“The Kiss of a Stranger” a clean, enjoyable read
It is the 1800s in Victorian England, in a time called the Regency Era. Society has strict rules on everything and Crispin Handle, Lord Cavratt, is not about to let one annoying woman keep, well, annoying him. So what does he do? He kisses a stranger.
In Sarah M. Eden’s “The Kiss of a Stranger,” the consequences of Crispin’s actions are more than he bargained for when he kissed Catherine Thorndale, a serving woman in the country inn where he is staying. Not only is she a lady of birth, she’s the niece of an exceeding brute of a man who claims that Crispin’s scandalous kiss has compromised his niece beyond redemption, leaving Crispin one option: marriage.
Catherine, a homely lady, wasn’t prepared nor wanting to marry Crispin Handle but was forced to by her abusive uncle. Holding to Crispin’s promise of an annulment when he gets to London and talks to his solicitor, Catherine moves into Crispin’s beautiful London home and is thrust into the whirlwind of London society.
In the meantime, Catherine’s quiet and humble personality catches Crispin off guard when she refuses new clothes from the most famous fashion designer in London. Though Catherine finally concedes, Crispin is intrigued by this quiet woman he has married. Determined to try to get a word – and then a smile – out of her, Crispin finds that an annulment is less and less desirable.
Crispin begins to guide his wife from a socially petrified woman to a lady of society through the help of his energetic and optimistic sister Lizzy. Crispin and Catherine don’t get their happily ever after quite yet, however. Catherine has yet to try to run a society-approved evening, rustle a few feathers and have a few misunderstandings. Of course, neither Crispin nor Catherine would have ever guessed what Catherine’s uncle was capable of.
Though I quite enjoy classics such as “Gone With the Wind” and “To Kill a Mockingbird,” this book takes enjoyment to a whole new level. This book, though not considered a “classic,” reminded me of why I enjoy reading. There is humor, romance, mystery, danger, conflict, anguish, heartbreak ━ and even an instance where a gun is pointed at someone.
Sarah M. Eden is a gifted writer as well, making the story authentic, enjoyable and realistic through her research of the time period. She gives readers the perspective of both the main characters while writing in third person. If you love the time period and love learning about it while enjoying a good story, this is one you will want to read. This is probably a book that most girls will love and squeal about. As for the guys, I’ll give you two thumbs up if you read this book. It is that good and maybe you’ll get some romantic ideas.
One last peg for this great book: part of what makes it so enjoyable is that it is super clean. There’s no worry about what you might come across in reading it as there is with some other historical-romance novels. It is also a fast read, taking any given reader one to three days to get through the story. And did I mention it’s my favorite book? I highly recommend this piece of great literature.
-marissa.neely@aggiemail.usu.edu