Opinions of a Wolf

Summary:
Evie Nicholson is in love . . . with the past. An antiques appraiser in a London shop, Evie spins fanciful attachments to Victorian picture frames, French champagne glasses, satin evening gloves, and tattered teddy bears—regardless of their monetary value.

As a favor to friends of Fraser’s family, Evie jumps at the chance to appraise a Scottish castle full of artifacts and heirlooms. What could be more thrilling than roaming the halls of Kettlesheer and uncovering the McAndrews’ family treasures—and dusty secrets?

But crossing paths with moody heir Robert McAndrew has Evie assessing what she wants the most . . . and at an upcoming candlelight gala, a traditional dance will set her heart reeling.

Review:
I thought what better Christmas gift to give my readers than a review of a 5 star read! This is one of those books that was so exactly what I look for in the genre that there’s very little to say beyond well done. But I’ll try.

In chick lit I look for a few things. Romance I can root for (no rooting for a marriage to break up, for instance), a smart sense of humor, a realistic setting with a touch of magic, no hating on women in general or other women in particular, and writing that makes me feel as if I am there. This book hits all of those marks.

I was worried at first that I’d be getting a squicky story of Evie trying to steal her sister’s boyfriend, but that’s not what happens at all. Evie’s crush on her sister’s boyfriend is indicative of her tendency to crush on men she knows she can’t have, and it being her sister’s boyfriend is what it takes for her to realize that’s what’s happening. It was the thing that worried me the most but ended up working out the best.

The book is full of wit and smart humor that made me feel like I was relaxing in a warm tub with gentle music. It’s the kind of wit that made me at ease and entertained.

I love the fact that the plot revolves around a woman going somewhere for her career, and romance coming out of that. Evie has her own life, and a significant amount of the plot is actually about her career.

Another part of the plot is the Scottish reel that is danced at the special ball the family that owns the castle hosts. I was expecting to find reading the passages about the dancing to be either glossed over too much or boring, but in fact those passages were so well-written that I actually went and looked up the specific reels on YouTube because I felt like I just had to see them. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they looked precisely like I’d imagined them based on the author’s descriptions. It was the icing on the cake of the book.

Overall, if you’re looking for a modern chick lit whose plot revolves around far more than the romance and that features well-rounded women helping each other out rather than tearing each other down, I highly recommend this read. Maybe it’s something to pick up if Santa gave you a gift card that’s burning a hole in your pocket.

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5 out of 5 stars

Length: 330 pages – average but on the longer side

Source: Library

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