My Darling Caroline, by Adele Ashworth

Yes, it's that time again for writing another book review.  Today we have My Darling Caroline by Adele Ashworth.  At first I was under the impression when I bought the book that the husband and wife (Brent and Caroline) were estranged, just like the couple in Eloisa James' book, An Affair Before Christmas (I've read it, will review someday but not anytime soon).  But I was oh so very wrong.

FYI: This book is actually a reissue, originally published in 1998 (just found this out).


Caroline was basically sold off to Brent in marriage by her father, as well as selling Brent's horses back because apparently his very irresponsible cousin left Brent's house in disarray when he was supposed to be watching it.  If that doesn't make sense, basically Brent's cousin raided his house and sold off everything to pay his debts, leaving a very empty house behind.  So basically they're newlyweds, and they don't even consummate their marriage until like...almost four months later.  No, seriously.

Recurring theme: Accounts.  Because Caroline is a friggen genius (and this is serious), Brent lets her handle the accounts of the house.

She's a mathematician as well as a botanist, so her life from childhood up till now has been devoted to science.  She wants to study in a university but because she's a woman, it's forbidden.  What she does is stand outside classrooms with other women just to listen in on college lectures (which, the professor happens to be Albert Marksham, someone she's devoted five years or more of her life to).

Recurring things:  Ashworth uses the word "sexy" a lot and VERY often...I think that made the book rather unsexy by this point.  Additionally she uses the word "husky" but not as often as "sexy."

Title shoutout: Brent says "My darling Caroline" quite often as well.

Initially, all that Brent wants from Caroline is someone to warm his bed and give him an heir, but he's completely terrible at romancing her.  Neither of them actually admit that they love each other, especially Brent because he's the one that says from the beginning, "You will never hear me say the words I love you," and Caroline pretty much does the same.  Which is really dumb because all they want to do is bed each other and they know it.  Caroline's just holding back.

Brent has an illegitimate daughter, Rosalyn.  I won't write a spoiler on how Caroline handles this.

Brent calls Caroline "little one" which, to me, is a throwback to Brenda Joyce's The Prize.


On page 112, Brent has an Edward Cullen moment, in which he says, "I stand by your bedside and watch you sleeping..." the quote goes on, but if you've seen/read Twilight, you know what I mean.  113 also has another reference to Twilight, in the mentioning of "forbidden fruits."

Recurring theme: Brent is a British spy.  So was Gilby from How I Met My Countess.


Caroline is very logical.  She's like Temperance Brennan, from Bones.  I keep wondering during the book if she's going to give up her scholarly career for her husband's love.  If she did, that would be quite the betrayal to women on her part.  You know, give up everything you've worked so hard for, all for a man?  Yeah, feminists would have a hell of a time roasting her during the course of this book.  I won't tell you what happens.  Ultimately, it's about her submission to what Brent wants.

Page 213 is really cheesy: "I was made for loving you."  Seriously?  Wasn't there a rock song to this?

On various pages we also have the cliche, "As old as time" thrown around, as well as the constant reminder of, "I'm a man, you're a woman, we both have needs," and Caroline's ways of stepping around it.

239 mentions "Fast and Furious"...but in the context of sex.  I'm sure there are what, four movies of this series?

Brent's a dumbass.  He thinks Caroline's cheating on him when his sister Charlotte mentions something that can completely be taken out of context (and she does this on purpose).

Toward the end of the book, Pages 330-31 confused the shit out of me, but from this point onwards, the rest of the book gets wrapped up in a nice and pretty little bow, tying up all loose ends and answers every single question that makes everything oh-so-convenient.  I felt no sparks from this book, and though it was interesting, I would give this a 2/5 star rating.