Rating: 
Summary: Definite Keeper!
Review: What a great story ! Its a theme that has been used before - but it is told beautifully, originally and the sort of stylish panache I have got used to with Farr. The basic story is poor relative, Celia Delacourt gets taken from her small parsonage home where she has recently been orphaned, and removed by her over-bearing and managing Aunt, the Duchess of Arnsford. The Duchess has decided to marry her son off to Celia to escape the curse of the Arnsford's which seems to haunt the second sons (they all end up making apalling marriages and being cut off the the family). Unfortunately while Celia is grateful for the Duchess's kind attention she is not going to fall into her plans just to please her - especially when she discovers that the son and heir, Jack Marquess of Lynden is quite Mad. What Celia doesn't realise is that Jack, only 23, is not that eager to fall in with his mother's management plans for his future. Realising the situation he returns to the family seat of Delacourt for Christmas, determined to make an impression on this new intrigue of his mother's by playing the fool unto the girl gets a disgust of him and gives up. Unfortunately his strange behaviour just convinces her he is mad. In the end Jack doesn't even have to act made for his normal behaviour is taken as moments of sanity by her. So while Jack starts falling in love with her, she is quite unsure of how she feels - or confused by her own feelings. This is all beautifully set against the joy of Christmas and the bleakness of the English Country winter. At the same time there is a really beautiful subplot going on with Jack's sister Elizabeth and the Duke of Blenhurst - I'll try not to give anything away here but the last paragraph of chapter 16 - which concludes this story just takes my breath away - its so lovely - so sweetly written. I think Farr has handled this story so well - showing wit and humour yet an uncanny ability to be able to turn your emotions in a moment when necessary.
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