Valentine's Change of Heart

I am agog after just finishing this book. For me, it rates up there with Mary Balogh's A Summer to Remember. Val & Elaine are marvelous characters who slowly fall in love...captivating, heart-rending, mesmerizing, and oh-so-romantic. I enjoyed Captain Cupid calls the shots, but this one is infinitely better, to my mind. Fairchild's writing is superb. Her detailed descriptions of the settings make the reader feel she's actually there, hearing the roar of the sea, gazing at the mountains reflected in the lake, watching the birds, climbing the castle ruins, feeling the breeze in one's hair or the grass under one's feet. Some might be put off by the slower pace and the extensive use of character's thoughts, but they are perfectly in keeping with the deep introspection of the lead characters. This is without a doubt one of the most beautiful and moving romances I've ever read. As other have noted, the only fault is the brevity of their reunion and reconciliation at the end; I wish Fairchild had done more with it. Note that the blurb on the back cover is somewhat misleading. This is a book that will haunt me for some time, and one I will read on a regular basis. It was so wonderful, I'm tempted to start it again immediately.

I own almost all Elisabeth Fairchild Regencies, including one of my all time favorites "The Holly and the Ivy." All contain some angst within the storyline, but this one had me at the edge of my seat, in emotional turmoil, until the bitter(sweet) end. Valentine Wharton has much to be anxious about. He is a recovering alcoholic, has an illegitimate daughter, unrequited (past) love and a growing fondness for his reticent governess. The governess, Miss Elaine Deering, has already avoided the groping of a former employer and is not about to work for another rogue with a bad reputation. But her love for Valentine's daughter, Felicity, keeps her attached to both as they (and Wharton's housekeeper) go on holiday to Wales. The conversations, filled with innuendo and information give us a complete picture of both Valentine and Elaine ("my Deering" as Wharton calls her) and sometimes the picture is not pretty. I came to care deeply for both as their love for each other grows. The other characters are well portrayed and all add wonderful dimension to the story. The reasons I did not give this a 5 was the abrupt (though thought provoking) ending and the general uneasy feeling that I still had when I had finished.

As others have suggested, I also recommend reading "Captain Cupid Calls the Shots" before you dive into this one. Matter of fact, the only reason I read that one was because I wanted to read this one so bad! The references to Valentine's past are all rooted in that story and may not be satisfactorily explained here.Valentine Wharton is a former soldier and recovering alcoholic with an illegitimate daughter and lots of demons to exorcise. He lost the woman he loved to his best friend and, unable to cope with a child and his own problems, packed her off to boarding school. Now Felicity is 9 years old and Val is ready to try and build a relationship with his daughter, having conquered most of his demons. He plans a holiday to Wales and when he arrives at her school, he meets and is intrigued by Miss Elaine Deering, the teacher Felicity writes so warmly of in her letters. He hopes to have Miss Deering come along as governess, but his reputation has preceded him and she is reluctant to agree. She has worked for a man who could not keep his hands to himself before and will not do so again. But that man, Lord Palmer, has just caused her to lose her position, telling the headmistress unsavory lies about Elaine. And so, it looks like Wales for "dear Miss Deering"!The trip to Wales is a revelation for Elaine. This man, whose reputation is of a drunken womanizer, is nothing but kind, considerate and gentlemanly toward her. His efforts to get to know his daughter are bittersweet and not always easy. But Val is determined and patient and Elaine offers subtle support to both father and daughter. She is also relieved to see that this former drunkard now drinks tea exclusively. Elaine watches him waging daily battle against his past with growing admiration. He seems to be winning with one exception - is he still in love with Penny Foster (Shelbourne)? Though she has no right to, she fervently hopes not, for she's fallen for her handsome employer.While Valentine still thinks of Penny with longing and regret, he finds himself thinking of Elaine with increasing frequency. He is attracted to her dark hair and eyes, her sweet lips, her calm, cool delicacy. But he must not scare her away by coming off as Palmer did. And so he woos her slowly, subtly, but to what purpose? What does he want from "dear Deering", his daughter's governess? Is he no better than Palmer?This is a very moving story of a flawed soul striving to be a better man - to earn his daughter's affection and respect and a second chance at love. A highly recommended read!

I rather enjoyed "Valentine's Change of Heart." True, it is a little more brooding in tone and has a little more than the usual quota of angst-filled moments, but if you're looking for something really quite different from the usual Signet fare, and you enjoy novels that celebrate the beauty of nature, than you might want to give "Valentine's Change of Heart" a go. Though I have to admit that if you haven't yet read "Captain Cupid Calls the Shots," you may want to do so first -- it's not really essential, but it does help explain the dark and slightly despondent tone of this novel, and why certain characters are important to each other -- not everything is explained fully in "Valentine's Change of Heart."Having conquered his addiction to alcohol, Valentine Wharton now sets off to reclaim his daughter, Felicity, from Gatehouse, the boarding school to which he had sent her. Valentine is hoping to be able to build a relationship with this daughter he barely knows (Valentine discovered that he had fathered a child just before he set off for war in "Captain Cupid Calls the Shots") by taking her to St. David's in Wales -- a place that he has very fond childhood memories of, and where he's rather hoping to be able to create new and happier ones with Felicity. Of course he also needs a governess for Felicity while they are in Wales, and it looks as if fortune may finally be smiling on Valentine when he is able to hire Felicity's favourite teacher to be her governess. Miss Elaine Deering never thought that she would be grateful to secure a post with such a notorious employer as Valentine Wharton. But beggars, she discovers, cannot be choosers; and when an unscrupulous ex-employer causes her to loose her current teaching position at the Gatehouse, she finds an unlikely knight errant in Valentine Wharton. But while she is a little cautious and leery about deciding to throw in her lot with such a notorious rake (and alcoholic) as Valentine, she finds herself being totally disarmed by Valentine's attempts to win Felicity's trust and affections. But, she also finds to her dismay, that she's not all that immune to Valentine's charming ways either. Can she afford to trust a reformed alcoholic and rake not to take advantage of her heart and affections? (Add to that Elaine's belief that Valentine has never gotten over his first love, Penny Shelbourne). And then there is the whole issue of the disparity of their positions -- can a governess of no particular distinction hope for any kind of honourable relationship with a gentleman of wealth and connections?Be forewarned: "Valentine's Change of Heart" is quite contemplative in nature. Both Valentine and Elaine spend a lot of time thinking about and going over past actions. So that if you prefer books with a lot less rumination and a lot more action, this may not be the ideal romance novel for you. I rather liked this book though. I had mixed feeling about "Captain Cupid Calls the Shots" -- Valentine's character (to m

Ms Fairchild is always enjoyable and this latest offering is no disappointment... I won't give away the plot, suffice to say it's worth reading and on par with her novels such as "Marriage a La Mode", "Miss Dortons hero" and "the Counterfeit Coachman".FOr readers who are a little off put by too much salicious writing, she never offends.