This Perfect Kiss by Melody Thomas

Title/Author: This Perfect Kiss by Melody Thomas
Publisher/Date published: Avon, July 1st 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "It was the moment she had been dreaming of: a stolen kiss at a masquerade ball with the dashing Camden St. Giles. He may not have known who she was, but Christel would never forget...
Nine years have passed since that magical evening. Now Camden, the seventh earl of Carrick, is widowed with a young daughter, a man with a heart in need of healing. And Christel has just stolen onboard his ship bound for Scotland. Neither has forgotten the kiss that had set their hearts ablaze. The longer she remains with him, the hotter his desire burns. But as they grasp their second chance at love, will the secrets from his past threaten to destroy the one love true enough to free his tormented heart?"

As you guys probably already know, I read a fair amount of historical romance. And I always appreciate when the main characters have a history other than: 'ooh, I saw you from across the ballroom 5 seconds ago'. I mean, sure, I love me some love at first sight (though it's usually more like lust at first sight, but still), but I appreciate it when there's already some history there.
Another thing I also appreciate: the book spanning more than 3 days. Really, you can't fall in love in 3 days. You can't. I don't care what you say and I have probably read and enjoyed books this happens in, but still, it's not possible.

And this book had both: history AND a believable amount of time passing! YAY!

I actually had really high expectations after I started reading this. There were some moments with wonderful tension and they didn't just fall onto each other from the start and there was some real source of conflict and well, it just looked like such a winner.

And then it was still enjoyable, but I'd anticipated this story would make me cry. I really thought it would, because it had all the key ingredients. But for all the things they could have fought over, they just got swept off the table somehow. Christel is pretty adamant Camden can't marry her because she was born out of wedlock and then she just say: ok, sure, I'll marry you. I didn't really understand. I mean, I thought she would refuse or just leave and that he had to chase after her. This is where I expected myself to cry. But it didn't happen. Sadly.

This story really had the potential to be amazing, breathtaking, tear-inducing and now it was just enjoyable, which is a shame. But still it was a nice read and I liked that Christel wasn't some damsel in distress, she even dueled!

My rating: 3 stars