Hello Stranger (The Ravenels, Book Four): Lisa Kleypas

“A woman who defies her time

 

“Dr. Garrett Gibson, the only female physician in England is as daring and independent as any man—why not take her pleasures like one?  Yet she has never been tempted to embark on an affair, until now.  Ethan Ransom, a former detective for Scotland Yard, is as gallant as he is secretive, a rumored assassin whose true loyalties are a mystery.

 

“A man who breaks every rule

 

“As a Ravenel by-blow spurned by his father, Ethan has little interest in polite society, yet he is captivated by the bold and beautiful Garrett.  Despite their vow to resist each other after that sublime night, she is soon drawn into his most dangerous assignment yet.  When the mission goes wrong, it will take all of Garrett’s skill and courage to save him.  As they face the menace of a treacherous government plot, Ethan is willing to take any risk for the love of the most extraordinary woman he’s ever known.”

 

This is yet another book I took with me on my vacation (hence the quick succession of these reviews).  This is the newest installment in the series and I think I may have enjoyed it the most.

 

We were introduced to Garrett in two of the other books (if memory serves me) and she was always portrayed as cool, calm, intelligent, and no-nonsense.  It was nice to see another side of her in what is truly her love story.  I had a feeling Ethan would be her counterpart based on a few of their interactions in other plotlines, and I was certainly not disappointed.  I’ve said it before and I’m sure I will say it a thousand times more, but I love a strong female lead.  Garrett fit the bill.  Sometimes, female characters will tend to soften overmuch when they find their “missing piece,” but Garrett, in my opinion, remained strong throughout.  I admire her dedication to her craft, her father, and her desire to maintain the intense persona she’s created, despite the opposition she faces.  She can be a bit abrupt and abrasive, but that ends up making her unique and, dare I say, even a little bit charming.  I enjoyed getting to learn more about her background and how she came to be the woman she is (and I appreciate her even more because Kleypas based her off of a real woman).  The depth of emotion Ethan felt was, I think, one of the things that really made this book special.  He was so clearly in love with Garrett and had been for some time.  He found her beautiful, but he admired her for so much more than just her looks.  His life was terribly difficult and it made him unforgiving in some ways, but he didn’t lose all of his humanity.  He and Garrett save one another in so many different ways and on so many levels.  They turn out to be excellent counterbalances in their own unconventional ways.  Their banter is amusing and we really get to see their relationship blossom in such a fun way.

 

Through it all, there’s an ominous undercurrent of a political and terrorist plot which Ethan knows he might give his life to stop.  Though he resists dragging Garrett into this underworld, she is determined not to let him go—not when she fought so hard to let him into her life.  They are continually drawn to one another like magnets; though they may separate, they will inevitably collide once more.  And when they do, sparks will most certainly fly.

 

Ethan’s relationship with the Ravenels changes completely when he’s in his most desperate time of need and this truly allows West to shine.  Always a secondary character, he’s a prominent male Ravenel and a reformed London lush.  He has a fantastic sense of humor and provides an endless source of amusement and acerbic wit.  (To be honest, I enjoyed him far more than I did his elder brother in the first book in the series.)  We really get to see a lot of him in this book and I think that helped Ethan to come around more to the Ravenel side of his heritage.  There were some hints about a mysterious love interest for West and I sincerely hope that this is true and that his book is the next one I have to look forward to.

 

As always, Kleypas writes with a certain elegance and wit which mark her books with a unique voice.  Both the settings and the characters are vibrant and lively.  The romance is filled with exquisite tension and longing.  Again, this is probably my favorite book in the series, so it only stands to reason that I recommend it.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.