WINNING HIS WIFE by Sandra Sookoo tells the story of how Captain Haslet woos his wife, whom he has not seen in two years, in fact, since their wedding. The story is a quick look into life during the American Revolution, and an early peak into the women's revolution. The interweaving of a love story with events in the American Revolution is fabulous, but there are several missed opportunities where the plotline could have been developed into a more substantial novel.
The primary focus of WINNING HIS WIFE is Captain Haslet's efforts to get his wife into bed and Abigail's efforts to assert and maintain her independence, with the American Revolution being a lesser part. Had the focus been more on the intersection of the revolution and the relationship than on the Haslets consummating their marriage, the book could have been great. While the relationship between husband and wife is a valid and important part of the plot, having that issue be the main plotline ignores the considerable impact of the revolution on their relationship. This includes the relationships among the women vying for the attentions of the few eligible men who were not already involved with the war.
The character development had some good moments. I liked the conversation between the Haslets when Abigail is arrested for treason. I also liked the tension between Miss Pruitt and Abigail Haslet -– very reminiscent of the Salem witch trials. That part of the story is one that could have been expanded to add depth and drama to the story.
Technically, there were a few parts where the grammar, paragraph structure and word choices caused some difficulty in following the story. Although I really would have liked to see more drama from the revolution, overall, the story is a fairly enjoyable quick read.
**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=8857
