Holly‘s review of Starlight (The Chrisities, Book 2) by Carrie Lofty

An esteemed astronomer, Alex Christie, the eldest and most steadfast of the Christie siblings, has never possessed his late father’s ruthless business drive. But to protect his frail infant son from his cruel father-in-law’s bid for custody, the young widower must undertake Sir William Christie’s posthumous million-dollar challenge: to make a Glasgow cotton mill profitable. At sea in an industrial world of sabotage and union agitation, Alex meets Polly Gowan, daughter of a famed union leader, who hopes to seize a mysterious saboteur without involving the police.

Because a sympathetic mill master would aid her cause, Polly becomes Alex’s guide to urban Scotland. From soccer games to pub brawls, Alex sees another side of life, and feels free for the first time to reveal the man–vital and strong–behind his intellectual exterior. Polly is utterly seduced. Their ambitions, however, remain at odds: Alex vows to earn the mill bonus to save his child, while Polly fights for the needs of her people. Is there strength enough in their sparkling passion to bind them together in their quests– and in a lasting love that conquers all?

Fans of North and South should enjoy this, for that’s what this reminded me of. Union supporter heroine meets master of the mill..sparks fly, passions are roused, hijinx ensue…

This isn’t a carbon copy of that story, but its close enough. My one issues with North and South is Margaret, the heroine. She’s stubborn and intractable, but she’s also somewhat cold and reserved. I never warmed up to her. That wasn’t the case with Polly McGowan. She’s full of fire. She had an indomitable spirit, but also a great deal of compassion and no small amount of cheek.

Alex was such a contrast. Loving father, activist, savior, astronomer and angry, aggressive male. Like Polly, just when I thought I had a handle on him he’d show another side, and I’d be adrift.

That Alex was the mill owner and Polly a girl who worked for him wasn’t the biggest conflict. She was also the defacto leader of the local union and he a master who had obligations to his infant son. He needed the money he’d inherit if he turned a profit within two years. I could almost have hated him for putting those needs ahead of the well-being of his employees, but his reasons were sound and engaged my sympathy.

Lofty is a master at writing strong, multifaceted characters that straddle the line. Polly was no one’s victim, and Alex wasn’t easily pigeon-holed.While I enjoyed both characters immensely, they aren’t perfect. Both had trouble communicating. That Alex kept such a large secret from Polly was nearly unforgivable..except Polly had secrets of her own. Nothing about them was easy, but they fit together perfectly.

Though they’re flawed, I was drawn to both characters and sucked into their battle of wills. Lofty’s writing is beautiful and evokes such vivid images, I was fully immersed.

4.25 out of 5

The series:

This book is available from Pocket Books. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Want a chance to win Starlight? Check out Carrie Lofty’s guest post!