Chick-lit-week #2 'Swept off Her Feet'

Welcome back to another *review-recommendation-thingy* in my chick-lit week.

>>To all my followers who read YA and follow my blog because of its YA-content, don't worry, I'll be back with YA-paranormal/dystopian/contemporary soon!

 The steps of a charmingly complex dance—Scotland’s famous reel—are at the heart of Hester Browne’s enchanting contemporary novel of two very different sisters whose dreams may come true at a romantic Scottish ball. Evie Nicholson is in love . . . with the past. An antiques appraiser in a London shop, Evie spins fanciful attachments to Victorian picture frames, French champagne glasses, satin evening gloves, and tattered teddy bears—regardless of their monetary value.
Alice Nicholson is in love . . . with Fraser Graham, a dashing Scotsman whom Evie secretly desires. As crisply neat and stylish as Evie is cheerfully cluttered, Alice is a professional organizer determined to pull her sister out of her comfort zone—and who presents her with an irresistible offer.
As a favor to friends of Fraser’s family, Evie jumps at the chance to appraise a Scottish castle full of artifacts and heirlooms. What could be more thrilling than roaming the halls of Kettlesheer and uncovering the McAndrews’ family treasures—and dusty secrets?
But crossing paths with moody heir Robert McAndrew has Evie assessing what she wants the most . . . and at an upcoming candlelight gala, a traditional dance will set her heart reeling.

Why did I pick this up?

I haven't previously read anything by Hester Browne, even though I've actually bought one of her books while on holiday on Gran Canaria. I had every intention of reading that one, but when I was at the beach, opening the book I realised it was the third book in her Little Lady Agency series What the Lady Wants (now called the Little Lady Agency and the Prince). Anyway, I didn't want to read the third book without reading the other two, so I put it away and somehow never got around to buy these first two books. Anyway, when Swept Off her Feet started popping up on various blogs I recognized the authors name - Hester Browne, and thought, why not :).

My thoughts about the cover: The cover looks actually better in the picture than in reality. The colors are much paler than the image shows. I'm not a fan of shoes and no fan of the color-combination of that read with the pale blue. And isn't the woman sitting in a very awkward position? I like the yellow dress though (even though I have no idea what it has to do with a ball in a castle in the winter...) and the Scottish tartan pattern on the shoes is a nice touch!

My thoughts about the book, why I liked it:

I didn't like this book at first, as my Goodreads-updates clearly show.

 "What I don't like in books ( or movies) ( or IRL) are scenes that are hilarious/funny bordering on embarrassing. I think in this book they're meant to be funny but I cringe all the time. They are not too embarrassing yet, so I read on... ( like the story/plot though - just not the naivety/dumbness/stupidity of the MC)" - is what I wrote down while reading. I don't know why I can't read or watch embarrassing scenes and my threshold is pretty low. So I think other readers will just find these scenes funny, lightening up the plot and will laugh out loud while reading. 

I pushed on though, because I really liked the premise. I like the heroine's quirkiness, her inner monologues and daydreams and her clumsiness. Evie and her sister Alice where referred to Big Bird and King Kong (p.20) by their teachers and fellow pupils, the image that creates in my mind is just ridiculous, haha. 

It took a while for me to feel the connection between the lead-guy and Evie. Evie was so caught up in her crush on her sister's fiancé that it took a while to feel the chemistry. 

But as they say, opposites attract. As soon as I felt the chemistry I just had to read more and more and I couldn't stop. I loved the fact that it is written from first person POV, loved to be left in the dark about what he was feeling. The development of the romance between the two of them felt real, it went under my skin. 

And did I mention that it is set in a castle(ish), in Scotland? Swooon :)

My verdict: This is a new take on an old fairytale, with lots of interesting details and tidbits of *old things*, the female lead is different and adorable, the premise interesting, the romance oh so sweet. After a somewhat rocky start I couldn't put this book down. *swoon*