The Spinster and I Author: Rebecca Connolly
Series: The Spinster Chronicles #2
Genres: Historical Romance
Format: eBook, Print
Pages: 278
Date: November 1, 2018
Publisher: Phase Publishing
Poor, unfortunate Spinster…
Prudence Westfall, spinster, has unexpectedly had the greatest misfortune of all: she has inherited a fortune, and is now an heiress. But as a Spinster, and a stammering shy one, nothing could be worse than having a bevy of suitors pay her attention. Opportunity strikes at a house party when the most unlikely person offers the perfect solution.
Camden Vale is no gentleman, and he’s not prone to saving anyone, but something about Prue changes all that. When his offer to befriend her extends beyond the house party, and his feelings extend beyond expectation, no one is more surprised than he. Except, perhaps, for the other Spinsters, and they have much to say on the subject.
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About Rebecca Connolly
Rebecca Connolly writes romances, both period and contemporary, because she absolutely loves a good love story. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She started writing them down in elementary school and has never looked back. She currently lives in Ohio, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict.
** spoiler alert ** 4.5 stars
I thought this book was better than the first one and it leaves me excited to read the next one. I never get enough time with the Spinsters though they popped up as a group through out the book.
Camden was a wonderful hero. Mostly because he was honest enough to not believe himself a hero. I loved him until he became a darn fool. I guess I’ll never understand the logic of a regency era man that thinks this is the best way to love his miss. But of course he doesn’t stay a darn fool so its all good. I love that he was so quick to be able to see the real Prue. He was witty and enjoyable to be around. He recognized his faults and didn’t bother to correct false assumptions about him if it helped others for him to take the fall. He really is a good guy. And maybe he enjoyed having a reputation just a bit even though he really isn’t wicked.
I liked that in discussing Camden’s reputation there was the subtle lesson that gossip is full of half truths and full out lies and not to be believed straight out.
I also loved Prue. It is obvious that she is a strong person. No one could stand there and take every injustice she did without inner strength. People who should have loved her were so cruel to her and encouraged others to do so as well. Her anxiety might have been easier to handle had she had a loving family to assist.
I felt the anguish of the characters all through the book. I felt Camden’s confusion about his desire to help someone when there was absolutely nothing in it to benefit him, or so he thought. I felt the trauma of the panic attacks Prue experienced and the anguish she felt at the mistreatment she received.
My only complaint about this book, which isn’t really a complaint at all, is that I sooooo wanted to see Prue be able to get over the debilitating anxiety even for just a moment to stand up for herself. I kept envisioning all sorts of upcoming scenes where she stood up to her mother, told her she was done being mistreated and if she didn’t like it she was on her own because Prue was financially independent, could hire a companion to be proper and go live her life however she wanted. Perhaps even one of the less fortunate Spinsters would like to live with her. Or in a very public setting Prue could stand up for herself when Eliza was weaving her lies and point out that a lie was even part of E-LI-za’s name as well as show that she could speak without stuttering. She could point out that Eliza had gone after Davies only because she thought Prue wanted him, even though it was really her mother that wanted him and that even though she wasn’t hurt by their marriage in and of itself, Davies, being a good man, didn’t deserve such a fate. Oh, how I wanted to see a scene like this play out. But there is a reason that I am not a writer. I have a difficult time tolerating injustices yet they are a part of life. It would have wrapped everything up a bit too neatly to have Prue suddenly cured of anxiety by the love of self and a good man. Anxiety is real and isn’t likely to just disappear though one may learn skills to deal better. Prue’s anxiety seemed so severe that her father’s method may be the only way for her to cope. So thank heavens for Mariah to physically do what I wanted Prue to figuratively (or literally) do. Just a little justice made me feel a little better.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Read it in a day and felt full annoyed anytime there was an interruption to my reading. I would have loved it to go on longer.
Sex: no, some kisses and a little innuendo
Language: a little-mild
Violence: some physical abuse, a lot of verbal abuse, and well deserved punch in the nose (though violence is never the answer right?)