New Review for UPON YOUR RETURN on Mind Reader (Dark Franny's Thoughts)

*This was originally posted here.

Well, readers, here is another review.  It is not the greatest, but I consider it my duty to celebrate any review, good or bad.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Book Review: Upon Your Return by Marie Lavender

Upon Your Return by Marie Lavender

SERIES: Stand-alone

GENRE: Historical Romance

PUBLISHER: Solstice Publishing

SOURCE: Review copy provided by the author

FORMAT: Ebook

Summary:

Fara Bellamont has been back in society for a year after leaving Cluny Abbey, where her uncle sent her long ago. When he chooses a suitor for her for marriage, she fears that she will be forced to marry a stranger and live a miserable life. 
But, Fara finds herself thrust into an adventure of a lifetime when unforeseen circumstances cause her to place her trust in a strange man for protection. His intervention not only saves her, but puts her in an even more compromising position. 
Grant Hill, a trading captain, is enchanted by the young heiress not only because of her beauty, but because she is hardly conventional. Underneath her ladylike exterior lies a tigress. Grant cannot help but offer his protection as she is in need and he is far from immune from her charms. 
Fara just never bargained on the passion that she feels for Grant Hill. As events unfold, she must decide whether her desires and the dictates of her heart should trump the rules of society in this exciting tale.

My Review (SPOILERS): 

This story immediately caught my attention, but unfortunately it wasn't developed enough for me. Even if the story had an enticing, dramatic and emotional halo, the inconsistencies within the plot bothered me a lot. For instance, Fara's uncle sudden passing left me quite confused, together with the "secret" arrangements that he had with both of her first two suitors. Nothing of that was explained, and I had a huge difficulty in understanding why her second suitor would pop out randomly every now and then. Of course, we then discover his true colours, but I feel like this could (and perhaps should) have been handled better.
The thing that bothered me more than anything else was Fara's childish behaviour at times, especially with Grant. I felt that sometimes she acted like a petulant girlfriend and that made me want to put the book down more than once.
However, despite all this, I recognise this story has potential and from one used to Historical Romances set in England, it was really nice and refreshing to read one set in France.

-Franny-