Ever since I finished reading all Betty Neels’ romance novels I’ve been looking for another author whose books I could enjoy as much as I have the great Betty’s. Catherine George writes novels quite different from Betty’s; there are no rich Dutch doctors; the girls are independent; the protagonists sleep together, usually before marriage and the characters all assume this is normal. More important are the similarities. Both authors create characters that feel real, with immediate situations that are personal, not remote (even when unlikely), and both use setting, food and clothes to enhance their stories.
Evidence of Sin sounds terrible and the cover doesn’t help, does it? It is actually one of the best of the 8 Catherine George novels I read in the last week or two. Chloe Lawrence is gorgeous, tall, red hair, lovely figure, great bone structure; in fact she worked as a top model for several years. Now she’s living at home in the country while working as a PA for a pharmaceutical firm. Piers Audley is very successful lawyer, well-known for defending high-profile clients.
Piers finds Chloe grief stricken outside her home on New Years eve when she finally accepts her love is futile at the double engagement party for her brother and sister. Piers is intrigued although it’s too dark to see her, then gobsmacked when he meets her later indoors. He is determined to sleep with her, eventually admitting he wants more, he wants to marry her. Things go swimmingly for a while, until her sister’s wedding when Piers finds Chloe locked in the arms of her love and he also doesn’t know that Chloe was struggling to get away and that she now realizes she loves Piers.
This is the conflict. Will Piers eventually listen to Chloe? Possibly not. Things get straightened out pretty fast when a kidnapper grabs Chloe for ransom. (Yes, the plot is far fetched. Relax.) Chloe rescues herself. Tears, kisses, declarations of love, peace offerings ensue.
Given the plot’s silliness why did I like this so much? (Yes, Betty Neels’ novels often have silly plots too. Most romance novels do.) I’m not sure exactly but here’s a short list:
- Chloe is independent. She’s no one’s doormat and she’s mightily offended when Piers acts like he owns her.
- Chloe feels like someone I could like, despite her figure and looks!
- Piers is a bit too pushy in terms of expecting sexual relations for my taste, but he cares about Chloe and shows her he is attracted to more than her looks.
- I like the family dynamics. Even the hero-worship for the big stepbrother feels real.
- Chloe views her modelling work as just that, a job, and is delighted to leave it when she has saved enough money. She never let her celebrity affect her common sense.
- Author George put the situations and people together in a way that we care about them. Somehow they feel right in front of me, not something distant I’m viewing on a stage. I don’t know exactly how some authors do this, but if you pay attention to books you like vs. those you don’t, I expect you’ll see the same thing. Successful books put the people right there with you.
Evidence of Sin is a romance novel, meant to entertain. It’s written well and as noted the characters are quite well done as are the settings and accouterments.
4 Stars
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