Forever Mine
Summary:
Their love was fated…
A mail-order bride from Cincinnati, Ariah Scott traveled all the way to Oregon to marry one man, only to lose her heart to another. What will become of her now? Ever since her father died at the hands of a vengeful relative, Ariah's life has been shadowed by dark secrets. And now her forbidden desire for Bartholomew Noon fills her with uncertainty -- and a secret longing that can never be fulfilled.
And forbidden…
From the moment Bartholomew saw Ariah standing alone at the Portland train station, the keeper of the Cape Meares Light was lost. Hopelessly in love with this angelic beauty who is fated to live beside him at the isolated lighthouse as the wife of another man, Bartholomew never dreams that destiny will someday bring them together. Is Ariah truly the woman he can cherish...forever? (Summary and book cover courtesy of goodreads.com)
Review:
This was one of those books that I was glad I didn’t see the cover (eBook) until after I had started reading it as I absolutely would have judged the book by its cover. This was a fantastic read so ignore the picture and give it a shot!
At first I thought the premise was a little odd (in terms of age difference), but once I stepped back and thought of it in terms of historical context it made more sense. Ariah is a modern-thinking woman who is not content to just go along with what is expected for her while Bartholomew is not some infallible savior for her. They do a good job balancing each other out and it makes the relationship believable. Romance aside, Charlene is a fantastic writer with vivid imagery that had me wishing for a visit to the beach and to see the lighthouse, trees and animals in Oregon.
This book was nonstop action from beginning to end and a refreshing change from what has become the standard formula of instant-attraction-fight-reunion-lasting-love in many romance books. The characters had depth and the romance was just one aspect of the bigger plot. I loved the way things twisted and turned causing me to stay up way too late to finish the book because I HAD to find out what happened!
Warning: Contains repeated sexual content
Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review courtesy of the author.
Rating: 5 stars!
Who should read it? Fans of historical fiction and romance who want something with a little more meat to it!