An Inconvenient Beauty (Hawthorne House #4)

by Kristi Ann Hunter (Goodreads Author)

The Duke of Riverton has chosen his future wife with the same logic he uses to make every decision. However, his perfect bride eludes his suit, while the beautiful Isabella Berkeley seems to be everywhere. When the time comes, will Griffith and Isabella be able to set aside their pride and initial notions to embrace their very own happily-ever-after?

My Review: 8/10

I enjoyed this book. It was not my favorite in the series, but I still found myself frequently chuckling or smiling stupidly as I read. I don't think fans of of this series will be disappointed with the conclusion.

*SPOILERS*

For me, the most important aspect is characters. And there was a lot to love. I liked that the Uncle was not a one dimensional character. He had real problems that caused him to harden and obsess. I liked that Isabella owned up to her responsibility for the mess. I liked the sister-like relationship that she and Freddie shared. I liked the frequent return of characters from the other novels. I loved the way the family worked, like a small, protective army. The idea of those sisters (and sisters-in-law) meeting weekly with their mother for tea and quality time together... it's a small thing, but it points to something larger and something that has always been noticably missing from my life and desperately wanted. Those scenes touched me in a bittersweet way. And I loved the way the family converged in a crisis.

The only thing I didn't really like was the drunken scene between Isabella and Griffith. For some reason, I just didn't buy him being on the roof thatching to begin with (wouldn't he just hire someone?) nor Isabella leaving her cousin unchaperoned in the woods (uh what? People have let their feelings run away with them for a whole lot less. And the last thing her cousin needed was to find herself pregnant with the father killed in battle. She could have chaperoned them discreetly from a significant distant. Poor judgment here). But the drunkenness I just couldn't relate to. I have been drunk before and while I know my experience is not universal, it just seemed overdone. A lack of inhibition, yes. Loose lips, yes. But it just seemed immediate and way too much.

Though I thought the way Griffith kept speaking his thoughts was very funny and well done.

On a similar vein, alcohol has never made me do something I didn't already want to do, nor made me not be able to recognize someone, so I just had a little trouble really buying the opening scene with the boys and the bat guano.

I'm sad that a series whose characters I was so invested in has come to an end. But with each ending comes a new beginning and I am excited for whatever comes next from this author.