June 29th 2010 | St. Martin's
Source: Library
She harbors a secret yearning.Falling in love through letters, mistaken identities, a hero who believes he's broken beyond help and a heroine that's trying to find her footing in this world is all that Love in the Afternoon has to offer. My favorite book in this entire series, I have been eagerly waiting to know even more about Beatrix Hathaway. In many ways, I have a mix of Beatrix and Poppy and it was their love stories that I connected most to. I love how Beatrix tries so hard to fit into society and be a "normal" woman of propriety but she prefers the company to animals than humans no matter what she does.
As a lover of animals and nature, Beatrix Hathaway has always been more comfortable outdoors than in the ballroom. Even though she participated in the London season in the past, the classic beauty and free-spirited Beatrix has never been swept away or seriously courted... and she has resigned herself to the fate of never finding love. Has the time come for the most unconventional of the Hathaway sisters to settle for an ordinary man—just to avoid spinsterhood?
He is a world-weary cynic.
Captain Christopher Phelan is a handsome, daring soldier who plans to marry Beatrix's friend, the vivacious flirt Prudence Mercer, when he returns from fighting abroad. But, as he explains in his letters to Pru, life on the battlefield has darkened his soul—and it's becoming clear that Christopher won't come back as the same man. When Beatrix learns of Pru's disappointment, she decides to help by concocting Pru's letters to Christopher for her. Soon the correspondence between Beatrix and Christopher develops into something fulfilling and deep... and when Christopher comes home, he's determined to claim the woman he loves. What began as Beatrix's innocent deception has resulted in the agony of unfulfilled love—and a passion that can't be denied.
I love that Beatrix didn't expect to fall in love with Christopher Phelan and that their love blossoms through letters about dogs and what is happening the war. In an attempt to give Christopher something positive to look forward during the war, Beatrix innocently begins a correspondence that ends of changing both of their lives. Plus, there is something so intimate about writing a letter and seeing two peoples personalities and connection through words. Attempting to convey emotions through words is such a reveling act and one of my favorite tropes in books.
Beatrix Hathaway has to be the most endearing and different Hathaway sibling. Her love for animals is so present and such a big part of who she is and I have loved that she hasn't changed throughout the past four books. She's very strong in her convictions and her rebuttal with Christopher were so perfectly sweet but also realistic. Christopher is not the same man he was before war and all he wants is to find the woman who gave him so much comfort in extremely dangerous times. Realizing that his preconceived notions about who people are and what they have to offer the world was keeping him from happiness was a very powerful aspect of this book.
Add your comment