Complex and SatisfyingComplex and SatisfyingCaptain Colin Thorne is lying in an unfamiliar inn waiting for dawn to answer a dueling challenge. If he is the victor, he will own Weybourne Park. The Earl of Weybourne has lost a bet that forfeited his estate to Colin, but the Earl has accused Colin of cheating, and has called him to satisfaction. Colin, as captain of his ship, brought the cargo in ahead of schedule as he had wagered. The Earl said it was not possible, so Colin must have cheated. There was a knock on the door. It was Mercedes Leyton, the Earl's niece, and poor relation, come to stop the loss of her home and that of her four cousins at any cost.There starts an adventure and mystery with so many twists and turns, it makes one's head spin. This author is excellent at juggling numerous story lines and, all the while, keeps her readers informed and invested. There are the mysteries of this book and there is the mystery that arches all three books. Colin lost his parents at the age of eight, and he and his two brothers were separated as well. Colin is determined to find them, again. That is the arching mystery. Goodman satisfies in every way tying up the plot of this book, and leaves one determined to get to the next book ASAP!Jo Goodman is exceptional in her characterization, lyrical in her prose, keeps true to her genre in every way, and leaves us breathless in her romantic descriptions. She is truly a craftsman extraordinaire.I highly recommend this book, but be forewarned, this book is very dark at times. The violence put me off, but Goodman's words kept me going. One can definitely feel the pain, hopelessness, and despair, as well as the joy, love and romance. If I had known about the violence before, I would probably have chosen not to read this book. I would have missed a most excellent book, and, in my world, that would have been a travesty. I am so glad I found this author. I am definitely going to be reading her other books.
This was a solid historical romance that had a really thick plot - in fact, it was almost too thick. I was ready for the story to end and I think at least 50 pages could have been chopped off and I would have enjoyed the story all the more for it.With that being said, I really did enjoy this book and it was well worth my time to read it. But I wanted more emotion from Colin and Mercedes. They were both cautious and wary of trusting by nature, and that came across in their characters. It made it difficult for me to fully connect with them. This is a very intricate story with a lot of stuff going on in the sidelines and a lot of secondary characters that play a significant role in the story. I personally loved Mercedes cousins - especially the twins - so their contribution to the story was enjoyable for me. If you prefer a romance with H/h front and center and together most of the time, then this isn't the book for you. I will say the author kept me on my toes and kept surprising me with more layers to the complex history of the H/h. Kudos for that. She also has a lovely writing style that is fluid and engaging.
What do You think about My Steadfast Heart (1997)?
Incredible Story! Spellbinding! I cannot say enough good things about this captivating romance novel. I wanted to try a new author and as I started reading this book, I was not able to put it down. At every turn it kept me guessing as to what will happen next. I could not figure out what the hero and heroine's true feelings really were, and that is what made the story so much more interesting. Intrigue, mystery, and passion are part of this heartwarming tale that will touch your heart and make you fall in love with this fascinating story!
—Florencia
This book is an enjoyable, entertaining read. I didn't want to like this book, but I simply can not put it down. It is steamy, loving, funny, interesting dialogue and intriguing plot. This is a "everything" book, this is the book that has everything. It has mystery, murder, kidnapping, romance, steamy sex scene and historical.The only complain I have about this book, and the reason why it is getting 3 stars instead of 4, is this book is too long and had too much going on. Every time I think the story will tie up nicely and end with a pretty bow, a sudden twist appears and throw the characters and me into another turmoil. I like the twist and the unpredictability of it, but after the same thing repeat 3 to 4 times, it became tedious and I was tried.I will be seeking out more books fro this author for sure, I like her voice, I like her originality, I like the characters she created.
—Beanimous
Jo Goodman is quickly becoming one of my go to authors for a great read! This one was no exception. That first chapter is a tear jerker as it sets up the boys future books. Colin was the oldest and did his best to protect his brothers and he did to the point of starving himself. Uniquely enough him finding his brother's isn't the focus of the book, the focus of the book is his and Mercedes relationship. Colin Thorne, a ship's captain made a bet that he could do a Boston run in a certain number of hours. Mercedes's uncle bet against him and lost. But we aren't talking just money, we are talking an entire estate. Of course, not only would Mercedes lose her home, but so would 4 other children and too many others to count. It becomes up to Mercedes to save everybody from the wicked Mr. Thorne. But is it her uncle's cruel threats and physical intimidation that makes her go to Thorne or something else. I loved this book, because although there was constant threat to Mercedes in one form or another, the entire book was devoted to her and Colin falling in love and the focus very rarely strayed from that. Colin was always her champion, whether she wanted him to be or not. There were a lot of emotional twists and turns in this one, where you weren't sure who was in league with the bad guys and who was the good guy in disguise. Colin did end up finding one brother and Decker and I wasn't really surprised at the ending on that aspect and thought it was a neat twist. I am already reading Decker's book, I just couldn't resist.
—Keri
