Customer Reviews

A Man Most Worthy (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical #17)

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

 

 

This was a good, quiet read. The first part of the book where they were falling in love was sweet and passionate but after they met again after how many years, I found that Nick was a bit too sedate and introverted. After they both realised that they still had a torch for each other he should have confessed his undying love and devotion, begged her forgiveness for his abandonment and his not trying to contact her during the past years and then he should have promised to love her always if she would have him despite his short-comings! It did end nicely though so all in all, an OK read.

I loved this book. The beginning was both sweet, innocent, and tense with passion not acted upon. I liked seeing Nicks assumptions fall away as he grows to know and care for Alice. And when they get caught during a chess match by her father, WOW!!! One of my favorite book moments EVER.

It is no wonder that he comes back with a desire to flaunt his achievements, his wealth, to her father. And it is no wonder she felt shunned and abandoned by him. I enjoyed the "courtship" that took place upon his return. His patience and her apprehension paired perfectly to make a nice book. It is impressive to get a book like this in a short-length novel.

I generally like Ruth's books but this one was not as good as her other books. As the title of the review suggests, the first half of the book is wonderful. The two meet and Alice, the heroine, is carefree and really easy to like. All in all, you really enjoy their budding love story.

The second half is just plain frustrating. Nick, the hero, is actually really enjoyable in my opinion. He's very kind and forgiving, but Alice is irritating through and through. She constantly doubts Nick--some of her doubts are fair--but others are just a bit way over the top. Personally, I believe her doubts are a bit beyond the character because of what she knows and has known of Nick.

At first her feelings are easy to understand but as you progress through the novel she begins to grate on your nerves with a certain emotional ridiculousness that doesn't seem true to her character. Without giving too much away she ends up coming off like one of those idiotic females a lot of author's put in their novels to progress the book forward. Propelling the book forward by sheer stupidity. Tedious.

She was smarter at 16 than she was at 30 and that's pretty scary. She constantly has Nick chasing after her--and I really have no idea why he's interested--she never really owns up to her mistakes as well as she could. Don't get me wrong, she admits them but she's the "victimized" heroine and gives him the cold shoulder far more than necessary. And there's nothing wrong with being a victim from time to time but this went too far. Alice makes you want to gnaw your fingers off.

Lastly, the novel drags quite a bit after the first 50 or so pages of the second half of the book when they meet again. Somehow you read a lot of pages and nothing is truly interesting. If this is your first book of Ruth's don't judge her work solely by this. Try "A Bride of Honor" or "Dawn in My Heart." Those are two really good ones. At least those two were my favorites. "Wild Rose" is also good if you don't mind the odd "scene cliche" or two about walking in on someone in half dressed and suddenly recognizing the person is attractive (I hate scene's like that!).

I loved this story! Lots of sigh-worthy moments. A Man Most Worthy is unique in that it's almost like two romances in one, although it's the same two people who fall in love both times.

Alice Shepard is the privileged daughter of a wealthy businessman. Nicholas Tennant is her father's poor but ambitious secretary. Alice is only a teenager when the two of them meet. She becomes infatuated with her father's clerk and soon falls in love with him, believing that some day they will marry. But when her father discovers their attraction, he callously sends Nicholas away without any recommendation or means of support. He is destitute. What will become of him? And what will become of Alice, who is so desperately in need of the love she's never known, with her mother dead and her father more dedicated to his work than his daughter?

It's a poignant love story interrupted, then resumed many years later. I hope I haven't given too much away, but it is full of twists and turns, and very romantic! I highly recommend it!

I loved this romance! It was so sweet and inspiring! I couldn't put it down!
Ruth Axtell Morren is an excellent writer!