Bound By Your Touch

- Meredith Duran -

A mesmerizing read in a lot of ways, much more tightly plotted than "Duke of Shadow" which had the weird disconnect between the two halves.

In many ways Lydia, the spinster who prides herself on her intelligence, is a character type that just irritates me in general, but it worked here because the author wasn't afraid to have her be unlikeable. She was petty with her sister, stubborn to the point of stupidity in her loyalty to her father and clung way too tightly to the shield of propriety with Sanburne, all of which made her seem very much like a real person, flaws and all. What I loved about Lydia was her gradual journey to let go of the expectations that society placed on a woman in her situation, and that she had done her utmost to live up to. Her realization that she doesn't have to fade into the background, forgo all pleasure and that is worthy of being listened to was lovely to read.

I did get frustrated on occasion by her stubbord defense of her father, but as it tied so beatifully into what she taught Sanburne about love and faith, ultimately it made sense.

The Hero: James, Lord Sanburne. Devastated and guiltstricken over the abuse his sister suffered at the hands of her husband and her subsequent incarceration for his murder, Sanburne devotes his life to harassing and embarrassing his father, whom he believes did not do enought to help his sister.

Again, the archetype of the wastrel hero gleefully wasting his life away irritates me a little, but it was all so slowly but surely revealed to be an unsatisfying act on Sanburne's part, that it ultimately worked for me as Lydia helped him find his way out of his mess of guilt and regret.

The paralell's between each of their relationships with their family, and the various misconceptions they each had to relinquish and move on from, brought a depth to the story that I really enjoyed.

I already want to reread, now that I know how it ends, to uncover more layers.