All Things Beautiful

I really liked this book because the storyline wasn't so typical, but it was about something that is pretty universal...screwed up families who take advantage of one another and trade in guilt as a means to an end, with a whole lot of greed, pride and self doubt added to the mix. The hero and heroine aren't typical and I liked watching them deal with their familial and societal struggles. Those problems were probably pretty realistic for the time - commoners' wary views of the aristocracy and the aristocracy's superior, but often threatened views of commoners. The hero in this one is so different and I enjoyed his character so much. The heroine's attitude bordered on the cusp of unlikable sometimes, but then again, she had been through so much I had a great deal of sympathy for her that overrode those negative thoughts. Another reviewer lists several questions she had about the book, and I went over each of them and had none of them at all - I felt all of that was clear, so maybe she just read it too quickly. BTW, this is a fast read...never boring and finished in just a few hours. Definitely recommend. Also highly recommend Falling in Love Again by this author.

Another great book by Miss Maxwell. You really get into her characters and I love her sex scenes and epilogs.

Lady Julia Markham has no chance of a good marriage. Brader Wolf is man who made his money, so the chances of marry a member of society are zero. But each has something the other could use, so they agree to marry. But both Brader and Julia are carrying scars from their past, but they must work together to ease the pain and have a future together. "All things Beautiful" is the the third book by Cathy Maxwell I read, it the best! Both of the main characters are people that belong to but just don't realize it. Ms. Maxwell bring read feelings in these two characters and makes the reader want more. I have to confess that it only took me a day to read this book and I was sorry that it ended!

This is an excellent romance, first novel by Maxwell, and definiely worth the read! I won't summarize the plot here, but just tell you what I didn't like, and what I did like... What I Didn't like: In an attempt to create strong characters as well as tension between the hero and heroine, many authors use the vehicle of haughtiness or pride. It is a really tricky thing to carry off well. In particular, it's hard to believe a rather shallow display of pride once the heroine starts to feel love for the man. And, in the face of blossoming love, prideful/haughty action makes the character appear petty, rather than showing true strength of character. I think that compared to other authors I've read, Maxwell does a better job at handling the transition in her character. However, the dining room scene where Julia's brothers appear for a visit, after she plans to move into Brader's room, is the one scene that really stretched it for me. After all of Brader & Julia's tender and caring revelations to each other, Julia's behavior in the dining room is an uncharacteristic backslide. I realize that perhaps Maxwell needed to set up this tension in order to make it reasonable that Brader would still hold her in suspicion, or perhaps to have Julia show one final struggle with her heritage. However, in my opinion, Maxwell had already shown that Julia held low regard for society, so her concern about marrying a cit really rang false to me. Instead, Julia could have stood up to her brothers' verbal assault and defended Brader, and it would have made her change of heart more believable, *and* it would have actually served to underscore her true strength of character. That is, if she has the blood of conquerors running through her veins, then she should have been strong enough to state her changing views to her brothers, especially given their treatment of her in the past. Thus, her vacillating actions did not really ring true to the character Maxwell was trying to create. At that point, the retreat to the bedroom afterwards could have been really interesting... with Brader thrilled about her defense, rather than having it be another battle of wills. What I did Like: Everything else! I have definitely discovered another favorite author! Maxwell rings true on the three pillars of a great story: character, place, and plot. Her descriptions of characters are consistent and strong, keeping the attraction between them flowing with good visuals and deft, consistent reminders of their initial attraction, such as Brader's voice. The characters' backgrounds were excellently drawn: you had the full sense of the shallowness of the Markham family, their cruelty to Julia. Brader's working background was also interesting and rich, with his uncertain parenthood, loving mother. With both main characters, you really want to know more about them and their motivations, and Maxwell doesn't disappoint, revealing more interesting elements about the characters' particular st

It's a pity this is out of print, because it is one of the best romances ever written. No boring, cliched regency set histroical here. This one is a masterpiece without equal. Brader is so wondrful that words can not describe him. If you like romance, do yourself a favor and seek out used bookstores until you find it!