In the Man She Should Have Married author Louise Fuller tells a fast-paced yet thoughtful update on Jane Austen's classic take on second chance at love. Seven years after their families prevent them from being together Farlan and Antonia find their way back to each other in a lovely and believable romance.

This modern-day take on "Persuasion" is a fast-paced, engaging read. At nineteen, Antonia fell in love with Farlan. She wanted to marry him, but her parents threatened to disinherit her. Even now, seven years later, neither of them have gotten over it.

Antonia is managing her aristocratic parents' Scotland estate, trying to save it from financial ruin. Farlan, now a wealthy Hollywood director, has returned to Scotland to visit old friends. When the two run into each other at a dinner party, the old hurt rises to the surface. Even if forgiveness is possible, can they make love work when their careers are worlds apart?

Okay, so, Persuasion is my third-favorite novel of all time. I have high expectations for books inspired by it. This one hit the mark. It has the same sense of emotion and longing, the raw hurt that can only come from first love. Early on, Farlan's resentment seems a bit much, given that Antonia was barely more than a child when she was forced to choose between him and her family. But his backstory explains why—and kudos to the author for recognizing the importance of including that to make him believable.

This book has just the right amount of steam to capitalize on the inherent tension of the story. The writing is top-notch. It's a mature story but also a quick read. I highly recommend this for romance fans and Jane Austen fans.

I received and read an advance copy of this book. This is my voluntary and unsolicited review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A light quick read, which is a bit surprising given that it deals with some heavy emotions on the part of both the hero and heroine.

I feel like there's a difference between "second chance" as a trope and "Persuasion themed", and I really like everything involved with these Persuasion tropes. Aristocratic woman trying her best to keep her family and land in rights despite money troubles, and a good way for the man to be a huge jerk and cause some angst while still being redeemable in my eyes.

I wasn't too interested in Farlan, but I liked Nia and I could see that she liked him, and that was enough to maintain for the book, as it is short. I would have liked a little more angst on Nia, her struggle a little more just because I LOVE THAT STUFF but the narrative is really focused in the way Harlequin imprints generally are. That's both a pro and a con, but you know what you're getting into with a Harlequin Presents.

I don't know if I'd end up rereading this anytime, but I would recommend it to others, especially if you like these tropes or you want something that handles deep emotion in a light way.

I was able to read a copy through NetGalley, but that didn't affect my review in any way.

4/5 Stars

** I received this as an E-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!**

I've been picking up more of the Harlequin romance books to see what they are all about. I've always seen them and wanted to read them so I decided to give it a go and I had blast. I enjoyed the writing style and all the characters. It was just an all-around great time. The romance is a second chance romance and I really liked these two as a couple. If you're looking for a quick, easy, and passion-filled romance I would recommend this book.

Lady Antonia Elgin life has been dedicated to her Highland home. But unfortunately her parents irresponsible handling of money and the estate has left it in dire straits. She's rented out the manner to a lovely couple while she lived in a small cottage on the estate.

The couple invited Antonia to dinner one evening and she got the shock of her life. The man she loved, Farlan, and still loves was a guest that evening. Nia (her shortened nick name) has a rush of emotion of all the pain and sacrifice that ensued from their relationship. You see Nia's parents didn't approve of Farlan, as he was not of their "class" and not wealthy. She was forced to break off their relationship and it was heartbreaking for both. Farlan and Nia's love one a once in a lifetime kind of love. The breakup was ugly and left a lot of bitterness all around.

Farlan has become a famous movie director and very wealthy. He's tried very hard to put Nia in the review mirror and worked on forgetting her. But unfortunately it was a constant struggle in the 7 years they've been apart. The couple that he's come to Scotland to visit were like family, they pretty much saved him. And when he learns the home they would be staying in there was no way he could not go. He was determined to see if Nia was still there and if so to exact a little revenge as well as do whatever he can to exercise her from his system.

The beginning of this book is a little slow but becomes more engaging as you read on. I liked the development of the relationship between the two characters. They evolved in their communication and honesty, revealing a lot of past issues, hurt and truths.

I have a confession to make, this is not a go to author for me. I've found her books very slow and they seem to not have a lot of emotion and heart. Having said that I did give this one a go and was pleasantly surprised. I see improvement in her writing and character development as well. I am more willing and open to read her future books.

The past comes back when Farlan and Nia meet again. They are wary of each other and battle the past hurts.
Love wins over all

This is a take on Persuasion and, though I love Jane Austen's novel, I did think that The Man She Should Have Married was a little bit lukewarm. I expected more anguish and angst and it took me a while to connect with the characters. 3.5 stars

This is a second chance romance. I really enjoyed this book, but I have to say it took me a little bit to get pulled into this book. I loved the characters in this book after I got into the story, but I have to say I wish the characters talked to each other better. The storyline/plot was good, and I really enjoyed it. The pacing was good in this book. The beginning of the books pacing was short but not to slow, and it picked on pacing at the right times. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin Presents) or author (Louise Fuller) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that. This book is schedule to be release on January 26-2021.