Unexpected Pleasures by Mary Wine
Review by Kelsey O.
First Line:
“The Viscount Gregory Biddeford was considered to be a handsome man, but Justina saw only his ambition, which made him hideous in her way of thinking.”
Lady Justina Wincott has been under the thumb of her guardian, Viscount Biddeford, since she became a widow. She has played his games for way to long and is yearning for her freedom. Unfortunately she has her son to think of and Biddeford has threatened to bring him to court is he doesn’t obey.
During a very tumultuous time (King Henry is on his deathbed) greed has become prominent in many men. Justina’s wealth has many men campaigning for her hand. The dashing Synclair only wants Justina, not her wealth. Justina’s guardian wants more land and money and will only let her go to the highest bidder, who at the moment is the conniving de Canis.
Unexpected Pleasures is a standard historical romance. Fast read and filled with the alpha man trying to protect the meek woman but the evil foe stands in the way. I honestly felt that Synclair, who is supposed to be this dashing prince coming to save Justina, could have been in the same league as the brutal guardian Biddeford. He forced Justina to do a lot of things too and wouldn’t take no for an answer (because, obviously, a woman really doesn’t know what she wants.) This was not my cup of tea in the aspect that I just need more from my characters. I didn’t enjoy how they interacted with each other and I couldn’t fully connect with any of them.
RATING
2 Butterflies
