Title: Because You're Mine (Capitol Theatre #2)
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Published: September 1997 (Avon)
Summary: Lady Madeline Matthews would rather shame herself than sacrifice her freedom—which is why, to avoid a marriage to an aging, lecherous lord, she seeks out the company of Logan Scott. A torrid affair with the notorious womanizer would surely condemn her in the eyes of good society. Though a legend in the bedchamber, Logan is, in truth, an intensely private man tormented by past betrayals. Now a forward little minx is disrupting his life with her vibrant charm and unspoiled beauty, a high-spirited enchantress completely at sea in London’s sophisticated whirl. But when what begins with a kiss threatens to blossom into something more rapturous and real, will Logan and Madeline have the courage to drop the masks they hide behind in the name of love?
My Review: Because You're Mine by Lisa Kleypas and I had a rather tumultuous relationship. There were things I loved about it, and there were things about which I was not particularly fond.
First of all, the book is split up into two sections, both by setting and situation, and the split happens around the halfway mark. The first half of the book or so was fantastic! I absolutely adored the Capitol Theatre setting. The secondary characters that inhabited the theatre were fun and creative, and I truly felt like I was in a theatre in the 1800's. I loved the whole experience of it, every single second. I also enjoyed that Maddy was the one actively pursuing Logan; it made for a nice change of pace. I feel like I haven't read a lot of those.
Another thing I enjoyed about this book was the narrator. My consumption of this book was split up around 1/3 audiobook, 2/3 reading. I'm very picky about my narrators, but the narrator, Rosalyn Landor, was great! It makes me super happy that she has recorded several other Kleypas books, and I will probably be checking those out in the future, once I go back to school and listen to more audiobooks again.
Although some people apparently seem to disagree, I really liked Maddy. She had a genuinely sweet and caring nature, but not the type that made me want to gag uncontrollably. And Logan. One thing I particularly adored about this book was the whole "Hero doesn't want to want the heroine (but totally does anyway)" trope. LOVE, LOVE, SO MUCH LOVE. I have such a weakness for these stories. They tend to go along with super-duper explosive chemistry in the build-up, which is one of my favorite elements in romances.
There were a few little things I wasn't particularly crazy about. If I read one more "Save him, God, and I'll ________," plot, I will chuck the book across the room. I've never liked that, and it seems to be appearing everywhere lately. I don't appreciate it. However, my main problem was with this next scene.
WARNING: SPOILERS AND EXPLICIT CONTENT AHEAD.
