[color-box]A Woman Entangled by Cecilia Grant (Blackshear Family #3)
Headline Eternal (25 June 2013), Paperback: 325 pages, Historical Romance
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Rating: 
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The third novel in the Blackshear Family series, A Woman Entangled by Cecilia Grant is somewhat more closely linked to the previous book, as we get to see how Will’s scandalous attachment to a former mistress has affected Nick Blackshear’s prospects.
Nick is a barrister, setting his sights on a future political career which is very much dependent on making the right contacts. However, since his brother’s marriage his cases have been few and far between, with his political endeavours becoming even more of an uphill struggle. Nick was one of the Blackshear siblings to disown his brother, setting his career above family connections or the desire to marry.
One of his few remaining connections is his barrister mentor, Mr. Westbrook, and his family. Nick has frequented their house for the last three years, taking a particular interest in the eldest Westbrook daughter, Kate. However, she refused his suit all those years ago and he has come to accept that a match between them would never work. He cannot give her the life she desires, especially not now his good Blackshear name has been besmirched by scandal.
Kate is aware of the scandal but there is a general consensus never to mention it, with her own family under a social cloud, as her mother used to be an actress. Her father’s Westbrook line disowned him after the wedding, with this refusal of acknowledgement extended to the daughters. Nevertheless, it is Kate’s ambition to reunite the family with their high-standing aunt and uncle, in the hopes that she can elevate her own social condition with a match. Kate is the prettiest Westbrook daughter and she knows it, determined to use her feminine wiles to ensnare any titled man into marriage.
Kate shares all her plans with Nick, who is almost like a brother to her, with the family coercing him into keeping watch over her in case any unsavoury sorts try to make a move. In doing so, he is forced to pay close attention to her once more, finding himself getting increasingly protective of her but distancing himself so as not to be further disheartened. He refuses to let his family scandal damage her Westbrook name any further, but comes to realise that he just can’t keep away from her, or she from him as she realises high society is not all it’s cracked up to be.
Having loved the first two books, this one didn’t disappoint, as I love Grant’s writing style and the subtle but sure way she weaves her romances together. The plot of this one was interesting, as it was a love formed from friendship, rather than the new acquaintances of the previous books. There was a lot of will-they-won’t-they suspense, more so than before, which added to the enjoyment of the book, as for a long time it looks unlikely that Nick and Kate will ever get together.
As the hero of the book, Nick was a gentleman, determined to put his own attraction to Kate aside to assist her in finding the upper class suitor she seeks. He believes he has locked his previous feelings away, but as he keeps being drawn into a closer proximity with her, he realises this is not true, and cannot bear to watch her dance with other gentlemen. Nick always seems to be at war with his desires and his better nature, as he longs for Kate’s company despite knowing there can never be anything between them. I also loved how the plot of the previous book is integrated, as Nick also comes to see that his career isn’t everything, and that he hates being estranged from his brother.
Our other protagonist in the dual-narrative perspective, Kate, was an interesting female character in that she was pretty and she knows it. At first glance, this seems obnoxious and self-centred, but Grant has a way with words to make sure that this is not how Kate is received. She yearns for a high society life, but for the benefit of her family, not just for herself, determined to make a match regardless of love. She is artful, and knows how to bend a man’s will to her desire by making use of her beauty, but with Nick she can let down the façade and be honest. I liked how Kate thought herself knowledgeable of men, but that it was Nick who forced her to recognise her naivety and see what the men who gaze upon her are really after.
Their romance is well-woven throughout the book, helped along by some of the funnier side characters. I really appreciated Kate’s sister, Viola, who has some amusing quips on feminism and independent female living after reading Mary Wollstonecraft, often shocking the dinner table with a well-timed remark. What I didn’t like so much was the lack of exposition after Nick and Kate had realised their feelings for one another. This all happens within the last twenty pages or so of the novel, and I would have liked to have seen them share a little more time together as a couple. As a result, this book contains fewer passionate scenes than the previous instalments, but the chemistry and tension can still be felt throughout.
VERDICT
Another solid four stars for a series which continues to deliver passionate love stories with a twist. Although this one lacked some of the passion scenes of previous instalments, the romance was nicely built up and well written. Grant has a habit of making her characters find happiness in the least likely of places, which makes reading her romances so much more fun.
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