Liquid Silver Books, $4.25, ISBN 978-1-59578-556-5
Historical Romance, 2009
A Gypsy’s Vow is set in Dorset during the year 1902, which makes this a different story from the usual 19th century historical fare out there. This one tells the story of Bess Andrews, an innkeeper’s daughter, who is faced with a difficult choice: to marry Lord Wallace, who offers her what seems like a better life, or to run off with Alexi Cosmescu, a Gypsy fellow who obviously doesn’t have fancy properties or money to offer her. Of course, her choice isn’t much of a surprise here, given that the title of this story pretty much gives away the identity of her Prince Charming.
This is a short story, so there is not much I can say here. The resolution is pretty contrived as the author drops a revelation about the other fellow in a manner that makes it too convenient for Bess to choose what Alexi is offering her. Even then, I like how Ms Dee has Bess go through some soul searching to discover that she needs to take risks in her life or she will never know what opportunities she has missed. I feel that the author has moved too fast with Alexi, however. He pushes Bess so hard, putting her in a spot where refusing an invitation to meet his people means that he will consider her a bigot, that he comes off like a creepy stalker rather than a besotted suitor. I’m not fond of characters who play the race card to get what they want, and therefore I can’t warm up to Alexi in this story. He pushes too hard, wants his way too much, and worse, he speaks in such a cheesy manner, he’s like Pepé Le Pew.
This would have been a decent story by any other author, but based on the standards Ms Dee has set for herself based on her previous works, A Gypsy’s Vow is a merely average read.
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