Kudos to Ms. Milan! She has written two of the best novellas I have read in a very long time (the other being The Governess Affair). Short stories seem to be very hit or miss usually, but this author has nailed down the perfect formula. Yes, it helped that we had been introduced to the hero and heroine in The Duchess War, but I don't think that she drew much on that back story much at all. In fact, she was able to weave a story that hardly mentioned anyone else, but still kept it full and rich.
I LOVED Jonas! Usually it is either the girl who is portrayed as unbecomingly blunt or a jaded rake who is just rude to the point of being insufferable (although, in the case of St. Aubyn in Suzanne Enoch's London's Perfect Scoundrel, it was just hilarious). Ms. Milan is able to make Jonas forgivingly blunt because it is his job as a doctor to be so. His dilemma with his father seems so current with today's world that it was heartbreaking to read as many of us have the same issues with our parents (although hopefully not to that degree). Jonas also knew what he wanted and wasn't afraid to go after Lydia. I loved his analogy that she made him a "smiling little dark raincloud".
Lydia is a great heroine. She is the perfect foil to Dr. Jonas without falling into the stereo-typical, happy-go-lucky girl with a horrible secret. She honestly, with the help of her wonderful family, has moved on with her life. She did have a moment of stupidity with the Captain, but she moved on in a completely healthy and satisfying way.
I truly believe that this couple will be great together always. Makes me want to live in their little town...with modern amenities, of course.
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