After the deaths of her parents Margaret Hale is leaving Milton with her Aunt Shaw. But what of John Thornton. This is their story
Thoroughly enjoyed this story, and enjoyed reading more about the original characters. ( )

I finally gave up about 3/4 of the way through. Like any red-blooded woman I was riveted by the passionate tension in the run-up to their wedding day and honeymoon. But c'mon! Do we need 150+ pages describing their E V E R Y coupling from that moment on? Sometimes two or three in a day? Also the incessant sophomoric innuendo makes Thornton sound like a bloody frat-boy: Margaret: "How can I ever thank you?" John: "Oh, I can think of a few ways", guffaw facepalm. I mean, I get it, they really dig each other. Please, leave a little room for my imagination. I don't want to have these two beloved characters etched forever in my mind as juvenile humping bunnies. I'm going to re-watch the BBC miniseries and try to set my mind right.

A few technicalities and editing issues: why is Edith's husband named Maxwell? Who the deuce is Maxwell? In N&S, his name was Cosmo for the first half and, by dint of poor editing I imagine, called Sholto (like his son) for the second half. Neither of those names remotely resembles Maxwell.

Also, why can't a smile just be a smile? Why does every character constantly have "the corners of the mouth curve upwards?" If it weren't an obvious waste of time I would go back through this book and mark every instance of this inane phrase. I think the final count would be staggering.

Another bugger was that there was no continuance in the writing for Higgins's northern dialect, or anyone else's of his class. And the Scottish midwife seemed to speak perfect blue-blood English. Ugh.

This book is long for what it is and is only made unnecessarily more lengthy by poor editing and reeeeeeaaaallllly repetitive phrases. ( )

I was only able to get half-way through, when I had to put it down. The writing itself isn't too bad and if, as a lover of North and South, you wanted to enjoy a bit of the newly-wed love between Margaret and John Thornton, a little bit of this may be satisfying...but a little bit is enough. As of the first half (up to the end of their honeymoon), there is no story at all. If I manage to ever get back to reading the rest and it turns out to be a gripping tale, I will come revise this review! ( )