The Donovans #0.5
by Martha Keyes
GENRE: Regency clean romance
My rating: ★★★★★
full 5-star rating !!!!!!!
A wonderful and sweet, clean romance!
It's a short and light read, but with great intensity and is very engaging from start to finish.
This is the second time I've read a novel by Martha Keyes, and it's the second time I've given it a five-star rating.
I kept dreaming about the story and its characters for many days after finishing the book.
I loved it because, even though at first glance the plot might seem unoriginal, or even like the usual banal Regency love story, this short novel stands out from the rest.
There's no bickering or spite between lovers who then resolve their issues and have a happy ending, starting a life of comfort and privilege, as you might expect after reading the synopsis.
____ WHAT THE SYNOPSIS TELLS US: England, after the end of the war against Napoleon.
Elena MacKinnon has spent the last seven years training to become a proper English lady. When her childhood friend, Captain Theo Donovan, returns from serving in the Navy, he brings with him the memory of Elena’s humiliation: the ill-advised and ardent love letter she wrote him before his departure, which he ignored entirely.
Elena hopes to simultaneously suppress his memory of the letter and make him regret overlooking her, showing him just how refined an English lady she can be.
The only problem? She is not English, but a proud Scot—and her heart may be more enamored with Theo than ever.
_________*********__________*********________
As I already said the story doesn't include the bickering and foolish revenge that the back cover implies.
Elena only intends to seek revenge in the first few pages of the book, knowing that her childhood love is about to return from the war (now over) after having ignored her and made her suffer for seven long years.
As we all know, things rarely go according to plan, and both Elena and Theo find themselves in situations where it's difficult to understand what is real and what only appears to be.
The general plot summary on the back cover doesn't do the novel justice. It's misleading and suggests a story of little intensity, offering, at most, a few comic situations.
The reading is light and very pleasant, but the story also conveys deep feelings.
It subtly addresses serious themes such as the conflict between appearance and reality, the struggle for self-acceptance, and society's often unfair expectations, trapping individuals within rigid and unjust rules.
___ THE MAIN CHARACTER: ELENA ___ I would argue there's only one main character in this narrative: Elena, who tells us the whole story in the first person. Everything revolves around her feelings, assumptions, considerations, and thoughts. We get to know the other characters, including her beloved Theo, through her words and the lively dialogue.
____ EXCELLENT FIRST-PERSON NARRATION ___ Even though the events are told from her point of view, I assure you it's not boring at all; on the contrary, it's very captivating.
I really like first-person narration. In fact, when it's done well, I find it more engaging than third-person stories because it gives me the impression of hearing the confidences of a friend, allowing me to be more involved in the character's emotions.
Of course, the writer must skillfully insert surprising scenes and effectively convey the character's excitement, anticipation, passion, fear, happiness, and other emotional involvements to the reader.
It's not easy at all, but Martha Keyes excels at this. She has an exceptional writing style and makes you feel every little thrill and heartbeat of her characters.
___ THE MAIN CHARACTER'S BELOVED: THEO _____ Through Elena's keen observations and thoughtful reflections, we are able to discern, along with her, the emotions of the other characters, especially the fascinating and enigmatic Theo.
He is a complex character who is difficult to judge at first (and here we see the author's skill in leading us to make at least three or four different conjectures).
Despite the brevity of the novel, he gradually reveals himself to the reader. He pleasantly surprised me and made me read voraciously to discover new developments.
___ SIDE CHARACTERS ___ Each of them plays a relatively small role, which is understandable in such a short novel, but I was still satisfied with how the author managed to bring out the essence of each, providing us with a complete and gratifying picture of the situation and the dynamics of the events.
___ FULFILLING HAPPY ENDING ___ Martha Keyes surprised me even with the ending, which is quite original and different from the usual happy endings.
___ AN UNDERLYING THEME, HIDDEN BETWEEN THE LINES ___ What I appreciate in some novels are the serious themes that are addressed while entertaining us.
The underlying theme of this book is the acceptance of oneself – embracing who you are and your origins – without conforming to the rigid rules imposed by society. These rules, based on prejudices, dictate who is worthy and who is not, who is better and who is worse. This theme remains relevant in every era, even today, despite the ongoing battles fought in the name of equality and respect for all.
Elena is Scottish, and therefore her accent is not favored by the English. She grew up with a certain freedom of expression, running in nature and interacting with commoners.
While, initially, we observe her efforts to please society and Theo, and Theo's efforts to fulfill a parent's dream, we see these two caterpillars transform into butterflies and fly with their own colors during the story.
I really liked it!
____ CONCLUSION ___ In summary, this is a clean romance with just kissing, and with characters and an ending that are a little different from the usual clichés.
A pleasant read that I recommend to all romantic and dreamy readers who aren't necessarily looking for hot sex, alpha males, and scandals.
----> SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES !
Thank you for reading my review. I hope you'll enjoy the book as much as I did.
Please forgive any remaining English grammar errors, as English is not my first language.
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