Review: Courting Chaos

Courting Chaos by Lynne Barron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My introduction to Lynne Barron came through Taming Beauty, the first book in the Dunaway’s Daughters series. Whilst it wasn’t my favourite read ever, I did thoroughly enjoy it and was left wanting to read more of the author’s books. Thus, I was happy to jump into Unraveling the Earl, the third Idyllwild book, when I was given a chance. This I enjoyed even more. From that point, I knew I was doomed. I wanted to read more Lynne Barron books, convinced she would be giving more reads that would wow. Therefore, it should come as no surprise to find out I was happy to jump into the second book in the Dunaway’s Daughters series when I was given the chance. I wanted more of Lynne Barron’s storytelling, more from the series that introduced me to her work.

Upon finishing Courting Chaos, I have one solid conclusion in mind: Lynne Barron is quickly becoming my favourite author in the genre.

As with the two prior Lynne Barron reads I have picked up, Courting Chaos is a wonderful story that gives you more than the synopsis leaves you anticipating. Yes, we have a wonderful historical romance; however, the story is so much more than a simple tale of love. Multiple elements are thrown into the mix, making the story much more complicated, pulling you into so many different aspects of the tale that you find yourself unable to put the book down for any period of time. There is drama; there are lies; there is deceit; there is scandal; there is deception; there are raw emotions; there is amusement; there are plenty of questions. Honestly, I could make an entire list – just know there are numerous elements to the story, creating a wonderful tale that includes aspects from so many different parts of life.

The many layers to this story are not solely related to the two main characters. Whilst there are countless interesting interactions between the two characters, and countless things for us to find out about them, I found I loved the deeper connections of this book. You see, as much as I loved our two main characters (and I did truly love them), I found I enjoyed the familial bonds more. The bonds between the sisters, the things they do for each other, the lengths that they go to, are beautiful. Honestly, I would read this series for the interactions between the sisters alone. As dysfunctional as the family may be, the bonds between the sisters really are a wonderfully refreshing read.

Honestly, I’m so glad that Taming Beauty went on to become a series. Upon finishing it, I was of the belief the story would be a standalone novel. It worked wonderfully that way, but having now been given more about the sisters, I find I will be jumping at the chance to read all of the future Dunaway’s Daughters books. Whilst each book will be a standalone novel – as both Taming Beauty and Courting Chaos work perfectly as standalone novels – you do get a much better understanding of the family if you read the other books. Reading each allows you to appreciate fully the beauty that is the connection between the characters in this series.

Whilst the relationship between the sisters was my favourite part, I did thoroughly enjoy the romance that grew between our main characters. As with the other Lynne Barron books I have read, the chemistry was a lot of fun. It was somewhat subdued at first, compared to her prior books, but this allowed me to enjoy the romance as it developed between the characters. Even though the progression of the romance was still a bit quicker than I would have liked – I’m really picky here, and I’m so rarely content with romantic timelines, so you’re free to ignore my view on this matter – it was a lot of fun to watch the way it gradually transformed, watching as the chemistry was pulled and twisted by the drama that came between the characters.

Both characters were such fun to read, with their interactions constantly bringing a smile to my face. Our female lead was wonderfully devious; our male lead was so much more than he originally appeared to be. Both were complex multidimensional characters, both came alive so easily. They had their own story to tell, and watching their stories come together was a thing of beauty. The way their stories were woven together, the way the entire story was woven together, was amazing: everything came out at just the right moment, everything that occurred managed to bring about an emotional response.

All in all, I think this may be my favourite Lynne Barron read. It’s a very easy four star read, probably the closest I have come to handing over a five star rating so far this year.

As a final note, I would like to thank Aurora Publicity for allowing me to read this in exchange for a review: I had a lot of fun with this one, and will certainly be reading more of the author’s work in the future.

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