“I put a cow in the chapel bell tower. Some of my friends said it couldn’t be done, so I said it could.”
Jonathan Kingsley
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Christa truly shines in this fun, witty romance during the French Revolution. The Kingsley siblings shine, but Christa is the story’s heart. Mary Jo Putney has a talent for not letting plots get bogged down, even when circumstances are melancholy. This re-issue is well worth diving into.
I enjoy it when a romance takes place over an extended time, in this case, a year. The characters aren’t rushed into feelings, and they grow more naturally. Change underlines much of the novel. Fashions are moving from the corseted looks of the 1700s to the Grecian-inspired high-waisted look of the Regency era. Families like Christa’s are torn apart, and the survivors are left to pick up the pieces. Christa’s upbeat attitude is tried by all of it, and she comes out on top.
The Kingsley siblings are unconventional, but Alex, Annabelle, and Jonathan love each other and those around them. Their naivete could get aggravating, especially when interacting with the sharks in London. Alex annoyed me when he wouldn’t grow a backbone and then blew up about circumstances he made assumptions about. (A pet peeve of mine) I still loved them. An interesting note about the Kingsley siblings is that they share a learning disability, mixing up numbers and directions, which helps them grow closer together.
I adored reading about their interactions at the Orchard, the Kingsley ancestral home. They are not your traditional high-born family, which shows in the fun and informal events.
There is a lot to love about this novel. The characters are bright and entertaining. Everyone has a personality and motivations that make sense, even if they’re wrong. But, really, the only reason this wasn’t a five-star read for me was Alex’s attitude toward the end of the book. Nevertheless, Christa’s journey is well worth investing time in.
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