
What Is It About?
Beryl Burnham has it all. She’s engaged to Sir Henry Rivenahll, just spent a year in Paris with her aunt, and has not a care in the world…or so the world thinks.
Secretly, Beryl is plaqued with depression. Back in the regency era, there was not much known about mental illness, and the treatments were usually hard on the body.
When Beryl comes home from Paris, she finds herself the center of the town’s gossip ring and that makes her finance’ a bit on edge. She does her best to quell the rumors while also dealing with her secret ailment.
Thankfully, she has a friend in the village curate (and younger brother to Sir. Rivenhall) Mark. Unbeknownst to Beryl, but not oblivious to his brother, Mark has feelings that run deeper than friendship for Beryl. This becomes a subject of contention between the brothers when it comes to handling/helping Beryl.
Through a series of events, Beryl must learn to trust her heart or follow the path set out for her by her family.
What Did I Like?
Mimi Matthews handles the subject of depression in a very respectful way. It’s not over the top but it’s not downplayed what the lead character goes through. As someone with depression, I could relate to much of what the character experienced.
What I Didn’t Like?
204 pages felt to be a little too short for this story. I would like to have learned more of the aftermath of some situations and how others played out. That didn’t stop me from enjoying the book though.
Who Is Fair As A Star For?
Despite the heroine having depression, this is not a downer of a book. The depression takes center stage at times but it doesn’t bring the reader into the state with the character. I’d say this book is for anyone looking for a good clean regency romance that takes only a few hours to read.
Overall
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