Forgotten No More: A Lady Forsaken #2

REGENCY:  Ruby St. Augustin accidentally found an old journal belonging to her mother - a distant, cold woman.  In it she finds the reason her late father doted on her, while her mother couldn’t tolerate her existence. What her mother left out was the name of the man responsible. Her childhood friend Harold is determined to save her from herself without knowing what she is really up to, and in the process, save himself from a miserable future.

This second in a series book is typical for the genre, with a strong heroine (and a hero who adores her) on a journey of self discovery. The downfall with Ruby is that she runs very hot or very cold, with little explanation as to why there are such drastic shifts. Her decisions, which either starts a fight with Harold or pushes him away, are inexplicable at times and only serve to make the reader not like her at all. As Ruth is supposed to be in her early 30’s, this makes it difficult to believe her actions and words belong to a mature woman—even one as sheltered as she is. Harold is brilliant in his approach to helping her, and is a rare gem in a historical—he is not a peer, but a wonderfully decent man. He tries a little too hard sometimes, making him look a desperate fool; however, while most of the cast flip-flops in their actions, and words don’t match deeds, he is the most stable personality in the tale. Tightening up would make this a masterpiece! It is a pleasurable journey, intriguing enough to make one consider reading the others in the series. 

Julie York