Book Review: Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

Title: Hello Stranger

Author:  Lisa Kleypas

Series: The Ravenels #4

Genre: Historical Romance

Publisher: Avon

Pub Date: February 27, 2018

Pages: 400

My Copy: Paperback in my Too Be Read Pile

Book Summary:

A woman who defies her time

Dr. Garrett Gibson, the only female physician in England, is as daring and independent as any man—why not take her pleasures like one? Yet she has never been tempted to embark on an affair, until now. Ethan Ransom, a former detective for Scotland Yard, is as gallant as he is secretive, a rumored assassin whose true loyalties are a mystery. For one exhilarating night, they give in to their potent attraction before becoming strangers again.

A man who breaks every rule

As a Ravenel by-blow spurned by his father, Ethan has little interest in polite society, yet he is captivated by the bold and beautiful Garrett. Despite their vow to resist each other after that sublime night, she is soon drawn into his most dangerous assignment yet. When the mission goes wrong, it will take all of Garrett's skill and courage to save him. As they face the menace of a treacherous government plot, Ethan is willing to take any risk for the love of the most extraordinary woman he's ever known

Book Review: 

This book was a very enjoyable historical romance. I love how Garrett and Ethan are not your typical two people who you would expect to fall in love with each other. Like that Garrett and Ethan are not people who fit into society’s norms at the time, so it kind of makes sense for these two to get together.

Garrett is a woman who defies society’s norms by being a physician, which at this time was highly unusual. At this time women were seen as someones wife, daughter, occasionally a nurse if a women took up medicine. Very few women were said to have the temperament for medicine  during the time period that this novel takes place in. So Garrett is not like any other woman. Ethan is what you would call someone who is dangerous and mysterious. Plus he is a spy who works for the government. So this makes things more dangerous for him.

Of course when Garrett and Ethan see each other again they are kind of surprise. They know one another from the previous books in the series. She gets surrounded or accosted by some thugs and gets saved by Ethan on her way home. Nothing is ever simple for Garrett or Ethan as we learn that both are very strong willed people. So when Ethan rescues Garrett from her attackers,  things happen that they don’t expect to happen.

Things are happening in the world. Also Ethan finds that Garrett is learning how to defend herself, but finds her instructors are not doing what they are supposed to. So of course Ethan takes it upon himself. They keep bumping into one another at parties and have some conversations that keep both of them interesting but both are kind of wary of entering into a relationship with one another because of their circumstances.

Ethan finds himself attracted to Garrett in a way that he hasn’t felt before. Garrett also knows that getting involved with a man like Ethan is dangerous. We also learn a bit more about Ethan actually being an illegitimate Ravenel. So of course he would have been a Duke if not for his illegitimacy. So this does nothing to change him. Yet he uncovers some information that makes things even more interesting. It’s something that involves his superiors. This makes him a target. 

So of course Garrett helps him uncover this information, which he is grateful but tells her not to be around him. Of course things get messy and sticky. Garrett also becomes a target but manages to escape something. Then Ethan gets hurt very badly. Garrett has to tend to him medically. This leads to get them to be closer. I like that they made these scenes feel so intense. Plus we get to see a lot more of a vulnerable Ethan and Garrett being the strong one and in the caretaker role. This was one of things that made this historical stand out to me.

Then when Ethan starts to heal, he realizes that he has to go to the authorities to take care of the people who hurt him. Garrett is worried and Ethan tells her that he must do it to protect lives and others from suffering. So of course she understands and is scared. Things happen that work out for all of them when the authorities arrest the people responsible for Ethan’s injuries and other crimes that they have committed.

I also love how Ethan proposes to Garrett at the end of the book. She accepts his proposal. They will have a happy ending because both of them deserve it. Love how this ended. It ended on a good note. Plus when historical end on a happy note, it makes you believe that love can exist where you least expect to find.

Rating:

4.5 Hearts