Seeking Persephone: A Review (The Lancaster Family #1)

Goodreads (Description)

When Persephone Lancaster receives a marriage proposal from the ill-tempered Duke of Kielder, she refuses, and then reconsiders. The obscene sum of money he's offering Persephone would save her family from ruin. With her characteristic optimism, she travels to the far reaches of Northumberland to wed a greatly feared stranger. Lodged deep in a thick forest infested with wild dogs, the Duke's castle is as cold and forbidding as the Duke himself, a man with terrible scars on his body and his soul. But the Duke's steely determination to protect his heart at all costs is challenged by his growing attachment to his lovely and gentle bride. With caring persistence, Persephone attempts to pierce the Duke's armor and reach the man beneath. Yet he cannot tolerate such exposure, and his repeated rejections take their toll. But when grave danger arises, the Duke realizes he must face the risk of revealing his true feelings or lose the woman he cannot live without.

My Review:

Well, well, well. Another great story by Sarah M. Eden. I have never been disappointed when picking up one of her books. In fact, now I buy her books simply because she wrote them. I don't have to know what the story is, she's written several books now that I love, so I know she'll keep bringing us wonderful stories.

This book is about the grumpy hermit named Adam, the Duke of Kielder, who needs to find someone to marry so his idiot cousin does not take his inheritance and sell off all the incredible, historical artifacts. So of course, he finds a poor family's eldest daughter who is supposed to be dull and unassuming to wife.

What he got instead was the lovely, patient, and incredibly kind Persephone Lancaster.

This love story reminded me of Beauty and the Beast. Poor Adam was born without one of his ears and through his childhood was forced through many surgeries to try and remedy this, when eventually they simply removed the stump--while leaving behind loads of scars.

Adam is incredibly shy and he shows this by being angry and intimidating. Basically he rules England. And I'm not joking.

Seeing him fall for Persephone is perhaps the most frustrating thing on the planet. Poor Persephone can't figure him out because he is so close minded, and she does everything she can to make the best of her situation and be the good wife the 1800's demanded of women. Honestly, Persephone is one of the most innocent and purely GOOD girls I've read about in a long time. Yes, she has her insecurities, but she is smart and capable and knows how to hold her own. She came to love Adam, despite his many flaws and has tried to show him this, but his thickheaded-ness won't let him see what's really going on.

Until it's ALMOST too late.

*Sigh*

Adam and Persephone's love story was one of the most frustrating I've read about in a long time, but of course, I loved it. (I also thoroughly enjoyed the help they both needed from the wonderful Harry [I love him too] to get their relationship on a roll). If you like a great historical romance, get this one.

5 out of 5!