Women routinely bleed from their lady parts while enduring menstrual migraines, cramping that feels like two badgers in a death battle in their womb, and period related bowel issues. Whenever I read conflict about a how a heroine cannot handle the hero’s mighty wang, I roll my eyes. Helen is described as being some sort of ethereal anime princess and Rhys is worried his brutish smexing will kill her or something. the big conflict comes out of nowhere and could be resolved by talking and 2. In Marrying Winterborne they are determined to marry despite Helen’s family and society disapproving (he’s new money, she’s a member of the aristocracy). In Cold-Hearted Rake, they fell in love then had a falling out.

The general summary is that Helen Ravenel is a genteel, painfully shy lady who is in love with Rhys Winterborne, a low-born, brash, Welsh department-store magnate. It’s the direct sequel to Cold-Hearted Rake and best read after that book in order to provide context. Period.Marrying Winterborne was a little bit of a disappointment because I expect SO MUCH from a Kleypas novel, but somehow also compulsively readable. Without them, the story would be incomplete. Consequently, I was rooting for both Helen and Rhys. Moreover, Kleypas is brilliant at creating believable, flawed characters. I had a blast of a time reading it, and I believe you would too. Well, it has got a happy ending, but that should not deter any romance fiction fan out there to pick up this book. Not one, but two huge obstacles stood in the way of Helen and Rhys being united in holy matrimony. I will admit I felt the stakes to be real. Kleypas injects drama to create will-the-lovebirds-be-united suspense. So, it was surprising to see her boldly choosing love over propriety. She always thinks of others before herself. Helen, on the other hand, has always been the quiet person in a family full of irascible people.

Rhys is restless which he mistakes for hunger for more work. But money can only give you so much happiness. Rhys is a self-made man, and I got ample glimpses of how he made his empire and came a long way from being a grocer’s son. It was great to see how a ruthless and handsome tycoon is brought to his heels by a gentle, beautiful, and kind woman. I liked it better than Cold-Hearted Rake, the first book in the series. I loved Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas.

The ravenels book 2