Beth's Reviews > A Love So True

A Love So True is my favorite Melissa Jagears novel to date. While the first book, A Heart Most Certain, is a lovely read as well, I just loved the characters so much in this story. The main characters as well as the secondary characters are more fleshed out and vibrant in a way that I didn’t quite feel in the first book. Evelyn is a selfless heroine, albeit a bit prickly, and David is such a genuine, endearing guy. I get tired of stories with the aloof, borderline mean, male lead. David is just himself, and that was my favorite thing about him. He’s adorably charming and kind, yet completely unassuming about it.

I always like to see what characters from the previous story are up to, and I was delighted to find that they actually played quite a large role in Evelyn’s story. They weren’t just on the periphery, where Evelyn just says “hello” a couple of times, but rather played key parts in the story. So in addition to experiencing the new story, the reader also gets a satisfying look at the lives of Lydia and Nicholas after A Heart Most Certain.

While I didn’t understand Evelyn’s cool demeanor completely in the beginning, I was pleased that her secret was actually something intriguing and not something that would really end up being nothing. Well, it kind of does end up being that way, but not in the way that the reader might expect in the beginning. And I won’t say much more about that except that I thought it was a great, unexpected twist. She turns out to be a very warm character, and I loved her interactions with David.

In addition to endearing characters and engaging scenes, the story’s focus on the plight of prostitutes and orphans is fascinating and tugged on my heart. It’s impossible not to be appalled at the double standards and unfairness of how women were treated back then. There were so many misconceptions back then, and Jagears highlights them well without being completely grim or gratuitous in those scenes. Evelyn’s determination to make improvement in her community is inspiring. She was doing what she could where she was and didn’t back down from a challenge.

And I declare, Melissa Jagears writes some of the most swoon-worthy, pent-up-emotion revealing, culminating awesomeness of kissing scenes ever. She makes you wait for it, but then delivers in the best way possible, and the scene here is no exception. I do think though, that readers who don’t want a lot of romance in their books could still be happy with this one, because it’s not full of scenes like that, and because it’s not, it makes the ending even more poignant.

I just really connected to this story. The plot kept me engaged, the characters were pleasing and the romance, satisfying. If I hadn’t been in public when I finished it, I probably would have hugged the book to my chest and given a loud sigh. As it was, I just held it in my lap and tried to hold back the warm fuzzies and tone down the big, happy smile on my face. I’m really looking forward to book three, which is about Mercy McClain, a character that definitely intrigues me. I look forward to reading her story and also to seeing my friends back in Teaville!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel, which I happily chose to review. This is my honest opinion.