So many tropes! So much melodrama! So much romance! This book is your typical romance with a little more depth, but it's also very typical Kleypas. It was fun, lighthearted, but also ridiculous. For heaven's sake, she trips over a branch to get his attention. This book is cliched, predictable and the story is sometimes as desperate for your attention as the heroine is, but there's a certain charm to it that separates it from the typical fare.
What I liked about this book was the supporting cast. Lily's younger sister, her younger sister's friend, the villain, even Derek Craven were all interesting and all had wants they couldn't just take. They experienced conflict, and it made the story interesting.
While I found Lily herself to be desperate and self-indulgent most of the time, I ultimately liked her. At times, she showed herself capable of being vulnerable, and the quest to recover her daughter brought out her sincerity.
Also, because the search for the daughter was a constant throughout the story, the pacing in this book was better than some of Kleypas's other novels. There wasn't a lull in the middle where the characters are just enjoying each other. There was always the pressure.
This book was enjoyable but also felt pretty run of the mill and cliche, especially the first two thirds. However, if you like a little added spice to the otherwise basic romance novel formula, this book is for you. ( )

I love Alex and Lily. ( )

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Not my favorite, but I do love me some Kleypas. ( )

This had bits that I quite enjoyed, a side character that was compelling, a sex scene that was steamy, or a particularly humorous description of something. But most of the book was in the middle for me, and it seemed like every especially good part had another that was equally disappointing or annoying. I see this one was written a while back, I think Kleypas has largely improved since. Fairly vague/minor spoilers~ I really don't care for heroes to say "you bitch!" to the heroines. Especially not at the drop of a hat, or after they've begun to care for them. Same with heroines slapping heroes. I am just solidly opposed to normalizing or excusing that shit. They should be the behaviors of the unlikable characters, not our leads. More specific spoiler- I found it difficult to like the heroine. Every character is expected to have flaws, immaturity or pride or something, but every time I started to think 'she's maybe alright I suppose' she would damn a character for doing something and then turn around and damn him for not doing it a moment later *eye roll*, or make a serious bargain and then try to back out of holding up her end! I don't have to always agree with the leads, but I want to at least be able to respect them! ( )