Review: Love Remembered.. By: Ellen Fisher

Tawania
Review: Love Remembered
Author: Ellen Fisher

From the Back of the book....

Gwaltney Harris has struggled all his life to acquire wealth but still cannot purchase the respectability he desires. Desperate, he weds the shrewish but well-bred Cordelia Ashton, who has concealed a warm nature beneath a spinsterish exterior. Gwaltney, however, has secrets of his own, and he doesn’t dare grow too close to Cordelia. Despite this, they begin to fall in love, but can their relationship survive a mysterious assailant who will stop at nothing to kill Gwaltney?

Review:

I don't even know where to begin with this review, I really am at a loss for words. Love Remembered was not at all what I was expecting when I sat down to read this book. When I realized that this story was set in the eighteenth century, I started to put it down. Then I thought maybe the characters were going to travel through time, by sci-fi means, or becoming Vampires. I know you are probably wondering why I thought that, but the truth is the only book of Ms. Fisher's that I had previously read was a sci-fi futuristic fantasy Romance. I assumed this book would fall in that genre as well, I could not have been more wrong. I know you are probably saying to your self "why doesn't she know more about the book she's reading". The truth is I was so excited that an author who's work I admired, offered me a copy of her book to review. I didn't care about the details. That being said, I am so glad I didn't put this book down, the best thing I could have done for myself was read this book. It had been so long since I read a historical romance, I didn't realize how much I missed them. The funny thing about it is, I thought I had been successfully transformed into a paranormal/urban fantasy romance junkie. Ms. Fisher's book has proved that I was wrong, I loved this story.

Qwaltney made his fortune as longhorn hunter, and now he's a tobacco grower in colonial Virgina. He is despised by the gentry because of his heritage. The only thing he wants is respectability, but no matter what he does it's unattainable. When his best friend approaches him with the idea of marrying respectability. Qwaltney thinks it over, and realizes maybe that will be the answer to his problems. Qwaltney doesn't know what a challenge he is in for, nor does he realize his best friend has other motives for wanting to help his friend. Qwaltney is also suffering from his own personal demons, and the atrocities done to him by his father in his child hood.

Cordelia vows that she will never get married, no matter what her father says or how many eligible bachelors he sends her way. She has decided to live the rest of her life as a spinster, and has made herself as unattractive as possible. She longs to get the attention her beautiful sister does, but because of a past betrayal she has hardened her heart against anything like that ever happening. Because of how unattractive she has made herself, and her sharp merciless tongue, she believes she can drive any man away from her until she meets Qwaltney Harris. No matter how mean she is or how hard she tries she can't drive Qwaltney away. Cordelia is torn between how she feels about Qwaltney, and she doesn't believe he wants anything more from her then the promise of respectability by marrying her.

This story was wonderfully written, I immediately fell in love with Qwaltney and Cordelia's characters. Don't get me wrong there were many frustrating moments in the book when they were mean to each other. Some of the banter back and forth between them had me wincing when I was reading it. That being said I never wanted A couple to have a HEA more then I wanted this couple to. Qwaltney with his tortured memories, and self loathing for himself touched me. I hated that he didn't believe in love, or even believed that he was worthy of love. I thought it was funny that he loved so fiercely his dead sister, and his orphaned niece, but didn't realize that it was love. Cordelia never wanted to love any man, but she couldn't help the feelings that Qwaltney was starting to inspire in her. She slowly realized that she was caring for him, but that he might not ever care for her.

This book had so many memorable moments in it, that it's hard to pick one. Even the secondary characters Jonathan, and Elsabeth Cordelia's sister were very memorable. Jonathan and Elsabeth romance is like another little story inside of this story. It all went together so well. Ms. Fisher also kept the story interesting with true facts about Virginia, the tobacco industry, and slavery. I was happy that she kept true to the times, as a native Virginian it was exciting to read true facts about my state's history.

All in all this was a fabulous story to read, I loved the humor that came from the banter between Cordelia and Qwaltney. The love scenes were hot and memorable, the characters were easy to fall in love with. The best compliment I can give Ms. Fisher is, she made me want to pick up another historical romance when I finished reading her book. If you knew how unbelievable that is to me, then you would recognize that's the highest form of praise for this book that I'm capable of giving.

If you are into historical romances, and you want to read a true love story that will transport you back in time. I highly recommend this book to you.

****4stars



Product Details

Paperback: 388 pages
Publisher: New Concepts Publishing (January 30, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1586086804
ISBN-13: 978-1586086800
Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces