FINAL DECISION: Slow burn story of two people who have known each other and yet don't know one another at all. I loved the intense emotional aspects of the story and how these two discover one another.

THE STORY: Lavinia Gray is desperate after discovering that her mother is an addict, spent all their money and stolen from family and friends. She needs to marry immediately before the scandal is discovered so she approaches Parth Sterling to propose marry. But he turns her down. The fashion...

FINAL DECISION: Slow burn story of two people who have known each other and yet don't know one another at all. I loved the intense emotional aspects of the story and how these two discover one another.

THE STORY: Lavinia Gray is desperate after discovering that her mother is an addict, spent all their money and stolen from family and friends. She needs to marry immediately before the scandal is discovered so she approaches Parth Sterling to propose marry. But he turns her down. The fashion obsessed and shallow Lavinia is not the type of woman Parth intends to marry and, in fact, he has a much more suitable candidate in mind. Parth, however, promises Lavinia to help her find a groom. Parth's efforts only seem to make Lavinia more attractive to him as he discovers the real woman that he dismissed so easily.

OPINION: I ended up loving this book. It took a while to grow on me because Lavinia and Parth seemed so mismatched in the beginning. But as the two really began to know one another and as the book concentrated on the emotional lives of these characters, I began to fall with them as they fell for one another.

For a book that feels light and funny, this book has a a deep undertone -- like Lavinia herself. I enjoyed that the book begins with Lavinia at her most desperate and then becomes how Lavinia finds a way to save herself. As she does, she shows Parth who she really is and Parth begins to fall for her.

The romance between Parth and Lavinia takes the time it needs to develop. It allows for the emotional depth of the characters and the relationship to be emphasized. I loved that the book really rests on these two characters and their relationship rather than all the external story.

One of the characteristics of the series has been that the hero really has to take the leap into the fire for the heroine emotionally. The Wilde men are emotional and passionate when they recognize the woman for them. I love that about them and Parth shows that he is a true Wilde even if he wasn't born with the name.

WORTH MENTIONING: I loved, loved, loved being able to see more of North and Diana and there are some beautiful moments with them. This is a must read book for fans of these two.

CONNECTED BOOKS: BORN TO BE WILDE is the third book in the Wildes of Lindow Castle series. The romance in this book is self-contained and can be read as a standalone. I think, however, that the characters in this book are better understood when the series is read in order.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

Lavinia has found that not only is she no longer a wealthy heiress, but her mother has spent what her father left them, Lavinia's dowry and she has stolen jewelry belonging to other people. It has come as quite a shock.

In order to prevent her mother from being arrested for theft, Lavinia must have a plan.

First, she goes to Parth and proposes to him. He happens to be the wealthiest man she knows. They have known one another for several years. They share relationships with the Wilde fam...

Lavinia has found that not only is she no longer a wealthy heiress, but her mother has spent what her father left them, Lavinia's dowry and she has stolen jewelry belonging to other people. It has come as quite a shock.

In order to prevent her mother from being arrested for theft, Lavinia must have a plan.

First, she goes to Parth and proposes to him. He happens to be the wealthiest man she knows. They have known one another for several years. They share relationships with the Wilde family. Her cousin, Diana, is about to wed the Duke's heir, North, and North is Parth's best friend. And Parth grew up in the Wilde family from the time he was 5 years old.

Parth refuses her.

So, she has another idea. She will become a fashion adviser for people. She has always had wonderful fashion sense as well as terrific ideas about which fashions would make which ladies look their very best.

Her first project is to do the entire trousseau for Diana's wedding. In fact, she will create the entire wedding wardrobes for every member of the very large Wilde family.

I enjoyed this book. It is the third part of a series. I finished the second book and went right into this one.

There were some things which bothered me.

Although this was to be Lavinia's and Parth's story. There seemed to be a great deal about Diana and North's wedding.

I admired Lavinia for her determination to earn money in an era when women of the upper classes did not work. I disliked the fact that Parth did not respect Lavinia's talent for fashion.

I admired Parth's ability to be so devoted to people he loved. I disliked the fact that Parth seemed incapable of listening to what Lavinia was actually saying.

Ms James has a wonderful ability to create characters who would make good friends. In fact, the entire Wilde family is a wonderful force of nature. They are lovely, inclusive, eccentric and welcoming to everyone they meet.

Each character in this book was important to the forward movement of the plot.

But, at times I felt that the plot was a wee bit thin and repetitious.

As I said, I liked this book but,I did not feel it is the very best Ms James has to offer.

But, hey, she is Eloisa James and that ought to count for something.