The writing was awful, at times I didn't know who was speaking, or the author was commenting on things that were unclear...but it was a good idea for a plot. I've seen this done SO much better by other authors, however. ( )

A charming romance, with a little mystery. The two stories, one of children playing and then, their adult romance make for wonderful comparisons. The children make a stronger, better impression than the adult version, which sometimes seems a bit contrived. Both of the main characters, Kit and Violet, are wonderfully drawn, seem like flesh-and-blood, but a bit too perfect to type, they both need a quirk or two, to feel real.

The plot is excellent, the fencing descriptions exuberant. ( )

This was a decent 2nd-chance romance. Hit it off as children and didn't find each other again for years. The issues keeping them apart at that time were a bit hokey feeling, so I probably enjoyed the first half more than the second. It was fine though. ( )

Good story of childhood friends reunited and the love that grows between them. Violet is an orphan being raised by her aunt and uncle. They are overprotective but loving. One day she sees Kit in the churchyard practicing swordfighting and is drawn to him. She is quite naive and doesn't understand anything about his background and current circumstances of living in the local workhouse, but she offers her friendship anyway. She, Kit and two other friends have a wonderful summer of adventures, until Kit disappears. Violet misses her friend, but goes on to follow her aunt's dictates and devote herself to becoming a lady.

Ten years later she is engaged to a local businessman who appreciates her ladylike behavior and looks forward to her ability to help his business. He's not terribly exciting as a fiance, but her aunt approved of him. Then, while attending a ball that also has a fencing demonstration as entertainment, she sees the sword master everyone is talking about and recognizes him as her old friend. They dance together and attraction flares between them. But Violet is engaged to someone else and while Kit feels bad at the idea of taking another man's woman, his feelings won't be denied.

I liked both Violet and Kit. I liked the fact that Kit's background never mattered to Violet, that she saw him for the boy, then man, that he was. Even though she's engaged to Godfrey, her feelings for Kit are strong and she knows that she can't go through with marrying Godfrey. She just has to find a way to break things off with him and tell her aunt that she doesn't want the man her aunt picked out for her. I liked the way that she was concerned for her aunt's feelings but wasn't going to let them stop her from being with Kit. There are some very good scenes where they meet up and catch up on what has happened in their lives, and feel their desire for each other increase.

Kit was taken from the workhouse and sold to a man who adopted him and treated him as his own son. That man trained Kit as a sword master, and Kit has spent the last few years teaching people the art of the sword. He is also an honorable man who places great importance on doing the right thing. He is stunned to see Violet at the ball where the members of his fencing academy are performing. After the dance they share together he realizes that he has loved her for years and wants her to be his. His honor makes it difficult for him to reconcile taking Violet away from her fiance but she is his. It doesn't help that her fiance is also one of his students. I enjoyed seeing Kit doing the work he loves and how it shows the type of man he has become.

I loved seeing Violet and Kit together as they admit their feelings for each other and try to find a way to get their lives together. I also enjoyed seeing how their friends also tried to throw them together. The secondary characters were also well done. I liked the way the marchioness and Violet became friends so quickly, and how her past helped Violet see that there was no shame in her feelings for Kit. I also liked seeing Winnifred the governess and how she and Kit had remained in contact. She had also done a lot of changing in the last ten years and I loved seeing those changes. One of the best characters was Violet's aunt Francesca. Her protectiveness of Violet was ultimately explained. I enjoyed seeing the way she herself changed over the course of the book, as she learned more about the man she had approved and then saw Violet with Kit. Violet's fiance Godfrey was rather stuffy and definitely a snob. He didn't really care about Violet herself, just saw her as another tool for his business plans. I had started to feel a little sorry for him until his actions at the end, then I was happy to see him lose out.

I liked seeing Kit and Violet get their happy ending. There wasn't too much working against them getting together, so it wasn't too hard for them to overcome. I enjoyed seeing two characters who were closer to ordinary people rather than being of the aristocracy. It made a nice change.

The other two friends from Violet's childhood foursome were also there as adults. I liked Eldebert and the way he had matured into a good man. It was nice seeing him looking out for Violet, especially at the end. Ambrose had been a real pain when they were kids and he wasn't much better as an adult. I didn't like his initial plans for the house party he was giving and had high hopes that something would change his mind. There was also a fencing student of Kit's that had other plans for Kit than learning from him. I felt like that confrontation could have been more intense, but it was okay. ( )

Reviewed by Valerie
book provided by library

Cover/title: Beautiful and caught my attention right away.
Review: I haven’t read the other book in this series but I will now. I loved this book. It was great the way the characters interacted with each other! I was pulled in right away knowing that they were childhood friends and could just feel the tension build...

When they were younger, Violet watched him from a distance as he fought imaginary foes in a graveyard. Then, they became friends and frolicked and played before real life took him away from her. Now, she’s engaged and he’s back in the picture...what’s a girl to do? He takes her breath away and she knows that she’s been groomed her entire life to do what is right and proper but he’s just so tempting! Kit can’t believe his good fortune, it’s her, the one he always wanted to impress and protect but what’s he supposed to do – challenge her fiancée to a duel and kill him?

How these two danced around each other and society’s expectations was a joy to read. Violet’s Aunt, who raised her, surprises Violet by revealing more about her past than she had ever been told but she wasn’t the only surprise in this story. An old friend has sinister plans for the two lovebirds as well as an unknown enemy lurking in the shadows. The perfect blend of suspense, romance, and mystery!

Advice: Perfect reading for a long winter’s night!
Quote: He hesitated. “If there is ever anything you need, you have only to ask.” Page 143 ( )