Customer Reviews

The Courtship

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book started really slow, several times I wondered if I should just put it on my bookshelf. Happily, I did not because it really picked up in the middle and was a wonderful story filled with romance, humor, and a little bit of mystery.

Charlotte is a wonderful heroine, strong and willing to fight for a cause. Ash is the perfect suitor (even if he is courting his brother's wife). I just wish that Cabot (the husband) was more likable. It was obvious from the beginning that Charlotte would be better off with her brother-in-law than with her own husband.

Overall it was a great book. If you decide to give it a try be patient! Get through the first 100 pages and you will be glad that you did.

Stephanie Mittman has created such a wonderful story, it is a shame we can only give her 5 stars. Charlotte, Ashford, and Cabot are memorable characters that will stay with you for a long time. This is not a typical romance story. The characters take time to get to know each other, not just introduce themselves and jump in to bed. It is full of humor and genuine emotions.

Ash is on trial for arson, a crime he did not commit. His brother, who Ash believes he crippled years ago, and his sister-in-law are his lawyers. As more and more evidence points to Ash as the arsonist, the more Charlotte believes he is innocent. Charlotte and Ash fight their growing love, as they fight together for Ash's life.

Actually, it's the first time I've read Stephanie Mittman, but it certainly won't be the last. The cover was a turn-off to me, as I thought, "Oh, it's just one of those cheap romance stories", but I was in for a surprise. It's much more! It's a love story laden with loyalties, frustration and other emotions. I really had a hard time putting it down; I would get up in the middle of the night and start reading again. Now I'm eager to read her others!

When Charlotte Whittier's roving brother-in-law returns to town, he is arrested for murder. Charlotte has gained many things by marrying Ash's brother. She's now a lawyer, determined to save Ash. She has independence and freedom. The one thing that's missing is love. As Charlotte works to save Ash from prison, he comes to realize that his brother has been keeping her in a prison of the heart. Charlotte isn't given affection. His brother even discourages her from wearing lace or feminine clothing. Can Ash's brother rescue him again? And if he does will he pay the ultimate price for doing so? Stephanie Mittman manages to take elements that would be taboo in any other novel and weave them into a captivating and heartwarming story where everyone wins in the end. The reader will cry with these characters, laugh with them and sit on the edge of her seat as she waits to hear the final verdict for Ash and Charlotte's love. This one is a keeper.END

The Courtship is an excellent read! I didn't know how she was going to pull off getting the right guy with Charlotte, but somehow she did it!! Impressive work!

Ashford Whittier avoids his home town of Oakland as much as possible. He has never forgiven himself for the accident that cost his brother the use of his legs. However, he has no choice, but to unload his cargo at the San Francisco port and store it in the family warehouse. When the warehouse catches fire, his partner accuses him of arson and quickly he is charged with the crime as well as insurance fraud and manslaughter as some people died in the flames.

Cabot and his wife Charlotte take up Ash's defense, maneuvering the judge into allowing his brother to be freed on bail until the trial. While staying at the home of his sibling, Ash realizes that Cabot treats his wife like a second class working partner. Trying to help his brother see the error he is committing with his spouse, Ash falls in love with her, a woman whose loyalty demand she honor her commitment to one brother even as she loves the other.

With every novel she writes, Stephanie Mittman keeps getting better and better. Each new book exceeds the excellence of the previous work. THE COURTSHIP is an emotionally poignant drama that allows the audience a glimpse into the legal status of women in late nineteenth century California. Although the romance is built around a love triangle, each participant is a victim of their own choices and the circumstances that led to their decisions. Readers will not be able figure out how the story line plays itself out until the final chapter, leaving the audience in a satisfied state, realizing that they have had the opportunity to witness a genius at work.

Harriet Klausner