A Love By Any Measure

Title: A Love By Any Measure


Author: Killian McRae


Publisher: Tulip Noir


Pages: 341


Read Time: 3 Days 


Tag Words: Romance, Ireland, innocence, The Revolution, Immigration, The Boston Fire, historical fiction, historical romance, lord and serf


My Summary: 


Maeve O'Connor has just sold herself to the devil in the form of handsome rake, Lord August Grayson.

To keep her cottage she must spend twice as long as yesterday in his company... for his own pleasure.

What is-- supposedly-- a business contract quickly morphs into something deeper below the comtoise clock.

In the midst of a rebellion, unfavorable social understandings and commitments neither feels satisfied honoring how will these two lovers, separated by station, land and expectation rise above it all to find a love by any measure?


My Review:


I originally read this story as fan fiction. Yeah, I was one of them for a while. I will occasionally still take a gander about the FF world, however there are too many published books on my shelf to garner a second glance. I'm glad I gave this book one, however, as it is the perfect balance of romance, history, believably and wistfulness.

I don't often read romance because I find them to be too... romancey. Gooey, sappy and fraught with the angst of sexual tension and unrequited love. Le blegh.

However, McRae finds a way to strike a chord with this non-romance writer, even if I am still yearning for more information and interplay with the revolution. That bit did fall flat in the end.

I think it's a charming romance and nothing I would feel strange about an older teen reading.

Let's put it this way, I don't feel like McRae sat down and created a sheet of words synonymous to 'thrusting.'
  
Notes on the Names:


Maeve, besides having a very 'Eve' in the garden feel, means, 'intoxicating.'

McRae will be here tomorrow to tell us more about her thoughts on The Character of Names.


Thoughts on the Cover:


Such a cool, unique cover. Even if the tear of blood is a tad much, I love the inlay of the 'characters' mixed in the hair of Maeve.

I also feel the characters reflect points of the story properly, so kudos to the design team, they got it right! : )


Parental Book Review *spoilers*


Sexual Content: 


Heavy/Very Heavy

Don't read if you can't hold your romance. ; )

Yes, they do more than kiss madly, however they do a lot of that too.


Language: 


August is oft referred to as 'The English Bastard,' so that accounts for a good deal of the usage.

Bast*rd- 14
D- 14
B- 1
Ar*e- 2
A- 2
H- 5


Violence:


Moderate

There is an escape scene that accounts for two lost lives and one scene where Jefferson 'leans' on someone for information.


Other Notables:


As I said, a romance novel, but a classy one, it is.