Blackmoore

Title: Blackmoore
Author: Julianne Donaldson
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Spice: 0.5 / 5
Format: Paperback
Pages: 304
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

My Thoughts

I absolutely adored BLACKMOORE. I was gripped from the beginning. The tension and longing between Kate and Henry was enough to keep me wanting more. They were the best of friends. They both loved the other without knowing if their love was reciprocated. They feared crossing the line between friendship and something more, yet they couldn’t not cross that line. They were compelled to because of their feelings for one another. They cared for one another so deeply they were willing to sacrifice their own happiness to ensure the other’s happiness. They just didn’t realize that neither could be happy without the other.

It was very refreshing to read a romance without a love triangle. Miss St. Claire was there vying for Henry’s love too, but there was really no competition. The true obstacles were Kate’s and Henry’s families, social status, and propriety.

I loved the mystery and that you didn’t know the reasons for Kate’s decisions at first. I loved that her decisions unraveled with the story. I loved learning about Kate as Henry did. And, one of the best parts was that the ending wasn’t predictable. Although, I do wish the ending was a little less ambiguous than it was.

I really enjoyed the little bit of history involved in the story, learning more about Robin Hood’s Bay and the local legends of the time. The setting was perfect with the backdrop of Blackmoore nestled between the sea and the moors. It made the story and setting “hauntingly beautiful.”