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A review by thenia
The Wood Nymph by Mary Balogh
2.0
The story of Lady Helen Wade, the youngest of a country Earl's daughters, and William Mainwaring, their rich new neighbor.
Helen is a naive girl, used to living in her own little world, daydreaming and being generally unconventional. She enjoys spending time in the woods, where she has a favorite spot, and has avoided meeting the visiting Mr. Mainwaring by escaping there.
As luck would have it, William is a pretty introverted individual himself, and values some alone time. In one of his walks in the woods, he unexpectedly meets Helen, who pretends to be a servant girl and strikes up a conversation with him that they both enjoy.
While not terribly exciting so far, the story had its good points, with a couple that is seemingly perfect for one another, if one could ignore the "misunderstanding" regarding Helen's identity. Then all goes sideways, when.
Obviously their actions have consequences, but when they meet again, do they do the logical thing and sit and talk like intelligent adults? Oh no. Helen decides to do a perfect impression of a spoiled brat, brooding and behaving abominably to everyone around her, and even though.
I came really close to not finishing the book, so out of patience with both of them, but I finally managed to get through it, not caring in the least for either of them by the end of the book.
Ugh...
Helen is a naive girl, used to living in her own little world, daydreaming and being generally unconventional. She enjoys spending time in the woods, where she has a favorite spot, and has avoided meeting the visiting Mr. Mainwaring by escaping there.
As luck would have it, William is a pretty introverted individual himself, and values some alone time. In one of his walks in the woods, he unexpectedly meets Helen, who pretends to be a servant girl and strikes up a conversation with him that they both enjoy.
While not terribly exciting so far, the story had its good points, with a couple that is seemingly perfect for one another, if one could ignore the "misunderstanding" regarding Helen's identity. Then all goes sideways, when
Spoiler
the two succumb to the attraction between them, but Helen still does not reveal her identity and William, who had been feeling sorry for himself for losing the woman he thought he loved, decides that being with the "wood nymph" with his heart engaged elsewhere would not be fair to her, and ups and leaves without a wordObviously their actions have consequences, but when they meet again, do they do the logical thing and sit and talk like intelligent adults? Oh no. Helen decides to do a perfect impression of a spoiled brat, brooding and behaving abominably to everyone around her, and even though
Spoiler
she is pregnant, she refuses his offers of marriage, first because she despises him and how dare he and he only did it for propriety's sake, and then because she can't trust him and how could she marry him?I came really close to not finishing the book, so out of patience with both of them, but I finally managed to get through it, not caring in the least for either of them by the end of the book.
Ugh...