[.ca] Silver Lining (ISBN 044900516X)

Read it twice in a row!:
I read the book so fast the first time, I had to read it again. The characters are well written. You fall in love with Low Down and gain much respect for Max. If you like historical romances, than this is the book to read. I recommend ALL of Maggie Osborne's books! She is an excellent story teller.

Had So Much Potential/Male Lead Ruined It:
This book had so much potential! I love the premise - forced marriages is one of my favorite plots. However, the forced marriage in this book was in doubt in my mind. I never saw the reason for it, which put this whole book on shaky ground for me. I also did not like the hero in this book. First, he unfairly blamed Louise for the marriage. Second, he never did anything great or wonderful to make Louise fall in love with him. Overall, he was rather boring and at times annoying. I never found myself cheering for the main characters to stay together. In the end I wish Louise had packed up her bags and found herself a real man. Another reason I really disliked this book was the villification of Philadelphia. She was a young woman who was wronged by the hero. Instead of letting that story lead to some poignant moments and difficult decisions, the author villified her. One bright note in the book is the main heroine Louise. She was strong and smart, and she learns to value herself. I always like books with strong heroines. Overall the book is not bad, but it is not great either.

Another Good Osborne Book:
I have read several Maggie Osborne books and I was looking for another good one. Again I was not disappointed. Maggie Osborne has a fabulous way of taking a female catagory whose world isn't perfect and leads you through life circumstances that shows the true character of the heroine. The end of course, is happy.

A very sweet story with:
characters that you like immediately. How Ms. Osborne managed to create a female lead that was so unattractive to start and then became so well loved and desired is the gift of her pen. If you enjoy books that tell a beautiful story and fill that story with much detail about their lives and their surroundings, then Maggie Osborne is the one for you.

A BOOK TO BE TREASURED!:
This was a wonderful book. I loved Low Down Louise and Max and Livvy, Gilly, and all the rest - even Philadelphia, who provided such a terrific counterpoint to Louise. This is my favorite, so far, of Ms. Osborne's stories and the 4th one I have read. It truly is a heartwarming story with a great cast of characters.