Betina Krahn

Upset when her father orders an arranged marriage for her, independent and headstrong Brien Weston decides to escape the unwanted nuptials by finding her own husband, offering a shocking proposal to shipbuilder Aaron Durham, a man who has rejected his father's title and fortune to pursue his own dreams. Original.

Not Quite Married

Sans

3.5 stars

The Good: As usual, the hero. (I'm convinced the Smart Bitches have it spot on - romances are no longer just about the heroine and her journey, they are more about the hero too these days.) I really liked Aaron, he sounds like the kind of person I'd want in my life. He was independent, mature, thoughtful, just aggressive enough, intelligent and patient. Brilliant and sexy to boot. He had no qualms about giving up his entire life, even his country, to follow his passion for the sea. The strength of his character was told to the reader up front and that was okay. Then we were able to see for ourselves throughout the book exactly the kind of man he is. I love it when authors show me instead of just telling me.

The Bad: So much melodrama. Good lord, I felt like I was watching the combined train wreck of every major soap opera. Secret marriages, forced marriages, exotic sickness, lies about theft, threatened rape, attempted murder, arson, womens rights, sea voyages, Colonial America, attempted extortion, more arson, secret pregnancies, kidnapping, more extortion, another attempt at forced marriage, family drama...I'm having trouble thinking of a cliche or plot device that wasn't used.

The Mediocre: Brien was just a little too much for me.Yes, I do understand that she wanted more than was her lot in life during the late 18th century. But seriously? Being so independent was more annoying than empowering. Especially when she kept getting angry with Aaron for trying to help her. Look around sister, we all need help sometimes. And if he rocks your socks, I'm not seeing a problem with the arrangement. Despite getting on my nerves, I did respect her determination.

The Judgment: A good read all told. I'll give Krahn's books another try but if they're all this high drama I might have to pass on a third read.

Not Quite Married

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