To Love and to Cherish

I could not imagine that someone could write a vicar as the perfect hero of a wonderful romance but that is just what Patricia Gaffney has done. Christy is divine in more ways than one!! I'm not sure exactly how she does it but the character of Christy never sets a foot wrong and is funny, human, sexy, fallible and just plain georgeous all the way through. Anne is the more complex character in this story but they match each other very well. There are some great dark elements in the plot - mainly thanks to Anne's husband Geoffrey - and a few unexpected twists but this is a truly memorable love story, very moving and I highly recommend it.

This is the first book I read authored by Patricia Gaffney. A few years back, a sales woman at a used book store recommended this and the other two books in the Wyckerley triology. She is now one of my favorite authors. Although I like her most recent contemporary books, her older books, including this which are set in the past are her best in my opinion. They are better because in spite of the historical setting, the characters in her older books have current sensibilities and face timeless problems. Also, because they are set in a previous era, her older books don't have the pop culture references that make any contempory romance not just her books seem dated as soon as they are published. To Love and Cherish is about Christy and Anne. This book is a world apart from other books of this genre. Ms. Gaffney authors with such a light touch and uses a gentle sense of humour that time is suspended while you are reading her books. How Christy reconciles his vocation with his love for Anne, a childhood friend's wife makes for a great plot--hard to put down. The suspense of "will they or won't they" holds up until the last page. You don't want to leave Wyckerly when this book is over and surprise! you don't have to! She has two other books set in this English town. Some of the characters you've met and some are new. So you can enjoy your stay in Wyckerly for a good long time.

Another very fine read, which is what I've come to expect from Gaffney. What was most intriguing about this book was the heroine, Anne's, somewhat jaded, cynical and self-deprecating outlook on life(usually that's the man's role in a romance novel). The hero was noble and good, sexy and romantic, and the romance between Christian, "Christy," and Anne is divine. The anti-hero is not your typical brutish lout - a bit more interesting and well-defined than the outragiously monstrous, errant husbands in novels with similar plots.In "To Love and To Cherish," Gaffney respects the vicar's Protestant beliefs. Rich in textured descriptions of characters and the quaint village of Wyckerly, one never feels Gaffney is just filling up page space; rather, you are transported to another place and time.Highly recommended.

This is the first book of a wonderful series. Patricia Gaffney has created a beautiful English village and an incredible love story between the local vicar and a married woman. I loved it!