NEW RELEASE
Swept Off Her Feet - Hester Browne (2011)
Evie loves everything about the past. She works as an antiques dealer which allows her to imagine a story behind each piece she comes across. When the opportunity comes along to go to a Scottish castle for a week and appraise the contents of the house, she cannot wait to get there and immerse herself in its history. The castle's owners are preparing for the annual Scottish reeling ball when she arrives. Evie is immediately caught up in the stories about the owners' ancestors and the history of the house. While Evie cannot get enough of the house, the heir, Robert, has heard more than enough about it. Robert sees the house as a money pit that may bankrupt his family. Evie may find his attitude disheartening but can't keep herself away from him. Robert finds Evie's exuberance for the castle exasperating. He's under enough pressure to propose to his girlfriend without Evie trying to convince him how lucky he is to have the castle. Her sister is supposed to attend the ball with her boyfriend but when she cancels at the last minute, Evie has to take her place. Evie will get to live out her life-long dream of attending a ball in a real castle if she can learn to reel which is proving very difficult. All she needs to do now is find someone to fill her dance card. Evie is a very likeable main character who you find yourself rooting for. The reeling lessons are very funny and add to the old-time feel of the book. The chemistry between Evie and Robert is fantastic and makes this a wonderfully romantic story that combines the past with the very real problems of today. (AR)
Hester Browne's novel Swept Off Her Feet (aka The Vintage Girl) is about a woman who's addicted to the past. The summary says: "When antiques expert Evie is invited up to a ruinous castle in Scotland, she instantly falls in love with the crumbling turrets, the furniture, the suits of armour, the tapestries ... even, though she doesn't immediately realise it, the moody young heir to the castle, Robert. Might he be Britain's last surviving gentleman? As preparations gather pace for the annual reeling ball, Evie is forced to overcome her fear of tripping over her own feet and soon she is being twirled around the ballroom, feeling more excited by the present day than she has done in years. But will Robert ignore the tensions crackling between them and ask his fiance Catriona to marry him on the night, just as their families plan?"