Chanel's Reviews > Almost Heaven

I've read this book so many years ago that I don't remember why I rated it 5 stars but after rereading it again with one of my girls I'd rate it 10 stars if I could. A Kingdom of Dreams brought me into romance but Almost Heaven devoured my hopeless romantic heart.

"He had realized within minutes of meeting her that she was rare; he had known within hours that she was everything he wanted."

With a sentence like that how can you not fall?!?!

Elizabeth is 17 years old forced to endure a Season because her brother needs money. He doesn't tell her that's the reason but that she needs to find a suitable match; one she thinks she can love and he'll approve. At one of the balls, her friends dare her to ask Ian Thornton to dance. He declines but she later comes to his rescue at the gambling table saving him having to duel and he becomes taken with her quick critical thinking skills. One thing leads to another and next thing you know she's part of the biggest scandal leaving her mostly broke, financially and emotionally, and living in seclusion.

Fast forward 2 years and her uncle is trying to pawn her off to whoever will take her hand and is reasonably rich. Elizabeth reluctantly goes along with the plan because she is desperate to save Havenhurst. This brings her face to face with Ian yet again and they both end up revisiting the past with each other as well as rekindling a passion that leads to their inevitable future together.

This story had me all up in my feelings. It was like watching a flame trying to survive on a candle and sometimes it wavers and dims so low but then it sparks back brighter and hotter again. The writing was so vivid and completely believable. Ian was so romantic without even trying and all it took was a look here or a few words there that just painted a picture of complete and utter devotion. And Elizabeth was so compassionate and understanding even when she was the one that unintentionally screwed up. They both were also so very, very loyal. As you can imagine, their fiery passion for one another was explosive in the intimate scenes (which were surprisingly few but my goodness gracious!! Rain --- pours).

I was all in for these two; their champion from the comfort of my tablet screen. I felt all their emotions and if you want to read historical romance worded in the best possible, dangerously sweet way, this is the book you MUST read.