Swept Off Her Feet, by Hester Browne

Evie is a girl too focused on the past to live in the present. She sees the love and life that had been in antiques and holds on to useless treasures that were sentimental to others a long time ago. When Evie's sister Alice volunteers her to appraise the furniture and possessions in a Scottish castle owned by friends of her boyfriend Fraser's family, Evie could not be more excited. A genuine Scottish castle with all its history, plus time spent with her sister's boyfriend (her secret crush) are Evie's dream come true. However, instead of a peaceful vacation of examining antiques, Evie is faced with a hunt for a priceless heirloom, a ball complete with complicated antiquated dances, and a man who will sweep her off her feet.

Overall Thoughts:
I was a little reluctant to read this book. I knew it would be good, because it's a Hester Browne novel, but I was not very inspired by the description. Although I found the beginning a little boring, the book redeemed itself later and turned out not to be as boring as I had expected.

What I expected vs. what I got:
I'm accustomed to Hester Browne's novels being funny and sweet but this one struck me as a little more serious. I thought it would be more dramatic because Evie's non-crush on Fraser was mentioned in the description. Instead it was just as frothy as the rest of Hester Browne's novels, which was a relief because had it been serious it would have been another of those overdramatic novels about a family heirloom and a dangerous secret. As much as I love Hester Browne's writing, I'm happy she stuck to her usual bubbly story.

Speed of story:
This book started off a little too slow for my taste. Not enough to lower its high rating significantly, but enough that I had to mention it. It was a little boring at the beginning but once it got interesting, it was extremely enjoyable.

Characters:
Hester Browne's main characters in her other books that I've read are cute and smart with a distinct quirk, and Evie was no different. What separated Evie from those other central characters was the uniqueness of her quirk. A twenty-something year old woman obsessed with the past is pretty uncommon and could be too spacey, but the author managed to make her seem more endearing than annoying. The main foil to Evie is her sister Alice who is supposed to be her complete opposite. Alice is a doer, someone who works on instinct and doesn't put up with a mess. I also found her extremely irritating and an overall pain. Her relationship with Evie and Fraser seemed one-sided, as she just did what she wanted and expected them to always love her.

Stupidities that annoyed me:
Evie's crush on Fraser! It was more in her head than in her heart. Evie only liked him because she saw him as the perfect man and at times she even forgot all about her crush. She would only mention it sparingly, almost like it was an afterthought. It was a crush she (masochistically) wanted to have but didn't.

4.6 stars.

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.