While the cover led me to think it is a romance novel, the book jacket of the novel made me think it would also be a mystery novel (I've ready many books of with a blended-type genre, which is probably where I got my impression of the book); the book definitely leans more as a romance novel. And more specifically, I think a reader should know it's a book that does not lead to the typical "happily ever after" ending. It wasn't until I completely finished reading the book and read the author's notes at the back of the book that I discovered Whitson Lee's novel is based upon poet Lord Byron and his marriage to Annabella Milbanke--for me personally, as an English major and someone who enjoys history, I believe I would've appreciated the novel more to know that many of the details within the characters and key storyline held many accurate aspects when compared to the life of Lord Byron.
The final thing that came through very strongly in the novel is what it means to put God first in your life--and also what the possible consequences are when you choose to put self first. The distinction "Christian Fiction" often cues a reader that a book will be clean and appropriate--things I believe many readers especially like to seek out when choosing a Christian Fiction Romance novel. Whitson Lee does not shy away from keeping faith front and center of her characters and the storyline; this boldness sets her apart from many Christian authors, and is another reason I feel that readers who are seeking this genre of book will enjoy Dangerous to Know.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher, but was under no obligation to write a review. My honest opinion has been provided without any requirement to write a positive review.
About the book:
“Don’t look at him, dear. He’s dangerous.”
Isabella Bankmill seeks a husband whose character matches her list of requirements. The man must share her faith, but he must also possess a certain je ne sais quoi. The enigmatical Lord Gregory Gordon Bromby—London’s newest literary sensation—certainly possesses the latter. Despite a deformed foot and alarming views on politics and religion, he attracts the ladies in droves.
Haunted by his past and overwhelmed by his newfound celebrity status, Lord Bromby’s obsession with his own doom leads to reckless behavior. When he is stalked by an obsessive aristocrat seeking an elopement, Bromby’s friends urge him to marry a suitable lady as soon as possible. Intrigued by Isabella’s convictions and hoping to avoid further scandal, Bromby proposes to Isabella.
Isabella also receives an offer of marriage from kind-hearted philanthropist, David Beringer—a man equally devoted to his faith—but she only has eyes for Lord Bromby. Blinded by his talent and good looks, Isabella convinces herself that he’s not as dangerous as everyone claims. But when Bromby’s world violently collides with hers, Isabella must decide once and for all who is lord of her life. God or Bromby?
About the author:
Megan Whitson Lee is an anglophile and a recovering runaway. Over the years, she escaped to England and Australia before finally settling down in the US. These days, she lives a relatively quiet life as a wife, a mom of two greyhounds, an editor for Pelican Book Group, and a high school English teacher. She now escapes by writing novels instead of jumping on planes to foreign countries. Her novel, Captives, won the 2016 Director's Choice Award and was a finalist for a Selah Award in the women's contemporary fiction category at Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference.
Megan writes women's contemporary thrillers and historical fiction featuring characters standing at the crossroads of major life decisions.
Website: www.meganwhitsonlee.com
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