This was a strange walk on the fantastic side of Christian fiction.First, I loved the fairy tale premise. An ordinary girl is chosen as the new bride of a widowed prince. An escapist story, obviously, but what girl doesn't like to imagine she's a princess? Come on. We all do it.
The problem was, this fantasy didn't play out the way I wanted it to. It was an interesting story, and I enjoyed reading it, but there were things I didn't like. The setting seemed off, somehow, with contemporary and historical/idyllic elements that just didn't jive together. I never felt like I fully entered or understood this world. I also felt that some of the conflicts between the bride and groom were somewhat contrived and predictable - nothing really new or surprising. But my biggest issue with the story was the romance: it just wasn't there.
*Warning: Spoiler ahead!*
This is a story about an arranged marriage which, although with all the ingredients for a great romance story, turns out bittersweet. I suppose it is meant to be realistic - and I'm sure many arranged marriages end up in a kind of love that is more fond and dutiful than passionate. The problem is, it depresses me. When I read a romance novel, I'm not interested in two people who form a friendly and mutually beneficial partnership. Some people find it charming - but I wanted to tear up the last few pages and rewrite it myself. I restrained myself, because I had borrowed the book from the library. It probably wouldn't have worked, anyway. Lori Wick's ending suits the characters, somehow. And ultimately, I didn't care enough about them to lament their fate for long.
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