Come What May

Rating:
Summary: Great romance novel
Review: In 1774 Williamsburg, Virginia, attorney Edmund Cantrell handles a special deal between local businessman Devon Rivard and absentee English aristocrat George Seaton-Smythe. Apparently, Edmund's brother borrowed a large sum of money from Seaton-Smythe's American agents to pay off a gambling debt last year in Philadelphia. Since Wyndom failed to remit the cash, the London-based George offers his older brother Devon a chance to either pay the IOU or marry his niece Claire Curran, the bearer of such news.

Unless he chooses to sell the family home Rosewood, Edmund does not have the money so he angrily selects marriage. Claire who was unaware of her uncle's latest perfidy until the attorney told her she has no other option either. Edmund's plan is to wed, send the proof, and annul the marriage. However, he never considered falling in love with his spouse who he now wants to remain at his side forever if he can persuade her that he regrets his initial mistrust and harsh treatment of his beloved.

COME WHAT MAY is an exhilarating historical romance that stars two strong lead characters and support players who provide the depth to a land on the brink of war. The story line is tremendous when Seaton-Smythe stays in the shadows as a brilliant Machiavellian playing with the lives of people. When he turns into flesh and blood, the plot loses some of its edge, as he seems more of a caricature than a sly manipulator. Still, Leslie LaFoy provides readers with a beautiful romance, a wonderful cast, and a fine story that the audience will appreciate.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: exhilarating historical romance
Review: In 1774 Williamsburg, Virginia, attorney Edmund Cantrell handles a special deal between local businessman Devon Rivard and absentee English aristocrat George Seaton-Smythe. Apparently, Edmund's brother borrowed a large sum of money from Seaton-Smythe's American agents to pay off a gambling debt last year in Philadelphia. Since Wyndom failed to remit the cash, the London-based George offers his older brother Devon a chance to either pay the IOU or marry his niece Claire Curran, the bearer of such news.

Unless he chooses to sell the family home Rosewood, Edmund does not have the money so he angrily selects marriage. Claire who was unaware of her uncle's latest perfidy until the attorney told her she has no other option either. Edmund's plan is to wed, send the proof, and annul the marriage. However, he never considered falling in love with his spouse who he now wants to remain at his side forever if he can persuade her that he regrets his initial mistrust and harsh treatment of his beloved.

COME WHAT MAY is an exhilarating historical romance that stars two strong lead characters and support players who provide the depth to a land on the brink of war. The story line is tremendous when Seaton-Smythe stays in the shadows as a brilliant Machiavellian playing with the lives of people. When he turns into flesh and blood, the plot loses some of its edge, as he seems more of a caricature than a sly manipulator. Still, Leslie LaFoy provides readers with a beautiful romance, a wonderful cast, and a fine story that the audience will appreciate.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: I would have liked to have seen more.
Review: In the past, I have enjoyed Ms. LaFoy's writing style. I felt that Come What May fell short of her other stories. Devon and Claire are interesting characters, or would be if they were written in a bit more depth. They spend so little time together, that I do not get the feeling that they get to know each other. Forced to marry, they spend some time together and learn to respect and eventually fall in love with each other. Then they separate. The problem being that very little time elapses in all of this (except their separation). The set up and scenario does not feel genuine to me.

The plot itself seems to move along from one situation to another. No scene is in the story unless it is significant to further the plot. The reader moves from one big scene to the next to the next. So much happens to these two that after a while I wondered what grey cloud they were living under so I could avoid it at all costs. The family members are a bit over the top and to me, unbelievable as well.

I do give credit for writing about Colonial America and giving a decent rendition of the political atmosphere in Virginia and the other colonies at the time. Where there is not much attention give to day to day life in 1774, Ms. LaFoy does dig into the political situation and how American and British views would have been perceived. I wish I could score higher, but I just didn't feel that this book was above average.

Rating:
Summary: I would have liked to have seen more.
Review: In the past, I have enjoyed Ms. LaFoy's writing style. I felt that Come What May fell short of her other stories. Devon and Claire are interesting characters, or would be if they were written in a bit more depth. They spend so little time together, that I do not get the feeling that they get to know each other. Forced to marry, they spend some time together and learn to respect and eventually fall in love with each other. Then they separate. The problem being that very little time elapses in all of this (except their separation). The set up and scenario does not feel genuine to me.

The plot itself seems to move along from one situation to another. No scene is in the story unless it is significant to further the plot. The reader moves from one big scene to the next to the next. So much happens to these two that after a while I wondered what grey cloud they were living under so I could avoid it at all costs. The family members are a bit over the top and to me, unbelievable as well.

I do give credit for writing about Colonial America and giving a decent rendition of the political atmosphere in Virginia and the other colonies at the time. Where there is not much attention give to day to day life in 1774, Ms. LaFoy does dig into the political situation and how American and British views would have been perceived. I wish I could score higher, but I just didn't feel that this book was above average.

Rating:
Summary: A Patriot's Tale
Review: This is a powerful story about Devon Rivard, a stalwart member of colonial Virginia's tidewater gentry, teetering on the brink of finacial ruin, who shoulders a philandering brother's gambling debt through a forced marriage to Claire Curran, a castoff of Britian's aristocracy. While staring down the musket barrel of an impending rebellion against British rule and a fight for freedom, these two do what Amercians have been doing for the last 225 years: They make it work. They find a way. They stick to their guns. And in spite of a litany of disasters, both large and small, they share each other's heart.
Leslie LaFoy's style has the lush romantic sweep of the old Victoria Holt and Katherine Woodiwiss novels that allows the patriotism that's running in everyone's background these days to bubble to the surface in a deeply satisfying way. Devon and Claire share a special spark; making life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness a terrific read.

Rating:
Summary: Great romance novel
Review: This novel was wonderfully romantic and warm. This is a must read!!