Fool in Love; E. James

Written by Eloisa James & published by Avon in 2003. The second in a connected, yet stand alone series. Also features Esme Rawlings, one of the three friends from the first book. Not nearly as funny as the first, but just as good.

Simon Darby, heir to Esme's late husband Miles' estate, has traveled out to Wiltshire to see her. He is convinced she is passing off her pregnancy as Miles' child when all of society knows she & Miles had been separated for years. While there he meets his destiny.

Like all good romances there are obstacles in the way. I appreciated the fact that the heroine, Henrietta MacLellan, has grown up with a certain postition in the village & is thus stuck both socially & mentally in a role that does not suit her. Simon manages to free her in the end, but how this is acheived is central to their relationship & so I won't reveal it here. Simon & Esme manage to come to an understanding regarding the pregnancy. As in the first book, this is treated with much emotional realism, although Esme is still enciente at the end, so we don't know exactly how this will be definitively wrapped up.

Simon & Henrietta are well matched despite the difficulties they face. I enjoyed watching them grow together & individually over the course of the story. Esme too grows signifigantly & I am keenly interested to see whether or not her story end happily. For that I shall have to wait until the I can find the next one.