Review: A Family Affair by Jennifer Wenn

by Jewels E 5/26/2013 0 comments

Kindle Edition, 368 pages

Published March 25th 2013

by The Wild Rose Press

ISBN 9781612178257

Devlin Ross, the Duke of Hereford, has long ago made a vow to himself to break the curse his father has cast upon him by mentally abuse him throughout his childhood by never marry or have a family of his own. But when he meets Lady Francesca Darling, his best friend's merry niece, he can't help himself - he must have her.

Fanny, who fell in love with Devlin when she was a mere five years old in that obnoxious, stalking way only a child can, didn't hesitate when it came to her feelings towards him. She had loved him dearly for thirteen years and would not let her interfering relatives stand in the way between her and lifelong happiness.

But was she stubborn enough to make him realize exactly how simple-minded he was when it came to fulfilling the vow he once made?

♥My Thoughts♥

A period romance, this book had a blurb that just drew me in. The childhood love, the dark past, the setting, the heroine striking out to make the hero fall in love with her--all of this just screamed excitement and fun at me. And I have to admit, the novel was definitely engaging. I was never once bored and the characters were well drawn out.

Devlin: He's a sweetheart. A bit of an idiot when it comes to the basic notion that your dead, mean spirited father can't possibly influence or touch the minds of your own children, but a sweetheart. Devlin's father was a bad father. He treated Devlin horribly and basically sought to break his spirit. Devlin managed to survive pretty much unscathed, but he didn't understand Fanny's family dynamic since his own had been so cold and possibly even sinister. I wish I knew about what Devlin had to endure as a child, I think it would have helped me understand his reasoning better. But what I do know is Devlin has a depth of feeling. He truly loves Fanny, and he wants the best for her and their unborn child. Nothing Devlin does it out of malice. He's really trying to protect Fanny in a way. He's a caring, passionate man. And a bit broken hearted, and he's met his match in Fanny.

Fanny: A determined character I loved because she's every bit as caring and sweet and passionate as Devlin. She simply will not let Devlin go without a fight. She loves Devlin deeply, and goes to extraordinary lengths to show him that they belong together. Does she make some poor choices in the novel? I'd say so. Her family, while very loving and protective and supportive are overbearing. She listens to their advice too much, and goes to unnecessary lengths in her efforts to get Devlin to see reason. I liked that by the end she realizes that she and Devlin have their own life to live, and that she has to do what's best for her and Devlin in order to gain him back and see reason. I really liked that both of these characters drew each other forward and grew into fuller persons because of one another and the love they shared.

The characters were witty, the circumstances they found themselves in were sometimes heart wrenching, and sometimes ridiculous, so the story was balanced that way. Not too dark, but not fluffy either. I was reminded that every family has it's dramas and quirks. I enjoyed the writing style for the most part, but I found the use of the word okay in England during that time period jarring. But the plot was well paced, and like I said, I was never bored. A promising debut novel, and I will certainly keep my eyes peeled for more titles from Jennifer Wenn.

I would like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

4 glittering stars