BARBARA CARTLAND’S “LOVE FINDS THE WAY”: “MODERN LOVE,” BARBARA CARTLAND STYLE

RATING GUIDE:

 

5 – A keeper!   

4 – Very good

3 –  Passable

2 –  I’d rather read a telephone book

1 – An absolute bomb.  Read at your own risk!

 

Barbara Cartland’s “Love Finds The Way” is the pretty funny story of John, a twenty-something bachelor who tries to escape his family problems through travel and the occasional romantic fling.  A chauvinist at heart, John abhors anything that has to do with the horrible creature that has recently appeared in modern society:  the New Woman, who’s not only educated but (gasp!) has a mind of her own and (oh, no!) isn’t afraid to express her opinions (Oh, the horror!).

John’s life is turned upside down when his uncle suddenly dies.  Now, John isn’t just a traveling Casanova-bachelor, he’s now the Duke of Chesterton, with a whole new set of responsibilities and problems.  This includes a run-down castle that needs to be restored pronto (but he doesn’t have any money), and a whole entourage of househelp, “misfits” who were adopted by his crazy departed uncle. 

Sadly, John makes his way back home.  Along the way, he meets Gina who is the most beautiful girl he has ever set his eyes on.  But he quickly discovers that Gina is (gasp!) a modern woman who wouldn’t shut up.  Upon learning of John’s problems, Gina proposes a plan to help him restore the castle.

To his surprise, John doesn’t run away screaming.  In fact, John goes along with Gina’s plan.  As they carry out their plan to rebuild the castle, the sparks fly between the two.  But there’s a problem.  John is royalty, and Gina, though very rich, is just a commoner (shades of Prince William and Kate Middleton, don’t you think?). 

Just like her other book, Love In The Highlands, Love Finds The Way is a very enjoyable book to read.  Even though the book is set in the 1800’s, its characters could be someone we could come across in books or movies, or even in real life.  There’s the commitment-phobe (John), the smart beauty (Gina), the airhead sosyalera (Druscilla, John’s sister) … why, I can imagine this being turned into a movie, much like Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility.  But there are also the interesting servants in John’s employ, such as an ex-forger, a set of twins that make John wonder if he’s losing his mind.  But it all contributes to the story’s humor.

The romance in this book is so sweet, made especially so by Barbara Cartland’s use of the shifting point of view.  By telling parts of the story through John, it shows female readers that men are capable of deep feelings, too (and as all women know, nothing beats a hunky guy with a sensitive side!). 

The best part of this book:  That dance between Gina and John.  So bittersweet!  Of course, you have to read the book to understand what I mean.

RATING:  5