Review: "Maid to Match" by Deeann Gist

I've given up calling them "free reviews!" But you really should make it a habit to troll the Kindle "Best Sellers" list for the free books. Lots of authors offer their books for free to drum up business and books like this is why that works. What is there to say about "Maid to Match" except ... {sigh} ... I loved it.

The Point of the Plot

Tillie Reese is the head parlormaid at the enormous Biltmore Estate, and she's got plans; big plans that don't include falling in love with Mack Danver, the new useful man, and jeopardizing her position. Despite the fact that she can't really help herself. But Mack and a bunch of unruly orphans change all that.

Basically Believable: *****

Truthfully Ms. Gist should earn, like, maybe a million stars. SO thoroughly researched. SO wonderfully plot-hole free. Everything clicked. It is a rare time that I read a romance book and don't hate at least one little something, or want to rewrite major sections. Not once during this book. 

Charismatic Characters: *****

They were such a wonderful set to get to know! None of them ever once acted out of sync. I appreciated every action (so strange for me!). And one thing that I just want to hug and kiss Ms. Gist for is that there were no silly misunderstandings--which is usually a staple of the romance genre. Mack and Tillie often disagreed, but they didn't throw fits or end their romance because they saw what was obvious to the readers (for once!): they understood the person they loved. And Ms. Gist was a master at creating romantic tension. I wanted to swoon at the drive Tillie and Mack had toward each other, and them staying away against ever fiber of themselves was possibly some of the best romance every written. My fingers tingled just reading it. 

Yay or Yuck, The Final Word: *****

Read this book. There is nothing more to say. (Except that Ms. Gist included an awesome afterward explaining some of the lovely details of the historical facts and the historical fiction.)

Favorite quote: "Did they {the wealthy house guests} brush up against you, pretending it was an accident?" ... He swallowed. "Some of them."

She rested her hands on his chest. "And what did you do?"

Covering her hands, he guided them up around his neck. "I picked my nose."

Buy "Maid to Match" here. (Like, right now.)