MAIDEN'S MISTAKE by Elizabeth Ashtree is an emotional drama that will make you burn the midnight oil to find out what happens in the end. I give it 4 stars and look forward to reading more of Elizabeth Ashtree's work.
In MAIDEN'S MISTAKE, Juliette Markham is sent to live with the Earl of Mercia, a friend of her father's, while her parents are abroad visiting her dying grandfather. Unbeknownst to all, Juliette was found inebriated and in a compromising situation at her home, and after listening to gossip in the Earl of Mercia's house, concludes that she is pregnant.
The Earl of Mercia's life has been plagued by an arsonist, beginning with the death of his father, older brother and little sister in a house fire when he was thirteen. His own efforts to rescue his family from the fire left him scarred and unable to have children. He is attracted to Juliette when she first arrives at his estate, and when she tells him of her situation, he decides to marry her to protect her reputation and ensure the Mercia succession.
The plan goes awry when the newlyweds discover that Juliette was not quite as compromised as she originally thought. The Earl decides to annul the marriage, but Juliette is determined to stay together. In the midst of the romantic drama, the arsonist continues to cause problems.
I enjoyed MAIDEN'S MISTAKE, despite the fact that a couple of the plot twists were predictable and that the book could use another round of editing to deal with some obvious issues. The characters were well-illustrated and easily draw the reader's sympathy. The reader can easily understand the characters' emotional issues.
The romantic development was also realistic in that the passing of time is described. This is no overnight or love at first sight romance, and the characters have to fight for their relationship. The romance itself is appropriate for those 18 years of age and older due to some graphic wording.
MAIDEN'S MISTAKE is a great read and should be on any romance reader's autumn reading list.
**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=10718.
