Question J

[Jonetta]

Kathleen and Devon’s relationship…what worked, what didn’t? Did she do the right thing in initially hiding her pregnancy from him?

[Phrynne]

I really liked him but was not very keen on her. She was often very critical of others yet her own behaviour left a lot to be desired! I did not take much notice of the pregnancy issue - it was kind of tacked on at the end and dealt with quickly.

[Anita]

Kathleen's upbringing was sad and her marriage tragic. She loves the girls and will do anything for them. They are the only family she has. When Devon comes along, he sets her afire and she doesn't have a clue how to handle the passion he inspires. On Devon's part, he just wants her. At first, he isn't interested in more than a fling, but he falls in love.

I agree with Phrynne, the pregnancy issue felt rushed and tacked on. I can't really believe she was going to just leave, but she wanted to be wanted for herself and not just because she was pregnant.

[Robin]

I wish the author had not added the confession from Kathleen that she really is pregnant. To me it didn't add to the story. And I have a hard time believing that she would leave Theo's sisters to go off somewhere and have a baby.

Other than that, this enjoyed both Devon and Kathleen.

[Jonetta]

I liked both of them. It was admirable to see how in a short period of time Kathleen became extremely protective of Theo’s sisters. She was really all they had protecting their interests. I liked Devon and Kathleen together. She was his conscience and he loosened her up some. They made a good match.

The pregnancy angle felt a bit predicable but it didn’t really bother me. I understood why Kathleen lied but also believed at some point she would have let him know about it.

[Karen ♐]

I really liked both of them. I loved how Kathleen protected Theo's sisters and how she helped West to realize that he could be a good man. The pregnancy issue I felt was kind of thrown in at the end to really seal their relationship.

[Sharon]

I agree with all of you. I like Devon and Kathleen as a couple and a good match.

I am not a fan of lying about a pregnancy trope, especially in historical novels. Authors use it all the time, though. It seems so far-fetched to me in this era. Society/aristocratic women are not going to do that. There aren't enough options for women to earn a livable wage. In reality, they would rather be in a loveless marriage than out on the street.

[Jonetta]

Well stated.