Daniel Banks is a man of the cloth whose vocation is the last comfort he has left-and even his churchman’s collar is beginning to feel like a noose. In an attempt to start his life over, Daniel accepts the post of vicar in Haddondale, a position supported by the Earl of Haddonfield. There Daniel meets Lady Kirsten Haddonfield, to whom life has also dealt multiple unkind blows. Daniel’s interest is piqued by Kirsten’s unsentimental attitude toward her misfortunes, and by the kind-heartedness the lady keeps well hidden. Kirsten is much taken with Mr. Banks and his genuine compassion for others, despite his own troubles. When Providence intervenes, and Daniel and Kirsten can become engaged, their happiness seems complete…. though every garden has at least one nasty, sly, determined serpent.
Terrific story of family, friendship, and love. Though much of Daniel's backstory played out in another book, there is enough detail given that I didn't feel lost at all, only determined to find and read that other book (David: Lord of Honor). Daniel is a man of the cloth who has suffered some serious blows recently. His wife of ten years has deserted him after betraying his family badly, the nephew he has raised as his son for the last five years has been returned to Daniel's sister, and even his vocation doesn't bring him the joy it used to. To escape the memories and start his life over, Daniel takes a new post as the vicar in Haddondale. The first person he met there was Lady Kirsten, sister to the earl.
Kirsten had the reputation of being prickly, grouchy, and blunt to the point of rudeness. She had several Seasons in London, which she hated, and two broken engagements. The family was due to depart again for her younger sister's turn, and Kirsten was dreading it. Della's circumstances were complicated, and Kirsten didn't look forward to dealing with the gossips over that or her own past trials. She would prefer to stay in the country and embrace her future as a spinster.
I loved the development of the relationship between Daniel and Kirsten. There was a connection between them from the moment they met. I enjoyed Kirsten's take-charge manner when she encountered him, lost and nearly frozen. She was also quite dazzled by him, something she hadn't felt for any other man. He also fascinated her, from his easy faith to his ability to tame little boys. There was one other thing she felt around him, and that was happy. Daniel was equally fascinated by Kirsten. He appreciated her intelligence, her forthrightness, and her willingness to help with his students. There were sparks between them, but Daniel is married, and he won't cross that line. I ached for them both because it was clear that they were perfect for each other.
As a relationship wasn't possible, Daniel and Kirsten settled into friendship instead. I loved seeing them work together on everything from his students to parish matters. There were heartwarming scenes of them sharing the troubles of their pasts, with an instinctive understanding of the effects it had on who they were. I loved seeing Daniel intervene on Kirsten's behalf when she couldn't face going to London. At the same time, Kirsten did her best to show Daniel that his wife's actions were not his fault. When word came that Daniel was free, I loved how it seemed that their happiness was a done deal. Their joy in each other and the prospect of a happy future simply glowed. But trouble wasn't done with Daniel yet, and it looked like his happiness would be snatched away. I wondered how the dilemma would be solved without Daniel losing everything that made his life worth living. I loved seeing the help and support that he received from his friends and family. I did not see that particular solution to the problem coming, and Daniel's confrontation with his nemesis was brilliantly executed.
A large part of the story dealt with one of a vicar's collateral duties. Most vicar's earned extra income by tutoring young boys to prepare them to go off to school. Daniel had a lot of experience with teaching thanks to having had the care of his son/nephew. His relationship with young Danny was a close and loving one, and I ached for Daniel when they were separated. When various families asked Daniel to take on the education of their sons, it was one way to ease his heartache. Young Danny's heartache and confusion over his changed circumstances were devastating to both him and Daniel, and it warmed my heart to see Daniel and Fairly arrived at a solution. Add Danny to the other five boys that Daniel ended up having "live in," and there was never a dull moment in the vicarage. Seeing Daniel and Kirsten turn those "rotten" (i.e., High-spirited) boys into kind and loving young gentlemen was a delightful experience. There were fun times, such as the plague of frogs, and heartwarming times, such as Daniel receiving romance advice from those same little boys. There was also a deeply emotional scene with young Matthias and his despair over his "stupidness." And in the end, when Daniel wrestled with his vocational future, it was the boys who came up with the perfect solution.
The epilogue was fantastic, especially seeing the influence that Daniel and Kirsten had on those around them. I thoroughly enjoyed Patrick's arrival and his first interactions with Daniel and Kirsten. It was a good indicator of what was to come, and I loved how it worked out.
No comments:
Post a Comment