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A review by bookwyrm_lark
By Winter's Light by Stephanie Laurens
3.0
By Winter’s Light is intended to bridge the gap between the books about the original Cynster generation and those about their offspring. It takes place during a family Christmas gathering in the Vale – Catriona and Richard Cynster’s domain. Since the older generation (Devil, Vane, Richard, and their cousins) are already married, and the younger generation haven’t quite come of age, the romance takes place between a tutor and governess. Since they are both more constrained by their position as employees and their responsibilities toward their charges, the relationship is rather subdued, and there is little romantic tension. In fact, the obstacle to the couple’s happiness turns out to be less dramatic than early hints suggest. Still, both Daniel and Claire are nice people who deserve their eventual happy ending.
I have to admit, though, that I found the first glimpse of Cynster twins Marcus and Lucilla just as interesting than the romance when I first read By Winter’s Light last year. (Their books were released last February and May, respectively.) Sebastian, Devil’s heir, also has potential, as does his younger sister Louisa, but the others are either too young or had too little page time to get much of a sense of their characters.
Since the book takes place in Scotland, and most of the characters are English, I enjoyed the 19th-century Christmas, Yule, and Hogmany traditions scattered throughout the book. And of course, it’s always fun to revisit the Cynsters – though we don’t get a lot of time with any of the previous couples. There are a lot of people to keep track of, but Laurens has included a helpful cast of characters in the beginning of the book. (If you’re reading the ebook, I highly recommend you bookmark it so you can refer to it as needed.)
Bottom line: If you’re a Cynster fan and plan to continue the series, it’s worth reading as long as you don’t expect a full-blooded Cynster-style romance. If you’re not already following the series, don’t start here.
Review originally published on The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
I have to admit, though, that I found the first glimpse of Cynster twins Marcus and Lucilla just as interesting than the romance when I first read By Winter’s Light last year. (Their books were released last February and May, respectively.) Sebastian, Devil’s heir, also has potential, as does his younger sister Louisa, but the others are either too young or had too little page time to get much of a sense of their characters.
Since the book takes place in Scotland, and most of the characters are English, I enjoyed the 19th-century Christmas, Yule, and Hogmany traditions scattered throughout the book. And of course, it’s always fun to revisit the Cynsters – though we don’t get a lot of time with any of the previous couples. There are a lot of people to keep track of, but Laurens has included a helpful cast of characters in the beginning of the book. (If you’re reading the ebook, I highly recommend you bookmark it so you can refer to it as needed.)
Bottom line: If you’re a Cynster fan and plan to continue the series, it’s worth reading as long as you don’t expect a full-blooded Cynster-style romance. If you’re not already following the series, don’t start here.
Review originally published on The Bookwyrm's Hoard.