This was a very different sort of HP. Very will written. The hero was all kinds of wonderful. You clearly see the hero falling in love with the heroine. She was sort of odd in that she was so strong and cynical at the beginning and so clueless and sweet after the hero rescues her from her father. I know she was just reacting to the abuse at first but it seemed a well developed shell and I think it would have been harder to ditch that attitude and be so sweet so quickly. But that was pretty minor for me. The love story was sweet without any great angst or separations and it was fun to see that for a change. I loved the way he stood up for her continually and how he called her Katie-bug. There was a 17 year age difference and it was slightly addressed but I would have welcomed even more angst/thought on the part of the hero.

All in all I loved it. ( )

In The Gift of Happiness, there is no Big Misunderstanding, no Big Secret. An element of the External Conflict is amplified in the Fifth Act, when we learn the truth about the Warehouses Down By the River.

The Heroine is a Spitfire-- run wild without a mother's guidance, spoiled in material goods and starved for love and attention. When her sociopathic father asks her to be the Honey Trap for a Business Rival, she takes matters into her own hands.

The Hero is jaw-grittingly noble, and permits the Heroine time and room to make up her mind. She receives female counsel from a Free Spirit and Housekeeper with a Heart of Gold.

Refreshing and pleasant read, with the heroine showing growth as she accepts responsibility and emotional commitment. ( )