This series, specifically this second book, have everything you want/need in a good love story: humor, breathless romantic tension, sweet tender moments, a bit of action, good plot points and great characters. The only problem I have with the series is the moments that require me to suddenly suspend belief and remember that I'm reading a fictional novel. Inner conflicts are instantly resolved with little to no explanation. Minor characters fall in love in a matter of a couple of days. It was enough to prove distracting at times as I went along but overall - i love these books and can't wait to start on the last one in the trilogy tonight! Mary has a habit of writing in STRONG female characters, to the point where you wonder if they would ever find a man useful at all. Thankfully she managed to create a strong, likeable male lead. POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD... What I liked the most was that he could make the women in his life feel special. Emma (one of the daughters) was totally gobsmacked when Silas told her they were beautiful and you could see it mattered to her a great deal. They've never had a father who delighted in them. Belle was very self-conscious about her hair that was neglected and her calloused hands, but Silas made her feel feminine and cherished. You CAN be capable, and you might not NEED a man to get by - but why would you want to live like that? And a man doesn't have to be threatened by a capable woman. In this book, Mary got the balance 100% right.Still a few irritating Mary-isms: Kissing the daylights out of someone gets a bit boring after the 50th time.But looking forward to the next book.
What do You think about The Husband Tree (2010)?
Female characters in this book, and series in general, are dynamite.
—sumatumania
