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What A Lady Most Desires (2014)

by Lecia Cornwall(Favorite Author)

3.89 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0062332406 (ISBN13: 9780062332400)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Avon

series

Temberlay

review 1: The second title I have read by Lecia Cornwall, her facility for description and scene setting are spectacular, giving the reader clear visual input that aids in the enjoyment. Set before the Battle of Waterloo, we are mostly focused on the life and happenings with Stephen, a former diplomat and now a Major in the army. Stephen is honorable, sweet and solid, but with a tendency to use appearance and first impressions to size up people he meets: a hang-over from his diplomatic years. Stephen and Delphine meet and share a dance, he is rather non-plussed, she has decided that this particular man has no designs on her title or finances, and is the sort of man she wishes to marry. When he is suddenly called away to join his regiment before the battle, they share a kiss whic... moreh seals Delphine’s determination to have him. Delphine was single-minded and rather heedless to that which was around her in her determination to win Stephen: knowing little to nothing of him or his history, and not particularly showing any interest, her own refusal to be ‘used’ by a man, as had happened in the past seemed to fuel her recklessness. BUT, my opinions about her changed drastically when Stephen returned, blinded and facing a court martial for cowardice and theft. Delphine had built such a fairy story around Stephen, it was refreshing to see her push him to fight and refute allegations, encouraging him to move forward. Stephen did show some tremendous growth, if not a significant effort to fighting for his own life and to clear his name. His steadfast friend Nick offered him a place to convalesce away from the prison, Alan was a soldier serving under Stephen who personally witnessed Stephen’s decidedly brave acts, but as a mute, he also needs to learn to cope with the changes in his life. Alan’s loyalty and determination to be of use, serving as Stephen’s valet, was more a testament to Stephen than any other relationship in the story, even though there were several clever devices that Cornwell employed to display character growth. While Nick is busily gathering information to aid in Stephen’s defense, Stephen himself is learning to find what is truly important: his loss of site has forced him to ‘see’ situations in new ways, and his impression of Delphine is slowly changing, as he realizes that he does care for her, even loves her. Cornwall manages to take a story that does not force the romance forward but allows the characters to grow in their knowledge and esteem until there are no other options but reaching for that happy ending. With the tension surrounding Stephen’s court martial, the lovely inclusion of Alan and the scene descriptions and settings, the story moves forward beautifully, feeling very real and possible.I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
review 2: Deeply emotional and delightfully romantic, What a Lady Most Desires was a wonderful historical romance. I really liked this lovely book. It was a sweet and enjoyable read.Delphine was a great heroine. Though she was courted for her wealth and family connections, she wanted to marry a man who wanted her for herself. And, when she found one who did, she was determined to get him. I really liked her character. She was stronger and cleverer than most gave her credit for. I thought she was a lovely heroine.Stephen was also wonderful. He went through a lot of emotional turmoil throughout this book as he dealt with his injuries, all of which were perfectly portrayed. To add insult to injury, he was falsely accused of cowardice and theft and few people believed his innocence, and even some of them had doubts. But, he was an imminently honorable man and a very sweet one at that. A little frustratingly stubborn, but otherwise utterly adorable.The romance was good. Delphine and Stephen were so great together. They both understood each other implicitly and their feelings for each other were always clear. It was frustrating, though, that they had a hard time admitting them, first to themselves, then to each other. A few times, I just wanted to shove them together and force them to get past their issues. But, I still thought they were sweet together, and the chemistry between them was steamy and sensuous. Overall, I thought they were a lovely couple.The plot was fast paced and I was kept interested the entire way through. I was on the edge of my seat with the constant worry of Stephen's court marshal hanging over everything. I really enjoyed the story and the ending was perfect.What a Lady Most Desires was a fantastic historical romance. I really enjoyed reading this lovely book. Romance lovers, this is a book you'll want to check out.*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review less

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