Strength by Amy Daws
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is book #2 in the Lost In London series, and #5 in the London Lovers series. This book can be read as a standalone novel. For reader understanding, and to avoid spoilers, I recommend reading these series in order.

Hayden has had a tough time recently. He lost a loved one, was fighting depression, and lost who he believes was the love of his life. Then he meets someone he cannot stop thinking about. The timing sucks, but love gets you when you least expect it.

Vi does not want anything to do with the man who blew her off so quickly. When she sees him again she cannot stop her heart from wanting, but she can use her head and be smart. Is it possible to deny yourself something you were not sure you needed in the first place?

This was an emotional and deep story. These characters are fiercely independent and fight falling in the worst way. Chemistry is strong, however, and it wins every time. Sad, sweet, and sexy, this story and series are such a great read.

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This is book #2 in the Lost In London series, and #5 in the London Lovers series.  This book can be read as a standalone novel.  For reader understanding, and to avoid spoilers, I recommend reading these series in order.

 

Hayden has had a tough time recently.  He lost a loved one, was fighting depression, and lost who he believes was the love of his life.  Then he meets someone he cannot stop thinking about.  The timing sucks, but love gets you when you least expect it.

 

Vi does not want anything to do with the man who blew her off so quickly.  When she sees him again she cannot stop her heart from wanting, but she can use her head and be smart.  Is it possible to deny yourself something you were not sure you needed in the first place?

 

This was an emotional and deep story.  These characters are fiercely independent and fight falling in the worst way.  Chemistry is strong, however, and it wins every time.  Sad, sweet, and sexy, this story and series are such a great read.  I give this a 3/5 Kitty's Paws UP!

Very easy read. The author was a little repetitive, making the same point over and over and mentioning the same thing over and over, but it wasn't so bad that it completely detracted from the story. It was quite predictable, but hey, this is romance and everything that can be done has pretty much been done.
I wouldn't go out of my way to read another book by Lorraine Heath, but I wouldn't not read another book either if I was in the mood for an easy read and a bit of romance.

This was such a good read. I’ve been looking for something sweet but not fluffy lately and this, for me, fit the bill. Of course, this isn’t a light read given the circumstances the H/h find themselves in. There’s definitely some angst and a lot of emotions and it was all handled magnificently and realistically. I may have shed a couple of tears because Ainsley was so in love with Jayne but he knew he couldn’t pursue her, given the husband situation. Jayne was so resilient and so loyal, she deserves Ainsley after her husband. Truly, they were perfect for each other and I’m really glad that they ended up with each other.

Full review over at Questionable Books Reviews!

Not sure what to rate it.

So regardless about my iffy status before reading the book, I ended up liking it. I wouldn't say was an incredible read, but it was good. I think Heath did a well job in portraying how the situation affected the three people involved, more focusing on Ainsley and Jayne.

They didn't jump into the situation immediately, and neither did they completely forget the world that they were in. They thought about it. Of course initially, Ainsley and Jayne were like wth?! (like the reader no doubt) but once an idea is planted it's deuced hard to get rid off. Jayne especially it affected because it went so much against what she believed in, but she wanted a child badly and she also wanted to give her husband some happiness. And once that pesky idea was planted it was difficult to get rid of it, not matter how much one denies it.

But then when the time came to part and reality more than set in, because they all knew what they were getting into, they realise that although they expected the outcome. They never truly grasped how much it would hurteveryone involved.

And this is what I liked about it. The fact that there wasn't any jumping into the situation with, "oh yes I have some doubts" but then a day or two later it's all hunky-dory until someone gets hurt. No. It was an ongoing struggle with themselves of what they perceived was right and wrong, and then later who it will affect.

I liked that.

And then there's the husband (Walfort) who came up with the scheme. I never liked him. From the moment I met him. I didn't like him. And by the end of the book, (when some truths were revealed) I liked him even less. That's not to say he didn't care for Jayne, because (and I think really it was after his accident that he started to care) he did. But at the same time, he was man that had no compunctions about breaking the marriage vows. And really at the end of it he just seemed like a petulant child.

The thing that really detracted it, is...for some reason I didn't feel the characters. Aside from that the plot was decent...except for the ending part, just seemed to convenient...but it works...sort of.

And Ainsley, although I haven't mentioned him much, is a dear. He loves Jayne, and he would do anything for her. A part of that is the reason why he agreed to the crazy plan in the first place (it was also one of the reasons that what was holding him back also). And he isn't one of those indiscriminate rakes. He actually has standards. In that he doesn't ruin the women that he beds, neither does he treat them carelessly.

Anyways it was a good read, and I will recommend this to others, if you're looking for something enjoyable. Aside from the (in my opinion) convenient ending and the fact that I couldn't connect with the characters.