Helena Fitzhugh has been having a heated affair though she knows the great consequences of her actions. So when she is nearly caught, she seeks the help of David Hillsborough, Viscount Hastings and he agrees to elope with her in a last ditch attempt to save her reputation.

Despite the fact that Helena has harbored ill feelings towards Hastings since she was young, she knows that her life will be destroyed if anyone were to find out about her illicit affairs. On the other hand, Hastings has always loved Helena but has always tried to keep that fact to himself. However, when an accident occurs that steals Helena's memory, Hasting is hoping that that blank slate will give him the chance to show Helena that his love for her is real.

As I mentioned earlier, Thomas's writing is so eloquent and free-flowing that it is so easy to get lost in one of her books. However, the romance in this particular one didn't feel organic to me. The amnesia storyline made it hard for me to really sink into the story. The accident and the subsequent loss of memory felt like it was a convenient solution to Helena's hatred. If it weren't for the accident, I doubt the relationship would have bloomed at all.

However, that is not to say that I didn't enjoy the other parts of TEMPTING THE BRIDE. Thomas writes incredibly lovely character depictions and dialogue that brings the book to life. The emotions run rampant in TEMPTING THE BRIDE and despite the fact that the romance wasn't as believable this time around, I still found plenty to keep me reading. Thomas is always a pleasure to read, even if this particular title wasn't my favorite of hers.

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