I love taking a chance on a new to me historical romance author and had a lot of fun reading Angeline Fortin. Evelyn (Eve) and Francis meet on a London street and it’s clear they have instant attraction. Evelyn is hoping to hold out for a love match and wonders if Francis might be the answer to her singleness. Only problem is that he’s already married and she’s technically betrothed. Fast forward years later and neither Francis nor Eve have forgotten their chance encounter and wondered “what if” they had been able to court? At a ball in Scotland they find themselves both changed, both without spouses, and both still very physically attracted to one another.

I loved seeing a hero work at wooing the heroine, trying to prove to her all of the reasons they should be together. In some ways I got frustrated with Eve who even though has Francis fully available to her, still does not want to take the step towards marriage. I think maybe a little length could’ve been shaved off here because the story lulled just a little bit waiting on Eve to commit. The second act was quite a bit of fun and nothing I expected so if you like a little bit of intrigue and a plot twist with your romance then you’re in for a treat.

Philip Battley narrates this wonderfully. I liked getting to sample a bit of the narration prior to requesting the audio and chose to listen to this because I really enjoyed his voice. He does British aristocracy flawlessly and it was a nice surprise to have a male narrator for the entirety of a romance. Thank you to Tantor Audio for my early listening copy. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Steam: 🌟.5️⃣
Narration: 📣📣📣📣.5️⃣

This was my first Angeline Fortin novel, and while the premise was strong and full of potential, the execution didn’t quite live up to the promise of the blurb.

The story follows Evelyn Ashley-Cooper, a spirited woman whose rebellious nature is crushed after being forced by her parents into a marriage of status over love. Her husband, the Earl of Shaftesbury, is emotionally and psychologically abusive, breaking Eve down through a series of punishments until she becomes a shell of her former self. Upon his death, Eve slowly begins reclaiming her independence. When Francis MacKintosh,an unforgettable figure from her past, reenters her life. She remembers his kindness, and hope flickers for a different future. However, trauma and the weight of their shared past threaten to unravel her again.

I found Eve and Francis to be compelling characters, and I appreciated the emotional weight of Eve’s healing journey. That said, the pacing dragged at times, and I found myself speeding up the narration to get through certain scenes. Some plot developments felt forced or historically inaccurate. In particular, I was curious about the interactions between Francis and his ex-wife. Her actions pulled me out of the story, making me wonder if it was possible, given that men had the upper hand at that time.

Another issue was missed opportunities for deeper character development. I wanted more insight into their pasts and emotional connections, which would have helped make their romance feel more grounded and earned.

Narrator Philip Battley does a decent job, delivering the dialogue with clarity and solid pacing, but it wasn’t enough to fully carry the story during the slower parts.

Despite its flaws, I see promise in the series. The ending sets up book two in an intriguing way, and I’m hopeful it will better capture the emotional depth and romantic tension hinted at here.

I enjoyed this book, although I did find myself regularly frustrated with the choices of some of the characters. I suspect this is more of a function of the time period in which it was set, than with the writing. I did however, think it was well-written and realistic for the time

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

They briefly meet (measured in minutes, not hours), instantly fall in love, share a kiss, do not see each other for years. They meet again and still in insta-love. Insta-love to the extreme. There is virtually no interaction before they are in love. Then they are in lust and constantly have sex.

I can't say there is no character development, as the author did give them some issues to overcome, but it is very little.

There is a very predictable climax.

For all that this is kind of lacking, I did like some of the side characters and may continue the series.

Philip Battley narrates. It is told in many POVs (not just Evelyn and Francis), so I guess dual narrators wouldn't have exactly worked here. But I wanted more.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a solid 3.5*. I liked the narrator who performed the various accents well. The romance itself was lacking a bit. I mean, Frances and Evelyn are meant to each other, but why?? Also, Evelyn just took her personality change a little too far. It was so contrived. I really liked Frances and his family, very supportive, very close and sometimes cheeky.

Overall, it was a decent read, but I felt something was missing in the romance front.

#netgalley #AQuestionofLove