It’s this, together with the thought that allying the Hunter and Tilney estates might not be a bad idea – plus that fact that Hunter is one of life’s protectors – that prompts him to ask Tilney for Nell’s hand the next day. He also can’t help but notice the way Sir Henry treats his daughter and her aunt’s continual bullying and when Nell finally snaps and tells her aunt she wants nothing more to do with her, he is impressed by her show of spirit and silently cheers her on. When a willowy, wan and very timid young woman enters the drawing room before dinner, Hunter can’t believe this is the intrepid horsewoman who rode Petra so skillfully and with such joy earlier in the day. Unfortunately, however, her aunt has other ideas and summons Nell to dinner, knowing full well that Nell will hate it. Nell puts the horse through her paces and afterwards, retires to her room thinking she will never see him again. He is interested in purchasing Petra – a thoroughbred of which Nell is especially fond – and Nell reconciles herself to parting with her when she sees that Lord Hunter is a man who appreciates good horseflesh and will treat the animal well. The only times Nell is truly happy are when she’s away at school or when she’s working with her father’s horses – and it’s in this capacity she first meets Gabriel, Lord Hunter. Our titular Cinders is Miss Helen (Nell) Tilney, who lives with her overbearing, brutish father and an obnoxious aunt who is forever finding fault with her. I knew that at some point she’d come up with a book which would knock my socks off – and this is it.
Lara Temple is a relative newcomer to the Harlequin/M&B stable – this is, I think, her fourth novel – but I’ve enjoyed the other books of hers I’ve read, which have been distinguished by strongly characterised, attractive principals, lashings of lovely sexual tension and excellent dialogue. But, much as with the case of another Harlequin Historical I reviewed recently ( Pursued for the Viscount’s Vengeance), Lord Hunter’s Cinderella Heiress is a much better book than the title suggests and I’d urge you – strongly – not to let it put you off reading it.
I saw you rolling your eyes and saying “another Cinderella book?!” In principle, I’m with you – while Harlequin/Mills & Boon book titles are (thankfully) bereft of cutesy song lyrics and faux film titles, they can sometimes be rather dreadfully unimaginative.
0 kommentar(er)
