I was not sure what I was plunging into when I read the reviews of this novel in Amazon.com. I took the chance and I fully enjoyed it.

Sheridan Bromleigh is a red-headed free-spirit American who had to accompany Charise Lancaster who was betrothed to a baron in England. Upon arrival, to Sheridan horrid, Charise Lancaster had eloped with her new lover back to US and leaving her in preparing to face the baron's demand.

Stephen Westmoreland vowed that he will never lose his heart to any lady after his friendship with Emily Kapthon left him untrusting except for his very frequent escapade with his mistress. One accidental night running over the Baron, left him the consequence to receive the baron's fiancee. At the port when he met the red-headed lady, telling him that her fiance had met an accident which caused his death, she was stunned. Rather than stun by the news, she was stunned by a strong blow on the back of her head and next moment, she was lying on a bed, not knowing who she was, losing all her memories. All she was told of is that her name is Charise Lancaster.

Stephen had to play as her fiance while helping her to regain her memory. As the time flies for nearly four years, he realized his desire for his lady has been too much that he may really be her fiance. The day before the wedding, the real Charise turned up to claim what was rightly hers and gave the memory which was rightly Sheridan's. Aghast by the turn of events, Sheridan chose to leave Claymore soulless. Stephen waited for his love to return but in vain.

The twist to the story was even more interesting with characters from Whiney, My Love - Whitney and Clayton, Nicholas Du Ville, Dowager Duchess of Claymore, Hugh Whitthard and Charity Thorton. I like it in such a way that in the end; the free-spirit won the heart of her lord and governed it with love. Stephen would not learn to love Until You.

アメリカの映画で『心の旅路』とかいう作品があったと思いますが、記憶喪失物は『韓流』でもお得意分野ですね。でも舞台が輝かしいヴィクトリア朝時代となると、ロマンチックな気分が加味され、且つ上品になるから不思議です。シェリダンのおっとりとした、善意に溢れた人間性と女を小馬鹿にしているリッチな英国貴族紳士。ストーリーはご令嬢に間違われた記憶喪失のシェリダンに本物の令嬢が登場し罵倒されたり、あれこれ恋いの鞘当があったりしますが、兎に角、はらはらどきどき一気に読んでしまいます。ヒーローとヒロインの絡みも純愛風で好みです。

男爵のもとに嫁ぐはずだった令嬢の付き人として海を渡りイギリスに来たSheridan。しかし、令嬢は船旅の途中で駆け落ち、桟橋での事故でSheridanは記憶を失ってしまう。男爵を間違えて馬車ではねてしまった伯爵のStephenは、記憶をなくした彼女に出遭い、令嬢と間違えて責任をとって形上だけは自分のもとに婚約者として引き取ることに。彼は彼女の精神状態への気遣いから、彼女は記憶喪失から、いろいろなことを秘めたまま、二人の物語は始まる・・という最初からどきどきのお話。二人が反発して、打ち解けて、また離れて、少しずつ少しずつ近づいていくさま、さまざまな誤解で傷つけあってしまったりするさまが自然に描かれていて、夢中で夜も眠らずすぐに読み終わってしまうこと間違いなしです。一回読んだあとも、余韻覚めやらずまた何回も読み返してしまいます。1800年代の上流階級の舞踏会、恋愛、習慣や駆け引きがとっても詳しく、いきいきと描かれていて、その時代を生きてみたいひとにはまさにぴったりです。ぜひ、読んでみてください。