Hello everyone!
Right.
Besides, with all the hype around Bridgerton, there's literally an influx of these now.
Not to mention that some are getting much more recognition from the earlier years they were released as well.
This one came to me because it was offered for free through BookBub, yet another service that's absolutely fantastic if you're looking for discounted e-books and more affordable options, and I was intrigued enough, really.
I mean, someone on the road to spinsterhood and a scarred Duke? Yeah, colour me interested.
So without further ado, let's just jump right into it, shall we?
Because I Close My Eyes waits for no one.
I have no other book review from this particular author so I won't be linking anything down below, however I'm sure I have some other Regency-themed posts on the blog by now. If you type 'regency' into the search box you should find quite a bit.
On with the show!
I Close My Eyes begins - are we surprised - at a ball, where Lady Jane seeks to hide behind some potted fern plants, closes her eyes, and dreams she's anywhere but there. See, she's got a really bad situation going on: her dad is convinced she can do nothing right, influenced by her malicious stepmother who hates Jane solely because she lives since the other woman can't carry a child to term.
And then there's this ridiculous other young woman who always humiliates Jane, but manages to make it look like Jane did it to herself, which is what happens prior to the book's start, too, with a bowl of punch unceremoniously pushed, and Jane's dress ruined.
However, in her corner, she finds someone else, also hiding, a Duke no less. Phillip went over there to hide from all the matchmaking mamas and the whispers following him because of the scar running along one side of his face, so now they're both there, both worried they'll ruin each other's reputation (Phillip's been accused of murdering his father, which isn't how it all went down, but, you know).
Because things can go from bad to worse here, Jane's vile stepmother asserts she saw them kissing, which sends the father over in an uproar, but Phillip (said Duke, mind) smoothly says fine, they'll just get married, no problem.
Only, there IS a slight problem in that he swore over his dead father that he'd never have children, since his father was a drunk and maniac so he wants to end the tyranny with him.
But as the couple travel together to the cottage Jane's mother left her in her will, they slowly but surely discover more about one another and how well suited they actually are, so they can't exactly keep their hands off each other for long. Phillip comes to a decision that he'll renounce his title and pass it to his cousin, so he leaves Jane at the cottage while he goes to hunt said cousin down, and she's sort-of happy.
I mean, she misses him, and she's pregnant, but she's happy at the cottage at least. Until her parents show up, claiming they're going to annul the marriage and take her back home with them (because ... just WHY, she's out of your hair already?), but she can gleefully tell them to hike it since she's got a bun in the oven.
This eventually leads to Phillip's mother and best friend finding her at the cottage later, saying her stepmother is now spreading rumours that she's having an affair and the baby isn't Phillip's, so they take her to the family estate to host a lavish ball and ensure that society knows just what's what. The best friend also happens to drag Phillip back from his quest - unsuccessful, as it turns out, because his cousin was stabbed to death - and deposits him with his wife once more.
At this point you'd think that things would at least be winding down, but nope, because remember that ridiculous woman always hell-bent on humiliating Jane? Well, she pushes her down the stairs, which causes Jane to go into labour and they lose the little baby boy.
They also can't even serve the hussy justice since she runs to daddy first, then elopes, and she and her new husband die of cholera before they reach America.
Jane and Phillip are distraught and retire to the cottage to try and recover, which is where another piece of drama finds them when, thankfully, Phillip's bestie wakes them up before the place burns down around their heads, and it turns out the stepmom ordered someone to burn them alive. More specifically, Jane, because guess what? Woman had another miscarriage, and that was the only way she could think of to get her revenge on this one living child of her husband's.
Oh and she also ends up taking her own life, not to mention the dad just never really loved his daughter anyway, so Jane cuts ties with him, and she and Phillip take up residence in the town house, before we flash-forward to them with two happy and healthy children, a third on the way, and the ghost of their little lost firstborn there to visit them all.
And if you're wondering what the title alludes to - it's about Jane and Phillip both closing their eyes and travelling to a whole new place where they can be happier than in life, when going gets tough.
The end!
An easy enough read for one afternoon, with a ton of stuff packed into it, though some of it is somewhat head-scratching given that you don't ever really know what the problem is with Jane. I mean, stepmom and the other girl just outright hate her, but there's really no reason for it, other than them just being terrible people?
The father isn't winning any dad of the year competitions either, but luckily we at least get a happy ending.
It's a decent read, and a warning should be attached about the rather mature, difficult topics within, but I don't think I'll be continuing with the series.
xx
*image not mine
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