ABOUT THE BOOK
Captain Robert Wilkins has never aspired to grandeur. So when the returned war hero unexpectedly inherits the vast estate of Cattersley from his great-aunt, he feels woefully inadequate in his new role. Out of place in his lavish surroundings, his first glimmer of hope comes when he happens upon a lovely trespasser in his gardens.
Words have never come easily for Abigail Rutherford, and she prefers the solitude of exploring the gardens at the neighboring country estate to engaging in uncomfortable conversation. But when she unexpectedly encounters Captain Robert Wilkins in her place of solace, she is surprised at the immediate ease she feels in his presence. Soon her brightest moments are those spent with the captain. But even as their friendship grows into something more, outside forces have other plans for the two. Mr. Mead, the handsome vicar, has also taken a liking to the quiet and timid Abigail—and he will stop at nothing to ensure she becomes his wife.
REVIEW
Adoring Abigail is the tale of a former army captain turned landowner and gentleman meeting up with a young lady who struggles to speak correctly. As a character, Abigail immediately won me over. I could immediately relate to her speech troubles because I had similar troubles when I was younger, although not as severe as Abigail's. But I had a speech therapist to help me overcome them, Abigail has no such luxury. Instead, she has a family that abuses and condemns her for her disability. Living with her grandmother who constantly berates her every time she makes a mistake, she seeks freedom in her daily walks, walks that take her to Cattersly, the new home of Mr. Robert Wilkins. Robert is struggling with his new role as master of Cattersly and is delighted to meet Abigail. As the two begin to care for each other they must confront additional difficulties. Abigail must contend with the attentions of a controlling, manipulative vicar who won't take no for an answer while Robert tries to get a handle on helping his sister learn to be the mistress of Cattersly after several missteps.
The story is told in Abigail and Robert's alternating points of view. I wasn't sure about this at first. Sometimes this technique can interrupt the flow of the story. In this case it works quite well. The story doesn't tell the same experiences just in alternating voices, instead one chapter picks up after the previous one ends giving the reader different perspectives on different events. After the first few chapters, I started to really enjoy seeing the way Abigail and Robert see and react to each other. I really appreciated how kind Robert is to Abigail, especially in contrast to her grandmother and the manipulative Mr. Mead. The book is a fairly quick read, but all the elements for an enjoyable story are there, interesting characters, problems to be overcome, and a satisfying ending.
GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway
No comments:
Post a Comment