It is always interesting when two characters have a joint past and come together years later. In this case, Leonie was a 17 year old girl when she met Roman in India. He had a rising career as an officer when he dueled with a fellow officer and killed him. After that, his career was blocked. Leonie was in the middle of the fight but actually, she was the one who had shot the other officer after he had raped her. To save her reputation, Roman took the blame and her family whisked her off to London. Five years later, Roman returns to England with a title of Earl but a ton of debts. The only way out was to marry an heiress and guess who happened to be one - and who owed him for saving her reputation.
As an interesting character twist, Leonie took to taking a nip now and them, when she couldn't sleep or when she was nervous. Her drinking didn't really seem to be a problem until she passed out at her wedding. Roman realizes that he loves her but doesn't know if he can trust her to not drink. The couple each struggles with the problem - alone and together. This provides an interesting tension to the story that makes the Happily Ever After all the better when it comes. ( )

Simple is never part of the equation when it comes to love. Nothing involving the heart ever is. However, the ballad of Leonie and Roman is like is like an onion. The layers run deep and the tears are no surprise. Cathy Maxwell has a talent for breaking a heart in the sweetest of ways. Leonie is stuck in the past, reliving her mistakes and punishing herself for them. It's hard to like her, but in time you will understand her. Her burden of guilt has flawed her soul. Roman was never meant to be a hero, but he ended up being a twofold one. He had the courage to listen to his heart and pursue the one woman he had to work the hardest for and the foresight to empathize and help mend an at times callous, but brutally broken heart. If Ever I Should Love You may run hot and cold, but it appeals to what makes us human. ( )

Wow. Wow, wow, wow. Leonie's story--and struggle here--blew me away.

The book's blurb doesn't really address what its heroine's biggest problem will be, but to be honest I hadn't even read it all that closely before saying, Another new series from Cathy Maxwell? Yes, please! so I might not have noticed even if it had. Ms. Maxwell certainly did take on a whole lot with these two characters--their complicated backstory, Leonie's difficult homelife and her unconventional (for a Regency romance heroine, at least) way of dealing with it, and Roman's complicated feelings for her and uncertainty of how (or even if) he could help her--and still made me root for them all of the way. Even while practically screaming at her, "No! Don't do it!" Ms. Maxwell made me understand why Leonie often still did.

Though I am sure Leonie and Roman's challenges are far from over at the end of the book, the ending Ms. Maxwell gives us definitely leaves us with the hope that together they will be able to come out on top. I can't wait to see glimpses of them in future series books--how soon will they be coming out? ;)

Rating: 4 1//2 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. ( )