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Book Club - April

This month's book was another historical romance, I'll be honest until I met my friend Stephanie I never really had much interest in this genre of romance books, but I'm really starting to like them. Anyway, this month's book was Promise Me Tonight by Sara Lindsey.

- The Story -
Isabella Weston has been in love with her older brother’s best friend James Sheffield since she was a girl. On the night of her coming-out ball, she’s determined to make James fall head over heels in love with her and want to marry her. James is back in England after spending time in Ireland and is shocked to find that his best friend’s impish little sister is now a stunning beauty. James knows he’s in big trouble when he finds it impossible to resist her charming, cunning wiles and dogged ways, but his painful childhood has made him promise himself that he’ll never marry or have children. This headstrong pair produce an entertaining battle of wits and wills while dealing with their own internal battles.


- The Characters -
Izzie - I felt that she was likable and real. She started out headstrong and knowing what she wantd. After James breaks her heart she breaks apart, I believe even the strongest female would do the same when it's the man you've loved your whole life. I can't fault her for that though many reviews I read have faulted her for her flip-flop personality. She still loves James but becomes scared to put herself back out there in fear that he'll hurt her again.

James - He's selfish but I feel he has good reason to be, to a point. His childhood traumatized him and just lie Izzie he's afraid to put himself in a situation where he might get hurt.

- Discussion -
I overall enjoyed this book, as did the rest of the group. The characters were likable and the story engaging enough that I wanted to read more to see how the characters worked out their problems. (It's a romance, so you know they'll work it out.) Some reviews had mentioned that they book reminds them of Julia Quinn books, I haven't read many of her books, so I didn't have that problem, but as far as being predictable, yea I get that. It's a romance, they all follow a similar formula.

A few things did bother me:
-James is half Irish yet this is never brought up as a point where Izzie is concerned only in reference to James' grandfather.
-I also didn't care for the plot point of needing James to almost die to realize he's been a selfish ass and that he really does love Izzie and then his sappy speech at the end of the book.
-James is dedicated to his "school" in Ireland but no mention is made to this at the end, hopefully in following books we'll hear something.

A few things I really loved!
-The time line --> it was believable that things took a while to grow and build and be rebuilt. It wasn't one of these books that has events take place over two months.
-The letter excerpts.
-The family

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