I Close My Eyes (Closed #1)

Lady Jane Blackmore is usually  a disaster on the social scene, and after her newest catastrophe (spilling the punch bowl on herself), she has hidden behind the ferns to avoid discovery by her hateful stepmother. The Duke of Greystone, a man with a reputation of having killed his own father, engages her in conversation and refuses to leave after she warns him he must. They are soon discovered, however, and Lady Jane’s father demands an offer of marriage, to which the duke agrees. Can this couple with such difficult backgrounds truly find a path to love?

 This story has a little bit of everything —the tortured hero, the heroine who just wants to be loved, the villainous stepmother, and the bully of the ballroom. Each character is memorable and though the villains are lacking in believable motivations at times, they provide unexpected twists and turns to the plot. Unfortunately, with so much going on, the story length does not allow for much character development beyond a light touch, and readers will be left wanting more depth. However, romance fans will enjoy the moments between Jane and Phillip and their tender overtures to each other in their search for love and understanding. Both of them experience a believable growth arc as they adjust to their newfound feelings and the consequences that come along with that. The story stays true to the period while setting the stage for love, and the ending will tug at the heartstrings.

Kate Campbell