One Lives in Regret, The Other Never Forgets

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Source: Review Copy from Author

Dr. Rick Wentworth, a successful marine biologist/celebrity author, is preparing for his extensive seven-week book tour in England, with a book provocatively titled, Sex in the Sea. With a flourishing career, a modest amount of wealth and popularity, a supermodel girlfriend, and a very attractive physique, it would seem Rick has everything he has ever wanted. But he doesn’t. He doesn’t have Anna Elliot, who was persuaded by her family to give him up ten years ago and whose rejection still haunts him all these years later. Since Anna’s rejection of him, Rick has let disappointment and resentment rule his heart, living by the motto “never forgive, never forget.” Now returning to England, Rick wonders if their paths will cross, and if Anna Elliot will feel something like regret for giving up on the love they once had…

How I LOVE these novels by Juliet Archer! Her skillful and stellar retellings are some of my most favorite contemporary Austenesque novels! I love how she tells the story from both the hero and heroine’s perspective, she did this in both The Importance of Being Emma and Persuade Me. I feel it adds so much to the story to know what both characters are thinking and feeling, and I vastly enjoyed my time in Rick Wentworth’s head! In addition, I greatly admire how carefully and creatively Ms. Archer reinvents the characters to fit modern times. Although she alters their occupations and situations, Ms. Archer keeps her characters’ personalities and behaviors true to the originals. Readers will be pleased to see that their favorite characters like Mary Musgrove, Mrs. Clay, and Sir Walter are all very accurately portrayed!

As I did with The Importance of Being Emma, I took great pleasure in the surprising twists Ms. Archer included in her story. I thought it was a great twist that Rick had a supermodel girlfriend and enjoyed how it impacted Anna’s thoughts of him. Moreover, I liked the twist about Charles Musgrove and his lingering feelings for Anna, which added some extra tension and conflict to the story!