Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas

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After finishing Fires of Winter, I had time to squeeze in one more book before the Love in the Night Readathon! I went back to Lisa Kleypas's Ravenels series. The 2nd book is Marrying Winterborne and picks up immediately after the end of Cold-Hearted Rake.

This is one of my favorite Ravenel books. I absolutely adore Helen and love how she's the quiet and calm sister of the group. Rhys is a big Welshman that is completely besotted with Helen. After Kathleen breaks up the engagement in book 1, we start out with Helen forcing a meeting with Rhys. She convinces him that she didn't want to break the engagement and they get re-engaged. What I love about this is she doesn't allow him to take complete control this time. She understands him so well, but knows that she needs to push back in some ways and to be a more active party. He sees her get comfortable and open up, and he is that final percent absolutely gone for Helen. This book had me tearing up, laughing and smiling like a loon.

I don't know how long this review will be because I feel like I don't have much to say outside of I absolutely loved it. Their connection is so visceral and I love how Rhys is willing to do anything and everything to make Helen happy. Yes there is a little bit of drama about the class difference, but it's not the main conflict. And even though Rhys does feel inferior to Helen's aristocratic status at times, he wants her more. I absolutely loved that it wasn't an issue. Now what was the issue did bother me a touch, but only because Helen didn't confide in Rhys earlier. Had this been done any other way, it would've bothered me. Rhys knows and sees Helen so well that he knows something is wrong and keeps an eye on her. He knows she won't confide in him, but he doesn't push and tries to assist and take care of her behind the scenes. When she finally breaks and says she doesn't think he wants her anymore now that he knows her big secret, he immediately proves her thinking is wrong. I loved it! I love Rhys! I love Helen! I love Lisa Kleypas!

I am very happy I chose to fit this in before the readathon starts since I was feeling kind of torn about Fires of Winter. This was perfect to get me back into a good reading mood. I can't wait to get to more of the Ravenels and continue my reread of the next couple books! This review is short, but sweet. If I continue it'd just be reiterations of how much I love this book. If you haven't read Lisa Kleypas, please do. She is such a great romance writer!

Have you read Marrying Winterborne?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Marrying Winterborne, Lisa Kleypas, 5-stars, 0 days, paperback, 400 pages, published in 2016