Almost Heaven

Author: Judith McNaught
Published: April 1990 (Pocket Books)
Category: Historical Romance
Rating: 7/10

Elizabeth Cameron, Countess of Havenhurst, had a promising future ahead of her. She possessed beauty, grace, and charm, and was about to be betrothed to a viscount when she met Ian Thornton, disowned grandson of the Duke of Stanhope. The cover blurb says that his lineage is mysterious, but the duke's son married a commoner and was disowned. Ian is the duke's son's only child, and should be the heir to the duke now that his father has passed away. I didn't understand what was so mysterious when everyone knew Ian's story. Ian and Elizabeth spend some time together at a house party, and Ian wants her for his wife after she uses her quick wit to prevent a ridiculous duel, but before he can follow through, the couple is set up and discovered in the greenhouse (just talking) by her brother Robert.

Robert challenges Ian to a duel, and dishonorably fires before he's supposed to, wounding Ian, and as a result, Elizabeth's betrothal to the viscount is off the table. Her brother disappears, most likely to escape from his creditors, and a ruined Elizabeth takes charge of Havenhurst. Two years later, Elizabeth's uncle contacts Elizabeth's former suitors and offers them a chance to marry Elizabeth, after a short visit to see if they will still suit. Three respond to the offer, although Ian didn't want Elizabeth. Due to his incompetent secretary, the wrong response went to Elizabeth's uncle.

Elizabeth's arrival is a surprise to Ian, and the two butt heads. Lucy, Elizabeth's duenna, sees that the two are perfect for each other and set them up with time alone so their relationship can develop again. Ian still believes Elizabeth is a schemer. After all, he was under the belief that she flirted with him when she was betrothed to a viscount, and led him on. However, they figure out that the person who set them up in that greenhouse was one of Elizabeth's rivals (and a supposed friend - girls are mean!!). After her visit, Ian decides to marry Elizabeth because they love each other and he wants to save her from a marriage to a lecherous old man. To do so, Ian reconciles with his grandfather and becomes his legal heir.

On the day they marry, the man investigating Robert's disappearance tells Elizabeth that Ian may be responsible for Robert's departure, or murder even. She loves Ian, so she marries him anyway, hoping that it's not true. Unfortunately, Ian had a hand in Robert's disappearance, throwing him onto the crews of one of his ships because Robert tried to murder Ian after the duel. After this point, the romance could've been a lot shorter if they'd talked to each other. But they loved each other too much. Elizabeth didn't want to accuse Ian of something he may not have done, and Ian didn't want to tell Elizabeth about what he'd done until he figured out what actually happened to Robert.

And in the grand tradition of conflict-ridden romance, Robert reappears, spewing lies about what happened, and Elizabeth runs away, selling the emeralds Ian gave her for a wedding gift for funds. Ian is accused of murdering Elizabeth, and when she sees this in a newspaper, she confronts Robert and he admits that he lied about what happened to him. She pays him off and returns to London to show herself at Ian's trial. He's declared innocent, but he now wants to divorce his wife.

This book frustrated me so much at times. Like before, in Something Wonderful it takes a big sacrifice from the heroine to make the hero realize that he's wrong. Elizabeth sells her beloved Havenhurst to pay Ian back for the emeralds. He finally tracks her down (after buying back the emeralds and Havenhurst), and admits that he's an idiot and never stopped loving her. After kissing and making up, they talk and share what they'd been hiding from each other. You know, things would've been a lot easier if they'd just communicated!

The other thing that kept bugging me was how rich Ian was. I know that he had a lucrative shipping business, but he paid Elizabeth's uncle £150,000 to marry her. Then there was £45,000 for her emeralds. Then he paid £200,000 to buy back Havenhurst. So the money and everyone's assumption in the worst in everyone else made this book extremely aggravating, but the love story between the Ian and Elizabeth was lovely. McNaught's description of their first moonlit waltz in the garden at the house party was so romantic. It was all in Ian's, "Dance with me, Elizabeth." ::swoon::

I think McNaught's historical romances are all about deception and betrayal, so I think I'll pass on her in the future. Too much frustration.