Before there was a Lady Travelers Society, there was just
one lady traveler…
Some marry for love. Some marry for money. But Violet
Hagen's quick wedding to irresponsible James Branham, heir to the Earl of
Ellsworth, was to avoid scandal.
Though her heart was broken when she learned James never
wanted marriage or her, Violet found consolation in traveling the world, at his
expense -- finding adventure and enjoying an unconventional, independent life.
And strenuously avoiding her husband.
But when James inherits the earldom it comes with a catch
-- Violet. To receive his legacy he and Violet must live together as husband
and wife, convincing society that they are reconciled. It's a preposterous
notion, complicated by the fact that Violet is no longer the quiet, meek woman
he married. But then he's not the same man either.
Chasing Violet across Europe to earn her trust and prove
his worth, James realizes with each passing day that a marriage begun in haste
may be enjoyed at leisure. And that nothing may be as scandalous -- or as
perfect -- as falling hopelessly in love. Especially with your wife.
This was a fun book and probably my favorite of the
series. Although it is the fourth and final book, chronologically it is the
first as it takes place before the others and before the Lady Travelers Society
was founded. The founding members do have a part in this story, but not as much
as in the others.
In this book, we have Violet and James. It opens with
their attendance at the ball where James's engagement is to be announced.
Instead, he is caught kissing Violet, ending his engagement and forcing him to
marry Violet to avoid scandal. The morning after their wedding, Violet
overhears James tell his uncle that he's not ready for marriage and he only
married her to save her from ruin. Heartbroken because she was in love with him
when he suggests that they live separately and live their lives as before, she
agrees - with two stipulations. She wants the money to be able to travel, and
she never wants to see him again.
Six years later, they are brought back together by Uncle
Richard's death. James inherits the title, but Richard had a stipulation in his
will. James and Violet were to live together for three years, be seen together
in public, appear happy, create no scandals, and not spend any more than two
weeks apart during any year. If they do not, both will lose everything.
I loved watching Violet and James get to know each other
again. Both have changed a lot in the six years they've been apart. James grew
up, leaving his irresponsible ways behind him. He learned the things he needed
to know as Ellsworth's heir, and discovered that he enjoyed what he was doing.
Violet is no longer the quiet girl who blends into the background. Her travels
gave her new confidence in herself, and she likes standing on her own two feet.
Before Richard's death, James understood the mistakes he made and realized that
he wanted Violet back in his life. Now he needs to convince her of that fact.
Standing in the way are the rumors that have followed each of them in the years
they've been apart.
Violet isn't in any hurry to forgive James for breaking
her heart. She will live by the rules, but keep her heart protected. In the
meantime, she is determined to make him atone for his mistakes. In the beginning,
they stay in England and take their place in society. Violet is nervous,
fearing that she will return to the mouse she used to be. It is pretty clear
she has nothing to worry about, especially during an especially satisfying confrontation
with her mother and sister. Violet holds her own quite well, and though she
didn't appreciate it at the time, James also weighs in with unexpected zeal. James
uses all his charm to show Violet that he's changed, and she realizes that
she's in danger of falling for him all over again.
Determined to get back to the life where she is
comfortable, Violet gives James an ultimatum. He comes with her on her travels
or forfeits his inheritance. I felt a little bit bad for James as he had a good
reason for not liking to travel, but it was also crucial for him to see Violet
in her element. An eye-opening conversation with his friend Marcus made James
realize that before he could win Violet's heart he had to regain her trust. I
had so much fun watching their travels from France to Italy to Greece. In each
place, James gained new insight into the woman he married. It was fun to see his
misconceptions overcome one by one, and see the truth behind each of them. Violet
also began to understand that James underwent his own transformation and slowly
began to trust him again. Their conversations were great, with a good
combination of fun and seriousness. But just as things are looking up for them,
someone from Violet's past shows up with a revelation that rocks Violet's growing
feelings for James. A heartbreaking confrontation is followed by some soul-searching
on Violet's part. James also goes through some self-examination but has a
little more trouble getting to where he can fix his mistakes. The ending was
great, and I loved the epilogue.
I also enjoyed the secondary characters of Marcus, James's
friend and lawyer, and Chloe, Violet's companion/secretary and friend. Marcus
does a good job as the voice of reason, keeping James on track and trying to
keep him from trouble. Chloe is firmly on Violet's side, and her dislike of
James is apparent. The interactions between Marcus and Chloe were terrific and
made a nice contrast with James and Violet. Also, Effie, Poppy, and Gwen had
their important role as arbiters of whether James and Violet fulfilled the
conditions of Richard's will.
Another thing I enjoyed was the author's descriptions of
the places Violet and James visited. They were detailed and vivid enough that I
felt as though I was there. I liked that it wasn't just the well-known
locations; there was also a feeling of everyday reality.
No comments:
Post a Comment