Mercy by Deneane Clark
The youngest of six sisters, Mercy Ackerly has known since thirteen what
everyone else is about to learn: She’ll marry the elusive Duke of Blackthorne.
WORTH THE WAIT
It was love at first sight for thirteen-year-old Mercy Ackerly. The second she encountered the traveling Duke of Blackthorne, she fell in love…with his horses. And since Sebastian Tremaine was also perfect, they would someday be man and wife.
From the start, Sebastian has felt oddly protective of Mercy. Delightfully straightforward, the girl is everything honest and sweet, which is why he approved when his best friend married into the family—and then so did his other friends. But now Mercy’s all grown up. Now she’s facing the ton’s matchmaking mamas and their deceitful daughters, is joining a world he despises, be it the ballrooms and routs or the opulent crush. He would shield her if he could, would do anything but entangle his heart.
Sebastian will fight the inevitable for as long as he can. And then he’ll fight for it. Some matches are schemed for, some are arranged, and some have just been coming for a long, long time.
WORTH THE WAIT
It was love at first sight for thirteen-year-old Mercy Ackerly. The second she encountered the traveling Duke of Blackthorne, she fell in love…with his horses. And since Sebastian Tremaine was also perfect, they would someday be man and wife.
From the start, Sebastian has felt oddly protective of Mercy. Delightfully straightforward, the girl is everything honest and sweet, which is why he approved when his best friend married into the family—and then so did his other friends. But now Mercy’s all grown up. Now she’s facing the ton’s matchmaking mamas and their deceitful daughters, is joining a world he despises, be it the ballrooms and routs or the opulent crush. He would shield her if he could, would do anything but entangle his heart.
Sebastian will fight the inevitable for as long as he can. And then he’ll fight for it. Some matches are schemed for, some are arranged, and some have just been coming for a long, long time.
Published & Release Date: Boroughs
Publishing group, June 30, 2014
Time and setting: Regency
England
Genre: Historical Romance
Heat Level: 1
Reviewer rating: 4 Gold Crowns
Reviewed by Vikki
This is such a sweet love story. I enjoyed it
immensely from the first page to the last. The author weaves a story that gives
the reader a chance to see the characters grow into adulthood. One might think
this would slow the pacing, but it does not at all. Personally, I found it
fascinating. I enjoyed getting to know the hero and heroine as children. It is
a different approach and highly intriguing, and certainly helps with character
development.
The pair meets in 1813 when Mercy is a
thirteen-year-old tomboy and Sabastian, a young man of three and twenty who has
just found out he is the new Duke of Blackthorne. It is love at first sight for
Mercy, when he almost runs her down with his fine horses, young Mercy makes up
her mind that she will become his duchess when she grows up.
Through the next five years, Sabastian watches Mercy
evolve from a cute little urchin into a ravishingly beautiful young lady, ready
to have her coming out, and he wonders where the time has gone.
Mercy has one goal for her first season, to marry
Sabastian, but she has to get him to notice her first. A chance encounter in
the park does not go well, and then her childhood nemesis, Amy, shows up and
tells everyone of her infatuation for the young duke, making her the
laughingstock of the ton. Through her
machinations, Amy along with two other young ladies witness Mercy giving
Sabastian an innocent kiss and telling him she loves him. They immediately spread
the gossip throughout the ball.
To the astonishment of everyone, Mercy turns the
tables on the three witches and soon is the darling of the ton. She becomes elusive and beguiling to Sabastian, and he sets
out to win her heart, but has he waited too long? Can he convince his sweet
Mercy he loves her?
This is a wonderful story of young love overcoming a
great many obstacles along the road to their ‘Happily Ever After”. The story
held me in its thrall throughout the entire book. I found it highly
entertaining and an excellent read. Mercy is an enchanting and endearing
character with great depth. Sabastian is my favorite kind of hero, lots of
angst and brooding going on with him.
I loved the interaction between the six sisters and
how protective they are of Mercy; this is beautifully written. In fact, I
enjoyed her sisters so much; I will now read their stories as well. I also
enjoyed the relationship between Sabastian and his friends, of which, several
of them have fallen in love with Mercy’s entertaining sisters and married them.
The plot has a bit of everything, romance, laughter and mystery all rolled into
one delightful tale. It even has a villain thrown in.
Now, for the reason why I gave it 4**** stars, it
lacked a strong sense of the Regency period. Some of Ms. Clark’s terminology was
too modern and jolted me out of the story, but not enough to take away from my
reading pleasure. If you’re looking for a light-hearted, yet emotionally
charged read this is a story you will not want to miss. Happy reading!
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