” One fairly simple sentence had me hooked and that was before I even opened my e-reader for the full experience.
I never read the first book in the series but in saying that, having not read it in no way detracted from my immense pleasure at taking off where the other book obviously ended. It’s written in such detailed and fantastic descriptions with particular detail to dialogue and surrounding locations that it elevates the tale of piracy, adventure and romance above the label of yet another simple historical romance to that of an epic saga of intrigue, deception, lust, redemption and secrets. There was no point in Face to Face that I wasn’t enthralled in the exploits of not only our two main protagonists and romantic leads Merry and Varian, but the eclectic array of players that Susan Ward brings forth so effortlessly from the page. The sailing, the meeting of the infamous Jean Lafitte, life in America during war times, the heated and burning passion simmering beneath the surface of two lost souls- Susan weaves it all together into a series of blockbuster proportions.
Merry was a rather complex character for me. At times I admired her strength of character and at times I was at odds with how quick she was to use violence or stomp her feet in a huff, she would come across as rather juvenile. Her emotions seemed to a tad tempestuous but I put myself in her position and in doing so became more attuned with her character and began to see more from her point of view, the confusion of her circumstances at such a young age, the loneliness of being so far away from family, her developing feelings towards her captor and saviour. In the end I came to love her as much as Varian because of her flaws and realism. Varian was often stoic and mysterious but in quieter moments with Merry we are shown his tender side and his adoration for someone he believes is quite unattainable to him.
“I prefer to watch the performance not on the stage.” She drew a quick breath. “And what performance would that be?” He smiled. “Watching Merry has become one of my most cherished pursuits.”
I won’t delve too much into the storyline because I honestly think you as the reader should journey through this one at your own pace and enjoyment as there are quite a few twists and turns that will leave you gasping in surprise, laughing in joy, simpering in excitement and growling with frustration. That’s exactly what a marvellous piece of writing should do- make you feel a vast range of emotions. Susan Ward has an innate ability in transporting you back in time with only her words; the writing is flawless, the characterisation is a remarkable accomplishment, you see the characters grow and progress throughout the story- they are deeply flawed but also completely endearing. This second book ends on something of a question mark, just a little one that lets you know the epic love story of Varian and Merry isn’t quite finished just yet and I for one cannot wait to get my hands on that book. Five stars plus from me for this one.
* AMAZON *
* SIGNED PAPERBCK OF WHEN THE PERFECT COMES & FACE TO FACE BY SUSAN WARD*
I'm addicted to writing. I've written 26 romance novels in 25 years, but I just started releasing them in May 2014 because frankly there are some things inside them I wasn't sure I wanted my daughters to read. The nest is empty, my girls all grown, so now I'm letting loose. I believe in the adage; Don't judge a book by it's cover! Definitely the case with The Girl on the Half Shell. Perfect looking lives are not perfect. We all have our own challenges to overcome! It's a theme in the books I've written and I cover a wide range of contemporary issues in stories ranging from raw and steamy, to gut wrenching, to happy happily ever after. My first release The Girl on the Half Shell is my most intense novel, the first in the Half Shell Series and the one I had to wait until I had no kids at home to release. My Perfect Forever Series is definitely happy happily ever after! The first in this line of books was released June 2014 with The Signature.
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