My favorite author of all time! A woman who defies her time
Dr. Garrett Gibson, the only female physician in England, is as daring and independent as any man—why not take her pleasures like one? Yet she has never been tempted to embark on an affair, until now. Ethan Ransom, a former detective for Scotland Yard, is as gallant as he is secretive, a rumored assassin whose true loyalties are a mystery. For one exhilarating night, they give in to their potent attraction before becoming strangers again.
A man who breaks every rule
As a Ravenel by-blow spurned by his father, Ethan has little interest in polite society, yet he is captivated by the bold and beautiful Garrett. Despite their vow to resist each other after that sublime night, she is soon drawn into his most dangerous assignment yet. When the mission goes wrong, it will take all of Garrett’s skill and courage to save him. As they face the menace of a treacherous government plot, Ethan is willing to take any risk for the love of the most extraordinary woman he’s ever known.
I was delighted when Lisa Kleypas returned to writing historical romance as historical romance/fiction is my first LOVE. The Ravenel series is a longtime favorite of mine. As the series has progressed, I have been waiting for Dr. Garrett Gibson’s story, and Hello Stranger has been well worth the wait.
Defying convention, Garrett goes to the Sorbonne in Paris to study medicine under Dr. Lister (Is this Lister of Listerine? hmmmm). Returning to England, she struggles with establishing her practice. Given that she’s the only female physician in Victorian England, men and women are reluctant to come to her for medical and surgical help. Luckily for her, Rhys Winterborne (Marrying Winterborne), a wealthy, powerful tycoon, takes her under his wing and gives her a job at the clinic for his employees. Her rising fame allows her to also run her surgery in the evenings out of her home.
Every Tuesday evening, she does pro bono work in the East London parish of Clerkenwell. Armed with a hickory cane and trained in how to use it in an attack, she braves the shady neighborhoods to give aid to the needy. One day, she is fighting assailants, when she suddenly receives unexpected help … and runs once again into Ethan Ransom. Unbeknownst to her, he’d been watching over her for weeks during her excursions into Clerkenwell.
Ethan is a Ravenel by-blow who’s been rejected by his noble father. He grew up despising the Ravenel family for how contemptuously the earl treated his Irish mother. Ethan used to be a detective at the Metropolitan Police, before being recruited by the secretive spy service of Sir Jasper Jenkyn run from the Home Office.
In their meeting on the streets of Clerkenwell, Ethan gives Garrett a lesson on how inadequate her defenses are against street fighting. Her stylized fighting style might work in a showy salon, but not when her life was at stake. As their acquaintance progresses, Ethan shows her how he can treat her like a lady while also respecting her professional competence. This is novel for Garrett, who has had to fight to be respected as a physician at the price of being considered mannish.
Both Ethan and Garrett are strongly attracted to each other from the start, and this is thrilling to Garrett, given that she has sacrificed her dreams of having someone find her attractive. They’re both conflicted over the attraction: he, because he considers her too fine for him; she, because she feels he is too self-contained and private, and she doesn’t know how she could ever fit into his life. And yet, their fascination with each other persists.
In the meantime, Ethan is mixed up in Ireland’s fight for Home Rule and England’s opposition to it. He lives a dangerous life playing both sides of the game. And when it comes to his mentor and boss Jenkyn’s attention, Ethan is a marked man. When he is shot, it takes all of Garrett’s surgical skill and knowledge to bring Ethan back from the brink of death. But will he be able to survive the threat on his life, and Garrett’s by association, to ensure that they can lead a life of peace together?
Kleypas is a skilled storyteller. She takes her characters from risk to risk and has them make tough choices at every crossroads, gradually building up the momentum of the narrative. Victorian medical details form a great backdrop and add to the complexity and genuineness of Garrett’s character. At first hand, Ethan and Garrett seem to be polar opposites: he is drawn toward danger and excitement, whereas she leads a calm, orderly existence. And yet, each is motivated by a desire to help others, to fight for the lives of others. I enjoyed seeing how two people from such disparate backgrounds can work their way toward each other, trusting the other instinctively to do what is right.
Lisa Kleypas’ fans are legion, but if you’re one of those rare readers who has never read her, do start with this book to see what a wonderful storyteller she is.
Availability: Book; Large Print Book; eBook & eAudiobook on cloudLibrary Rating: ***** Stars (I loved it) Reviewer: Shannon, Assistant Director
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GENRE: Historical Romances; Victorian Romances THEME: One Night to Forever (What's supposed to be a brief fling turns into a lasting relationship for the characters in these romances.) WRITING STYLE: Banter-Filled; Engaging CHARACTER: Well-Developed TONE: Amusing; Steamy
LOCATION: England; Great Britain TIME PERIOD: Victorian Era (1837 - 1901) SUBJECTS: Former Police; Illegitimacy; Independence in Women; Men/Women Relations; One-Night Stands; Political Intrigue; Secrecy in Government; Sexual Attraction; Women Physicians
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