Review: Almost Heaven by Judith McNaught

Title: Almost Heaven

Author: Judith McNaught

Published: 13 February 1992

Publisher: Corgi

Source: Local Library

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

No beauty in England could outshine Elizabeth Cameron, Countess of Havenhurst. But beneath her exquisite emerald eyes and cloud of golden hair, lived a girl of rare gentleness, good humour, and a splendid, even ferocious courage. In Ian Thornton’s powerful embrace, Elizabeth felt the first stirrings of a passion that blazed through her senses. Yet for Thornton, a dangerously handsome man of secret wealth and mysterious lineage, the voyage to Elizabeth’s heart was fraught with intrigue, scandal, and a venomous jealousy. From the elegant salons of London, to the wild beauty of the Scottish Highlands, their tempestuous, dramatic romance was played out, a romance between two lovers destined for each other, even though they refused to admit it.

Review

At first, I really liked Elizabeth. I thought she had a great sense of humor and wit what with trying to fool her suitors so they wouldn’t want to marry her but my feelings towards her changed in the later half of the plot because her actions against Ian were really stupid and it made it seem like her love for him were superficial and made her look like an idiot. Yeah, maybe she was swept away by the drama that her brother caused and due to her worry for her brother she just went with the flow but still! You should have thought the plan through man not GUNG HO your way into it then realizing it wasn’t the best plan because not only did it show she is a dim-wit but also has no regards for the people whom she troubled and cared for her. I’m sorry but heroines like these are insufferable. Had she maintained her wit and playfulness it would have been great.

Then, there is Ian. With Ian, I like him less than I liked Elizabeth throughout the whole book but I liked him better at the end because his character stayed consistent. Also, in this book Ian was really overzealous with Elizabeth and he fully admitted to falling in love with her on the first sight which many of the male lead characters don’t convey. They’d rather brood in a corner or forcibly make out with the girl or romance the shit out of her but Ian, he was honest and very direct which I found really sweet.

The plot was great as we start off with Elizabeth’s uncle trying to essentially sell her off to her ex-suitors so he wouldn’t have to provide for her anymore but with her less than stellar reputation that is hard to do. After that chapter, where the author tantalizes our reading taste buds by making us wonder WTH happened to Elizabeth back then that her reputation was completely ruined she introduces us to a chapter explaining what happened all those years ago. And let me tell you I WAS HOOKED!

Elizabeth seemed so innocent, naive and absolutely clueless as to how the world worked and her mission was to marry a rich guy with a title to save her home which I can understand but at a party she meets Ian Thornton who steals her heart but he, who is well off but not rich and especially without title, absolutely cannot be the match for her and at last miscommunication and backstabbing occurs making Elizabeth’s reputation ruined and allowing Elizabeth and Ian to think that their love for each other was disingenuous. Ian believes she doesn’t love him because she only cares for wealth and nothing else and Elizabeth thinks that to him she is just one of his playthings. And there I was single and lonely as fuck devouring this book like MnM’s and thinking when will I get to meet my 6’3, grey eyed, black hair, gorgeous body and face, Caucasian male? The travesty of it all.

Essentially this book is a great read if you want something to read where you basically don’t have to think and also where you can accept the female lead’s stupidity.