Dressed in White

Caroline Sloane’s parents rebuffed their social circles to marry for love, but their early demise leaves their daughter poor and with few options for her future. Agreeing to make amends, her grandfather has set up an appropriate marriage for her. On her journey across the country, however, the mail coach on which Caroline travels meets disaster. Alan Benedict John Blackmore, the Earl of St. Clair, is also tangled up in this accident. Can Caroline maintain her virtue in the presence of Alan, the infamous rake? Each grapples with misgivings about their predetermined futures.

In Sandra Sookoo’s “Dressed in White", readers cannot help but root for a happy ending when two incredibly well developed characters connect at a time their future paths are seemingly set in stone. Though many characters make but brief appearances in the story, each is infused with so much life, personality, and history that they are imprinted on the reader’s heart. If anything, the author creates characters that are “too” good, with flaws and conflicts resolving unnervingly easily. This fact ultimately adds to the "feel good" nature of the story. The chemistry between the two protagonists is palpable and well developed. While much of the story arc takes place with only two characters present, the flow never drags, and instead this time is used to inspire growth and connection. Ms. Sookoo’s masterful character creation really drives the reader to fall in love with Regency England and root for true love to conquer all! 

Shailyn Rogers