Caroline The HEA Lover's Reviews > Romancing the Countess

(this review was originally published on Book Lovers Inc)



Romancing the Countess was a highly anticipated book for me, I've been waiting for this book for months. For long it was only a blurb and a title but when the cover was finally revealed...Wow... for me this cover is absolutely stunning. Okay, so maybe I did wonder whether women at that time would wear something like that, but still what a gorgeous dress. I also love her jewels. Anyway, to sum it up the cover is one of the many delights of this book!

This is the first book I read from this author and I will definitely read her next novel. I'm always a bit reluctant to try new Historical romance authors (*hides*) because I know I can be very picky when it comes to this genre. Ashley March has a definite style that sets her out from the rest. She made me accept situations and character behavior I would probably have scoffed at in other historical romances.

Leah, like many women of her time, had to live with the knowledge that her husband was cheating on her. Like most women of that time she had to accept it and keep the pretenses. But when her husband tragically dies she can't mourn him like society would want her to. I really love that this book showed us the reality of being a widow back then. Leah wasn't freed by her husband's death, on the contrary she was expected to go into full mourning, wearing uncomfortable and ugly black dresses, wearing a veil or a widow's cap. She wasn't to entertain guest or go to parties for a full year. She was to be lonely and miserable when in reality she didn't want to mourn him. Of course like most things at that time, men weren't held up to the same standards and rules. I know all that but still, each time it makes me angry.

Sebastian's wife died in the same accident that killed Leah's husband....and for a good reason...they were eloping together. Contrary to Leah, Sebastian didn't know of the affair and it was a shock to him. The love of his life died, living him with a toddler and the last thing he wants is for people to gossip about his dead wife and his best friend. I could understand Sebastian's motive, he didn't want his son to suffer from a scandal. I still wanted to kick him where it matters a few times. My first impression of him was of a stuffy lord.

Things got interesting as Leah really came into her own. She slowly realized she could get her independence and freedom. This was really interesting, I liked how she started rebelling in small ways. Then she started doing bolder things, rash and provocative things that were borderline on plausible (in my humble opinion). Well I guess they could happen but I sometimes thought Leah didn't really realize what the consequences would be....I'm not sure if many women would have dared act this way. I guess it's what set her apart from your usual 18th century lady. See, that's the wonder of this book, even if I wasn't 100% convinced by some of the behaviors/events, the story still won me over. Or better said, Sebastian won me over. *g* As much as I disliked him at first he grew on me. Sebastian is a wonderful father, the scenes with his son were just too cute.

Leah is scarred from her relationship with her late husband. She has been burned and she never wants to live through this again. Sebastian's first goal was to convince Leah to keep quiet about the affair and act the widow Society wanted her to be. Then his goal changed and soon he had to find a way to win her over. It's hard to talk about the story without telling too much but let's just say I was left completely satisfied and happy. The characters slowly fell for each other, sometimes against their better judgment. I loved that nothing was rushed, Leah's reluctance wasn't solved in 2 pages. It's really a book about how Sebastian slowly seduced her. And much like Leah was seduced by Sebastian, I was slowly seduced by Ashley March's talent. I might have been reluctant but by the end of the book I was completely sold.

Seducing the Countess has enough originality to set it apart from your usual historical romance. It's bold but not enough to have me throw the book at the wall (aka the hissy fit). My advice to you...let yourself be tempted you won't regret it! It's a really good historical and I will be awaiting Ashley March's next book.


I give Romancing the Countess 4 Stars