Bookish Wednesday: Where Passion Leads by Lisa Kleypas

There is nothing like a well-written book. Books tell a story, teach us invaluable life lessons, give us the opportunity to see the world through the eyes of others, learn new things, broaden our horizons, experience emotions and feelings otherwise foreign to us, relax and have fun, … I’m sure you’re beginning to get the drift: books are very important. It’s therefore no wonder that I love reading. I don’t discriminate, every genre appeals to me: young adult, sci-fi and fantasy, paranormal, mystery, crime fiction, thrillers, horror, and ah, romance. I read EVERYTHING. I enjoy works from great prolific authors (like Stephen King, Nora Roberts, and Robert Patterson), writers who release classic gems every few years (Dan Brown for example), upcoming authors with excellent potential (Tessa Dare), to others still struggling to make a niche in the world of creative writing. 

However, I would love to point out that that I’m an UNAPOLOGETIC reader of romance novels. This might seem like a great character flaw to some individuals, but I love me the way I am. This doesn’t mean that I don’t read other novels. Like I said, I love all genres. I recently got a copy of John Grisham’s latest novel Camino Island, and I can’t wait to dig right into that world of suspense and mystery.

A few days ago, I thought why not share my love of books here in the Steemit platform. Every Wednesday, I’m gonna post a self-written review of a book I read the previous week, and if possible, have interesting conversations with you guys in the comment section concerning the review and the book itself. 

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So, ladies and gentlemen of the Steemit club, welcome to Bookish Wednesday. Today, we’re going to be looking at a classic author in the romance genre, Lisa Kleypas. Kleypas has built a name for herself as a bestselling historical and contemporary romance writer with numerous awards. She started writing at the young age of 21 and has released awesome stories consistently for a decade. Recently, I decided to focus on her bibliography (a list of books she has written). I would start from her debut novel and work my way down the list till I get to her most recent release. This way, I get to learn: see how she evolved over the years, how her writing style improved, what she discarded along the way, and what worked for her over the years. It’ going to be an exciting journey and I hope you guys join me for the ride.

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Book details

Ms. Kleypas first novel Where Passion Leads (WPL) was released in 1987. A historical romance novel, it is the first in a two-book series Kleypas calls the Beverley-Falkner series. It happens just after the war between France and England had ended. Instead of the hardcover, I got the eBook in epub format. The world is going techy and even books are not spared.

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Plot Summary

SPOILER ALERT!

Before I proceed, I’m obligated to warn you that there are spoilers in this review. This means that I might (or would) reveal some key plot details of the book. So, if you’re yet to read the book and you don’t want to know the plot details before reading it, then skip this section. 

Now that I’ve satisfied my conscience (smiles), let’s move on. The heroine, Rosalie Belleau, is a young restless girl with an active imagination and a zest for life. Her reality is however dull and lifeless: she serves as a companion to the daughter of one of society’s elite, Lord and Lady Winthrop. Through a series of circumstances, she meets our hero, Lord Randall ‘Rand’ Berkeley, the future Earl of Berkeley. You don’t get to like him initially because he rapes the heroine. After the sordid act, he is however overcome with guilt and remorse and tries to make up for it. What subsequently occurs is a wonderful tale that shows us that love can grow even in the most hostile of environments, and there is no sin so grievous that can’t be forgiven.

Throw in a dash of mystery, an attempted murder, and a case of illegitimate parentage, and the result is a well-woven tale from this author’s first published attempt at romance writing.

Themes of the Book

• WPL stays true to the reality of England and its aristocracy. Then, aristocrats had unequalled privileges. They could do anything they liked to members of the lower class. That was why Rand felt he could have his way with Rosalie just because he was a titled nobleman and she was a servant.
• The book reminds us that gambling, if not controlled, can have disastrous effects, as can be seen in the life of Colin Berkeley (Rand’s brother) and his friend, Mountford, who eventually committed suicide because of his enormous gambling debts.
• The love of a parent goes a long way in shaping the lives of their child. Rand’s parents never showed him affection and he grew up to be a heartless and ruthless individual. Rosalie on the other hand was always secure in the love of her ‘mother’, and so she was more inclined to love and forgive freely than Rand.
• We were given a glimpse into the fragile trade relations between England and France after the war had ended, and how investors (like Rand) capitalized on such a market.

What I liked about this book

• The plot was believable and well executed.
• The characters were very well portrayed. You could experience exactly what they were going through at every point in time.
• The heroine had a strong character. She wasn’t easily pushed around or intimidated by the hero. Her love didn’t make her a doormat. You go, girl!
• The steam factor was impressive, and intimate scenes between the main characters were well done without being over the top

What I disliked about the book

• The hero raped the heroine at the beginning. However, he showed remorse and atoned for his sins as the book progressed and by so doing, endeared himself to readers.
• In the book, Rosalie is treated as a commodity by the hero. When he tries to save her from the dockworker who tries to molest her, he gives the guy some money to let Rosalie go and then claims Rosalie is now his because he paid for her. Can you imagine?!
• The eBook had some typos probably generated during the conversion process. 
• Rand slept with another woman during the early stages of his and Rosalie’s relationship. Some readers found this distasteful. A part of me did too. However, the other part of realized that he wasn’t actually courting Rosalie when he did so. But the moment he realized he loved her, he was faithful 100percent.
• The novel was kinda long.
• The book doesn’t tell us the exact time period we are in. We know there was a war, but we don’t know which of the wars the author was referring to. We need specifics!

Summary and Grade/Rating

It was a really nice book. You could glimpse Kleypas' distinctive writing style and the potential of excellence in the story line and plot execution. It however had some flaws which is to be expected from a debut novel. I’m going to give this book a C. Not bad at all...

My Rating Scale

A – Excellent. I loved it!

B – Very Good. A winner!

C – Good. A must-read!

D – Average. Could have been better....

E – Meh! Didn’t really care for it

F – Totally hated it!

Thanks for reading guys. Let me know your opinions and thoughts. if you haven't read the book, you should do so. You want a copy? Comment below and let me know.