Official Review: Mine, Forever and Always
Posted: 06 Sep 2018, 12:26
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Mine, Forever and Always" by Tammy L. Bailey.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Romance author Tammy L. Bailey pens a delightful summer story in the 18th century. Entitled Mine, Forever and Always, her novel follows Lily Scott, a young woman whose heart yearns for only one man – Henry Dalton, her best friend’s brother. It all started with an innocent game of pretend when the pair were playfully married as children. This was instigated by Jane, Lily’s best friend. Years later, Lily returns to the Dalton household for Jane’s eventful parlor games. With time, things have changed. Lily is appalled at the kind of man Henry has become. He is arrogant, distasteful, and worse, he doesn’t seem to fancy her at all! Disappointment and hurt blossoms into a new side of Lily, one that Henry has never seen before. Her fierce and sultry nature suddenly appeals to him and awakens passionate feelings he did not even know he had. Henry wants Lily, but there are important things to consider such as his father’s disapproval and Lily’s approaching engagement to another man. In the background, Jane is once again playing the role of matchmaker, but will her efforts be enough to unite these two lovers?
This novel was beautifully crafted with just the right amount of angst, romance, and surprises. From the very first page, I was swept up into the whirlwind romance of Lily and Henry. The author managed to charm me through her characters and I was able to grasp visual images of them through her ample descriptions. Their decisions, words, and actions also made me gasp in surprise and tear up with emotion.
I liked that the author stayed true to the setting of the book. The language was pleasantly appropriate for the era. The romantic scenes were tastefully written as is the case with historical representations of romance. These were a delight to read. Additionally, the characters wore clothing that reflected the era, such as empire-waist gowns. A chaperoning character was also included in the story. This was another nod to the past, as young women rarely socialized without an older woman acting as their chaperone.
This novel hardly contained any errors. If I were not combing the pages for errors, I would not have found two spelling mistakes and an incorrect tense. These minor errors did not distract me from reading the book. However, I noticed that the writer had a particular penchant for using the word “rotate” and its derivatives (rotating, rotated etc). Whenever a character turned around, that word was used. In fact, it was used ten times. In my opinion, the writer could have used a variety of words to mean the same thing, for instance, “twirled”, “spun around” or “swiveled”.
Despite my preference for a wider vocabulary in the book where “rotating” was concerned, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Overall, it was very enjoyable. Historical romance fans will enjoy this book from cover to cover.
******
Mine, Forever and Always
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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4 out of 4 stars
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Romance author Tammy L. Bailey pens a delightful summer story in the 18th century. Entitled Mine, Forever and Always, her novel follows Lily Scott, a young woman whose heart yearns for only one man – Henry Dalton, her best friend’s brother. It all started with an innocent game of pretend when the pair were playfully married as children. This was instigated by Jane, Lily’s best friend. Years later, Lily returns to the Dalton household for Jane’s eventful parlor games. With time, things have changed. Lily is appalled at the kind of man Henry has become. He is arrogant, distasteful, and worse, he doesn’t seem to fancy her at all! Disappointment and hurt blossoms into a new side of Lily, one that Henry has never seen before. Her fierce and sultry nature suddenly appeals to him and awakens passionate feelings he did not even know he had. Henry wants Lily, but there are important things to consider such as his father’s disapproval and Lily’s approaching engagement to another man. In the background, Jane is once again playing the role of matchmaker, but will her efforts be enough to unite these two lovers?
This novel was beautifully crafted with just the right amount of angst, romance, and surprises. From the very first page, I was swept up into the whirlwind romance of Lily and Henry. The author managed to charm me through her characters and I was able to grasp visual images of them through her ample descriptions. Their decisions, words, and actions also made me gasp in surprise and tear up with emotion.
I liked that the author stayed true to the setting of the book. The language was pleasantly appropriate for the era. The romantic scenes were tastefully written as is the case with historical representations of romance. These were a delight to read. Additionally, the characters wore clothing that reflected the era, such as empire-waist gowns. A chaperoning character was also included in the story. This was another nod to the past, as young women rarely socialized without an older woman acting as their chaperone.
This novel hardly contained any errors. If I were not combing the pages for errors, I would not have found two spelling mistakes and an incorrect tense. These minor errors did not distract me from reading the book. However, I noticed that the writer had a particular penchant for using the word “rotate” and its derivatives (rotating, rotated etc). Whenever a character turned around, that word was used. In fact, it was used ten times. In my opinion, the writer could have used a variety of words to mean the same thing, for instance, “twirled”, “spun around” or “swiveled”.
Despite my preference for a wider vocabulary in the book where “rotating” was concerned, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Overall, it was very enjoyable. Historical romance fans will enjoy this book from cover to cover.
******
Mine, Forever and Always
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like KristyKhem's review? Post a comment saying so!
