This is the first book I've read by Elizabeth Boyle, so I went in with absolutely no expectations. I thought it would be good as an introduction into her work since it is a novella. I liked it enough to start adding more of her books to my to read shelf.
Arabella Tremont is a Duke's daughter whose life is sheltered and predictable. Her father is overprotective and refuses to allow her freedom. All the poor girl wants is to experience life. She was born and raised to be a perfect lady, but deep in her heart she loves adventure and excitement. Major Kingsley has finally ran out of money to support himself, so he must heed his parents and come home from his extended stay on the continent after the war. They have decided he should marry, so he wants to make his last bit of time as a bachelor a good time.
On the day both are to bid their families wishes for arranged marriages, Arabella runs away from home only to find Kingsley, the man who almost ruined her at a masque a few weeks prior. She gets him to agree he owes her, so he escorts her for the day doing whatever she'd like. Throughout the day they try to figure out who the other is, and this sparks both of their interests.
I think that a good test of an author's skill is whether or not they can convince me of true love in the short amount of time given in a novella. Elizabeth Boyle did just that. The majority of the book takes place over a single day. The love story has quite a similar feel to events of the well known fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty. I enjoyed this novella immensely.
**ARC provided by Publisher**
I enjoy it when an author can convince me about the romance in a novella-length story. These two sound like engaging characters.
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