Title: No Gentleman is He
Authors: Carley Bauer and Lynette Willows
Genre: Historical Fiction Romance
Review Rating: Four Stars
Reviewer: Linda Hays-Gibbs
Exciting and Entertaining
Cassandra Courtney Brooks is an Aristocratic English Lady, who eloped with Seth Brooks, a stable hand into the new American colonies. Shortly upon their arrival in 1775 Virginia, Seth dies. To survive Cassandra works at a tavern where she can also stable the horses they were breeding before Seth's death. She was a very exceptional woman for that time period to be surviving alone especially for a gently bred lady.
Casey is also a determined woman with exceptional horse flesh and breeding plans. A mare of hers is folding and in danger of dying. She confides her problem while waiting on two customers. These two customers, Jackson Lee and Colton Rolfe offer to help her mare fold.
Colton Rolfe is a man of infinite passions. He is part Native American and treated poorly by his father and stepmother after his mom died. Despite this life that hardened Colton he is a determined horse breeder and rich man as the owner of Varina Farms. He sees the superior horse flesh in Cassandra's horse while helping the birth of her colt. He covets her horse and already feels a desire for Cassandra.
Jackson Lee, a close friend and competitor of Colton, owns another horse ranch but has more refined horses. He also recognizes Cassandra's exceptional horse flesh. He witnesses that Colton and Cassandra are already drawn to each other. He thinks it grand for he worried his friend would never find anyone to manage his terrible temper and rudeness.
Colton offers Cassandra a position on his ranch as steward and housekeeper. It is a grand place for her horses that he plans to keep. He thinks she will fail, give up and leave her horses with him when she returns to England. He doesn't realize what a remarkable woman she is.
Cassandra surprises everyone with her intelligence, strength and integrity. She is stubborn and determined. She finds abuses by his past steward and saves Colton money and horses.
The American revolution is getting underway. Jackson and Colton were discussing new intelligence. Their plans were overheard by Cassandra so they fear her an English spy. They take her with them to Concord. Along the way Colton falls more and more in love with Cassandra.
It is a love hate relationship with a fire so intense you can feel the heat of it coming off the page. I was very impressed by the weave of history in this most erotic love story. The first battle with the British was accurate and so interesting you felt the urgency.
The characters were in four dimensions. You could feel the pull between the main characters and you felt for their problems.
Their personalities were firmly set in your mind and you flowed with them through their troubles.
I really enjoyed this historical fiction and the romance between Colton and Cassandra that's was so heated and erotic. It fairly sizzled. I gave it Four Stars with an A plus on the side.
Just a note to the authors, I had a little problem with historical accuracy. I think the Waltz was not done in America until around 1812 to 1815 when it was introduced to Regency England and Almacks.
Also the wilderness of Virginia was referred to as 'The Bush' on one occasion. I believe that term is from Australia and not used in America. The wilderness is simply, the forest, wilds or wilderness. I have never heard that used in North America.
The rest of the history involved in the book is very accurate and so interesting I felt compelled to tell of those two inaccuracies in hopes that they could be corrected. That was not intended to say that I didn't totally and happily enjoy this wonderful book. I highly recommend this wonderful tale and applaud both authors for their hard and ingenious work. I look forward to more in the future.
Sincerely,
Linda Hays-Gibbs
