Let It Be Me by Kate Noble – a Review

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Description:
London weather is chilly—and the social scene even more so. Luckily, Bridget Forrester is just getting warmed up…

Bridget longs to meet a gentleman who doesn’t mention her beautiful sister upon shaking her hand. But since being branded a shrew after a disastrous social season, Bridget knows she’s lucky to even have a man come near her. It’s enough to make a lady flee the country…

So Bridget heads to Venice for music lessons with the renowned Italian composer Vincenzo Carpenini, with whom she’s been corresponding. But not only is Carpenini not expecting her, he doesn’t even remember her! His friend, theater owner Oliver Merrick, does, though. And one look into her tantalizing green eyes has him cursing his impulsive letter-writing, which brought her across the continent. Yet before Merrick can apologize, Carpenini has ordered her away.

Little does either man know that they will soon be embroiled in a wager that will require the beautiful Miss Forrester’s help—or that there’ll be far more at stake in this gamble than money

Review:

Let it Be Me by Kate Noble is the 5^th book in her Blue Raven Historical Romance series.  This is the first time I have read Kate Noble, as I have not read this series.  I found her writing to be excellent, with humor & and an enjoyable read.  Let it be Me takes place in the year 1824, in London, and Bridget Forrester, our heroine, is attending a ball in her first season. Bridget has always lived in the shadow of her sister Sarah, who is now married.  

Thus far, Bridget finds herself being mostly ignored by the men, with no one asking her to dance.  Bridget has built a reputation of being a shrew, with a smart mouth.  But her fortune is about to change, as she later receives a letter inviting her to train with one of the top composers, Vincenzo Carpenini.  However, plans changed, and Carpenini did not come to England as planned, and Bridget was distraught.  Shortly thereafter, a freak accident causes their home to be damaged, and Bridget, her sister Amanda, and their mother go on a tour of Italy, until their home is livable again.  Bridget uses this as a means to visit Venice, and Carpenini, and hope he will still train her. 

We meet our hero, Oliver Merrick, who is Carpenini’s half brother, and handles all of his affairs.  It was Merrick who wrote that letter to the Forrester home asking to have Bridget train with Carpenini, in a plan to make some money, as Carpenini is having a down time composing anything new.  When Merrick opens the door, he is shocked to see Bridget, and before he can do anything, Carpenini’s walks by and insults poor Bridget, who takes off in tears. 

It is Oliver who comes to the rescue, and soon Bridget is indeed learning from Carpenini.  A bet between composers, and involving the Marchese, pushes Carpenini to work with Bridget and he will do everything to win this bet.  But it is Oliver who falls hard for young Bridget, as he helps her rise above her fears to fail in front of Vincenzo.  While Bridget learns how to play Beethoven music, it is so cute to watch both Oliver and Bridget fall in love. 

This was a fun romantic story, with music as the background of the story.  Slowly, Oliver, who feared at first that Bridget was only interested in Vincenzo, starts to win her over.  I thoroughly enjoyed their romance, and how she saw everything, including her love for Oliver in musical notes.  Bridget even composes a tune, as she uses her discovery of her feelings for Oliver to pen the tune.   Oliver was a great hero, and the perfect man for Bridget.  He is sweet, caring, protective, and totally in love with her, and she begins to see that Oliver is what she wants, and not the womanizing Carpenini. 

As the competition begins, Bridget must rise to the occasion, despite her nervous fears, as well as discoveries that will bring her world down.  Will Bridget and Oliver fulfill their romance?  How did Bridget do in the competition?  This is romance, which usually means a happy ending, but you will need to read this book to find out the answers to all of the above.  This was a fun book, with a lot of music in the background, and a couple you will thoroughly enjoy.  I fully recommend you read Let It Be Me for an enjoyable read.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher