Thursday, October 2, 2014

FAVORITE AUTHOR REVIEW: For Elise by Sarah M. Eden


ABOUT THE BOOK

In the sprawling gardens of their neighboring estates, childhood friends Miles and Elise spent countless pleasant days together in the spirited adventures of youth. They were inseparable—until Elise vanished without a trace. Miles searched, but Elise could not—or would not—be found . . .

After years spent laboring on the family plantation in the West Indies, Miles Linwood is shocked by the unexpected news: he has inherited his uncle’s estate and the title of Marquess of Grenton. Miles’s return to England is tarnished by only one thing—he is still haunted by Elise’s mysterious disappearance. So when he glimpses a woman with a startling resemblance to his lost friend, he’s shaken to the core. This is no mere shadow of the past: it is truly Elise. But his dear friend has changed—to the point that he questions whether it is really her, though he knows it is. Accustomed to rescuing Elise from childhood escapades, Miles takes her and those in her care back to his estate, even as he struggles to understand her fear and mistrust. As their friendship and feelings slowly blossom again, the shocking truth of their separated years is revealed, and Miles realizes more than ever that he must protect Elise. She slipped away once, and he cannot lose her again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SARAH M. EDEN read her first Jane Austen novel in elementary school and has been an Austen addict ever since. Fascinated by the English Regency era, Eden became a regular in that section of the reference department at her local library, where she painstakingly researched this extraordinary chapter in history. Eden is an award-winning author of short stories and was a Whitney Award finalist for her novels Seeking Persephone and Courting Miss Lancaster. Visit her at www.sarahmeden.com.

REVIEW

I finally got around to finishing this and unsurprisingly I loved it.  It's no wonder that Sarah Eden is one of my all time favorite authors.  I loved the characters, Miles and Elise especially.  The character development is especially good as we gradually learn what led to Miles and Elise going in different directions and what has happened to Elise in the four years they have been apart.  I also really enjoyed the part that Elise's daughter Anne played in the story.  She is such a sweet addition to the story and her relationship with Miles is fun.

The murder mystery part of the story adds a great deal to the mystery surrounding Elise's disappearance. The author does a great job slowly revealing the events of the murders and what exactly happened to Elise that contributed to her leaving.  I think what I love the most about Sarah Eden's books is how real her characters feel with real struggles and emotions and challenges.  Miles struggles with trying to help Elise while figuring out why she disappeared and why she doesn't trust him, especially after how close they were growing up.  Elise struggles with trusting anyone, even Miles, after all the tragedies that have befallen her. The last four years hadn't been kind to her and after how Miles hurt her she's reluctant to trust anyone and yet she desperately needs help.

It's nice to read a clean romance that has some depth to it that feels genuine.  Another wonderful book from a wonderful author.


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