Release Day Review: The Captain and the Cricketer by Catherine Curzon and Eleanor Harkstead
Genre: Contemporary romance
Length: 87,000 words/318 pages
Publisher: Pride
Release: 17th July 2018
Henry Fitzwalter is a solid sort of chap. A respectable rural vet and no stranger to tweed, he is the lonely inhabitant of crumbling Longley Parva Manor.
Captain George Standish-Brookes is everyone’s favorite shirtless TV historian. Heroic, handsome and well-traveled, he is coming home to the village where he grew up.
Henry and George’s teenage friendship was shattered by the theft of a cup, the prize in a hard-fought, very British game of cricket. When they resolve their differences thanks to an abandoned foal, it’s only a matter of time before idyllic Longley Parva witnesses one of its wildest romances, between a most unlikely couple of fellows.
Yet with a golf-loving American billionaire and a money-hungry banker threatening this terribly traditional little corner of Sussex, there’s more than love at stake. A comedy of cricket, coupling and criminality, with a splash of scandal!
4.25 Stars!
While The Captain and the Cricketer is book 2 in the Captivating Captains series, it can be perfectly read as a standalone. Book 1 was historical and my favorite in the series so far, so give it a try, who knows? You might find something you love.
This was a very British comedy, very light and a bit silly at times. George was the sort of guy that everyone seems to love and that lands on his feet wherever he goes, so I can't really blame Henry for being so cross with him at first. And really, George should've known better as to say what he said when the cup was lost that first time. Henry was very standoffish at first, but somehow I felt more connected to him than to George.
Anyway, even if sometimes the romance was a tad too syrupy sweet for my taste, George and Henry seemed to work well together and they were kind of adorable with Jez and Nimrod.
The villains were a bit cartoonish and while I was happy with how Ed was dealt with, I think his wife deserved some kind of punishment as well.
Overall, this was an entertaining read. The first 40% or so was a bit slow and the cricket parts flew right over my head, but once our heroes found some common ground, the story picked up steam and I became more invested in their relationship and the mystery of the missing cup. The humor felt a tad forced at times, or maybe this was more British than I'm used to and some of the jokes didn't quite work for me, but I found it enjoyable for the most part. Recommendable!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
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