Love, Come To Me by Lisa Kleypas

Love, Come To Me

Lisa Kleypas

Historical Romance

Published in 1988

H/h - Heath Rayne/Lucinda Caldwell

Setting: Massachusetts/Boston, 1868-69.

Read in Sept, 2011 (1st read, 2010)

My rating:

                                                        [spoiler alert]

After my 2nd reading of the book...

Oh yes yes yes, I want Heath. I can’t seem to forget how crazy he was for Lucy through the whole story. I mean this is why I adore LK heroes; this is what I wanna see in my Romance, this is why this book is still one of my LK favorites. If I didn’t already know when I read it first it’s one of her earliest books, I wouldn’t have guessed at all. This book actually showed the brilliance LK would turn out to be in the later years.

The first half of the book bothered me a bit. No, not because I was bothered by writing or the plot; just the love triangle between Lucy, Heath and Daniel was annoying. Knowing Heath, of course, I was waving my fan girl banner at him! :p I don’t know a lot about American civil war but LK always has this ability to mesh history with her plots, that it’s never a tedious read. I don’t like to know about wars but the reality is, there is always one we are fighting; be it a real one or with our own life. Anyway, Heath was living in the North, when he met or rather saw Lucy and immediately fell in love. WOW but that’s what made me go cooing over him more because I loved the way he was so fixated on her. I didn’t mind what to he did to gain Lucy because ultimately, she never regretted it. Heath, being a ‘Rebel’ or a Confederate soldier, people in Concord generally can’t stand him. But, his charming personality along with his amazing self-confidence and a thirst to make a life of his own helped him forging his life here. In the beginning, Heath saves Lucy from drowning in an iced river and takes her in his home closeby. He takes care of her like a gentleman. Lucy didn’t know him that well, only that he was ‘famous’ because of his side in the war. Lucy spends 2 days in Heath’s house and because of the circumstances and the promise she made him do, the whole incident is kept in the dark. Of course, it was a matter of her reputation, his own ‘bad’ reputation and that Lucy is engaged to her childhood sweetheart and pride and joy of Concord because of his part in the war, Daniel. But, Lucy is definitely intrigued by this Southerner, who is very handsome and charming; there’s no way one can deny this man anything! She is definitely attracted and instinctively knows he’s too. But she still doesn’t know just how obsessed Heath is about her. The scenes and Heath’s thoughts give us a little outlook on his mind and Lucy. So, after two days, Heath drives her to her home but can’t help kissing her. He also makes some remarks about her engagement and how come Daniel hasn’t made her his yet etc. Lucy is quite angry and defensive about Daniel but whatever Heath told her was technically true. It doesn’t help that his kisses makes her forget about Daniel.

Then we get to see more about Lucy and her life. I don’t know why LK said she was spoiled. Personally, I didn't think so. First of all, she had a bit stubborn streak but does that make her spoiled? I don’t know. I was more than once annoyed by her thick headed thoughts but whatever I read about her life, I thought the girl was very neglected by her dad. He is never attentive to her, a self-centered, cowardly parent IMO, preferring his store over Lucy. Now, why I said that, will explain soon. Lucy’s mother was a totally different person, it seems. Daniel, her fiancé, was a totally stiff-arsed jerk. He’d been dangling Lucy around an engagement for 3 years but when Lucy asks for a deeper kiss and embrace, he denies it. After knowing Heath’s kisses, Lucy was pretty confused about her mixed feelings towards this Reb, yet she can’t but stop thinking and caring about him. The first half of the book was spend on this turmoil. Lucy’s seeing Heath and feeling something for him yet her confusion and guilt over the feelings that seem to surpass the one she has for Daniel. Daniel openly hates Heath, always trying to rile him up with his insinuations. But Heath, oh he’s so adorable. He never allows anyone or anything to run over him/his feelings, only exception being Lucy. They see each-other here and there, in her father’s store and in the discussions led by R.W Emerson that takes place there. Also, when she’s out with Daniel on a stroll on the 4th of July, he’s there with her best friend Sally. We also see how Daniel is always trying to suppress Lucy’s ‘wildness’ or her being herself, a person with a personality while Heath admiring her for it. I mean, there was no way I couldn’t adore Heath knowing the way he viewed life, the people around him but mostly what he felt for Lucy. One example was his shooting competition with Daniel when Lucy said the winner would get a kiss from her. Daniel was the best of the lot so Lucy did it deliberately, knowing he’ll win as usual. But oh boy, Heath surprised her, with the rest of the people in Concord. Then he did something so gentlemanly, knowing his feelings for Lucy... I actually wanted to shake and strangle Lucy myself!

Nevertheless, Lucy was also becoming obsessed about him but very confused at the same moment. She cares for him but she’s scared too. This I think I understood, considering the situation. One day, Emerson’s house caught on fire. Everyone was there to help. Heath was the ultimate hero, as he saved Emerson’s precious manuscript when no one was willing to go into the burning house, even though he didn’t agree with Emerson’s beliefs. Lucy helped out too, but Heath was a bit insane seeing her inside the house and very concerned about her safety. Anyway, Lucy was with Daniel and the others when she thought about Heath, of how lonely he was when he walked away saving the documents. She finds him in the nearby woods. When she begins to take care of him, Heath begins kissing her which led to a bit more. I loved it, the things he said to her. But, oh hell, disaster strikes when Daniel and Sally walked the same way and found them in an embrace. Sally, her so-called best friend, it seems can’t keep her big mouth shut and soon, Lucy’s reputation was totally, irrevocably ruined. Ironically, it wasn’t because that she was ‘seen’ with a man but that she was ‘seen’ with the ‘Reb’! After that you can guess, the whole town turned away from her. People who she knew all her life saw her as something to be abhorred and avoided. Her stupid father also asked her to move in with some unknown relatives since his business will go down if she stays here. I mean WOW! What a father! And then comes her cowardly fiancé. You don’t wanna know how he rejected her when she needed him the most. The only option was left to marry Heath, who had already approached her father for about this. I didn’t like the way Lucy saw it something akin to a slaughter. After Daniel rejected her, she acted as a martyr and married Heath. Her reaction about all these irritated the hell outta me.

Heath takes her to his home but she absolutely denies making love to him. I understood that she was scared with all the changes her life wrought in such a short time but hell, it went on for a really long time. But I also think, it was necessary for her to sort her feelings out for Heath. Heath was hurt by this obviously so he resorts to treat her with sickeningly polite manner, never making another advance towards her. But he’s almost always busy with his works. Before marriage, Lucy was confused about his job as no one knew what he does for a living. Heath told her something about making investments and so on. It might’ve sound mercenary from Lucy’s side but I thought she was just being practical so I didn’t mind about her inquiries. Anyway, so she makes friends with some so-called elite ladies of Concord, now that she’d got the money to spend. Heath isn’t really happy about this (some of the women weren’t the type to be a good influence so it was justified IMO) but doesn’t stop her either. They fought sometimes over such stuff. Then Lucy was feeling lost too. It seems like Heath has lost all the interest in her. Thought comes to her, like is he seeing another woman when he goes to Boston for several days? This had to be it since there’s no other way she can explain. In a party thrown by those society ladies, Daniel and Sally make an appearance and it seems like there’s an engagement announcement! I thought those two belonged together! Lucy so far avoided almost everyone she knew, including these two. She is a bit disconcerted about this latest development, feels a little betrayed too but she manages to muddle through. Heath was supposed to come and take her home. Then, suddenly he was there and gives her a look that makes more than one jaded (and immoral) housewives to become jealous of Lucy.

His eyes slid down the slender line of her throat to the pale, generous curves of her bosom, lingered there boldly and traveled back up to her face. His stare was so warm and thorough that she flushed as if he had touched her intimately in public, and he kept on looking at her even while he drank from the delicate wine glass. Her heart raced wildly as an electric current of awareness raced over her skin.

That night there was no way she was escaping her wifely duties. And she wanted it now. She wanted to know how it’d be with Heath. At first, I was pissed that it took Sally and Daniel’s engagement to jolt her and take a step. But oh, Heath has been so patient with him, such a gentleman! And the things he says to her when they’re in their house, as Lucy asks him if he’s been seeing another woman:

“There hasn't been any other woman," Heath said against her mouth, making her tremble. "There couldn't be. I'm too obsessed with my own wife. There's only one thing you can give me that no one else can . . . and heaven and hell be damned, I'll get it from you no matter how long I have to wait, no matter how hard I have to ride you. No, I'm not talking solely about my husbandly rights, although that would be a good place to start.”

(My frustrated rant: Ok, someone get me Heath Rayne!! Grrrr.)

Love scenes of this book were excellent, intense and needy. All of them, I loved them all. Lucy now knows she’s probably in danger of falling hard and fast for Heath, only she has no idea what his feelings exactly. Oh, she knows he wants her crazy but does he love her? The next day, Heath tells her he’d bought a newspaper in Boston and they’re moving... in 2 days! They have a fight over it because none of them wanted to give over. Heath was firm in his decision to move, Lucy to her not moving at all. I kinda understood some of her insecurities; since Concord was the only place she knew all her life. But Heath wanted her to see more of life that what Concord has to offer. What a man! This fight finally leads to Lucy’s threat of leaving him. And then, omigawd, follows one hell of a sexy scene, as Heath ‘made’ Lucy agree with his decision. Ummm, I loved it more because even though it was because he wanted to punish her in a way and hell it was HOT, he didn’t leave afterwards like he planned to. I kept on sighing, I mean WOW! They spend the whole night making love (Hello! Anyone? Where is Heath, damn it! *mutters under her breath*)

So Lucy, taking her father’s help, finally gets ready to move. Now she’s anticipating it more because she knows her feelings for Heath is strong enough to leave her old life behind. Heath was already in Boston, looking after the house he bought. I loved the scene when Lucy arrives to find Heath working with one worker there, arranging furniture and starts admiring the view … I mean Heath. Lmao Then she meets one of the Redmonds, Damon, who’s a partner with Heath for Boston Examiner. Redmond name is very famous in Boston, a very elite one along with the few others like them. Lucy doesn’t like Damon at first, thinking he’s a stiff, arrogant man, with stilted ideas about women and politics like many she other she knew in Concord. Yah, living with Heath took its toll on her! Hahaha The first days in Boston for them was perfect in one word. I loved their interactions, easy banters and passion for each-other. The paper was growing gradually, Heath being marvelous. He’s not new to working in newspaper since he sent reports of war straight from the field to various newspapers. When he tells Lucy of this, she knew who he was immediately and was quite impressed. Heath even wrote a book on his experience with his penname. One day just before Christmas, Heath returns home with a foul mood. He had some altercations with Damon about the paper. Heath would always talk to Lucy about his works so he drinks and talks to her when Lucy implores him to go on. But when he got drunk, he kept talking about his feelings for her. He didn’t know just to what extent he was revealing himself. He talks of how much he wanted her from the first moment and how much his want for her has grown. Then he blurts out a name, a girl named Raine and his time in the prison camp, about which he never talked to her. Lucy feels jealous and hurt but she doesn’t tell him anything thinking she’s his present and that’s all that counts. Not that Heath gave her any chance since he makes crazy love to her... again, through the night. But, the next day, he remembers almost nothing of what he said to Lucy. Later, Lucy coaxes Heath to take her to Concord to spend the Christmas with one of her neighbors. Daniel and Sally, as usual makes an appearance. Lucy finds out she feels nothing for them anymore. But Heath is jealous seeing her with Daniel. Then he takes her to a room and has this talk, which was just amazing to read. I so LOVED it. I think it was because Lucy made it clear, quite articulately, whom she prefers and wants. I loved this Lucy, who has matured into a delightful woman and made Heath a very happy man.

But, life doesn’t go on as Lucy would’ve liked it to go. Heath was working too hard and it was taking a toll on him. One day, she rebels against his self abuse, she was that concerned about him. I loved this scene too, how she tenderly holds Heath when he was asleep. The next day, Heath falls seriously ill with fever. Lucy felt lost and scared as it grew worse over a couple of days. One day, Damon comes to for an article. Lucy searches Heath’s desk for it and finds letters written in feminine hands. Lucy feels guilty yet very curious to know who wrote them. She reads them. They’re from his half-sister Amy. Heath has already told her he’s the illegitimate son of a wealthy man in Virginia. His mother died young. His father cared for him but his step-mother never did. His father died in the war. Now his half siblings are suffering because of the financial strains. The letters reveal that Heath’s half-brother Clay is very sick and Raine is his wife. Amy put a lot of what’s going on in her letters. Heath finally recovers from his illness after suffering for a few weeks but he put some distance between her and himself. They don’t make love and it hurts Lucy. But she says nothing. Heath was actually feeling lost and didn’t like the feeling of relying on someone so much. But, I thought either way it was kinda stupid.

A letter from Virginia arrives to let Heath know that Clay has finally passed away. He comes back home in a hurry and tells Lucy about it. It seems like his good-for-nothing step-mother wants to move out ASAP, leaving Amy alone. Lucy tells Heath Amy is welcome in the house, but ONLY Amy. In this altercation, Lucy informs him that she knows about Raine. Heath tells her how he loved her but she chose Clay over him because he was legitimate and had money. But, no matter how well Heath wanted to defend the b*tch, that woman turned out to be a snake. Heath leaves in a hurry and comes back after a few weeks. Lucy was anticipating his arrival. Ahe spend her time by taking care of Amy’s living arrangements. On the foyer, her eyes instantly zoom over Heath, looking all hale and hearty and very happy. She sees Amy too. And then she sees someone she didn’t think she would. She immediately knew who it was. She was hurt beyond comparison, couldn’t believe her eyes. How could Heath? Heath introduces her to Raine and Amy. It seems like the woman had nowhere else to go and jumped with them on the day they were leaving for Boston. It was a very calculating move as it was plain from her talks and innuendos to Lucy. Lucy only understood it so well. Oh the woman acted like she knows nothing, so charming when Heath was around but she obviously was looking for ways to veer Heath away from Lucy. There were more than one verbal battle between them. Lucy confronted Heath about it, which only hurt her more. Heath was a bit rude but also bewildered that Lucy would even be angry about this small thing. Stupid man! To him, she needed help and he helped her. Heath tells her she’d be gone soon, to England. Whenever Raine and Lucy talked, it was about staking claims- mostly by Lucy to make Raine understand Heath belongs only to her. Raine was some sneaky b*tch. Once Lucy catches her outside their room, after she comes out taking a bath. Heath was getting ready for bed. Raine acted as if she lost her way. This whole thing hung a pall over Lucy and Heath’s relationship. They don’t sleep together anymore, hasn’t since before he was ill. Heath wants to but Lucy won’t while Raine is under this roof. I didn’t think her demands were illogical. I would’ve acted the same way if this happened to me. Lucy was far nicer IMO, knowing what Raine’s intentions were. Amy was admitted to a highly recommended school for young women. Raine also leaves the same day.

Lucy was happy so far. Their relationship starts becoming normal when something happens again. In one of her club meetings (she’s attending a Ladies Intellectual club of Boston), some woman told her she saw Raine in town. Lucy is distraught and goes to the newspaper office. Damon talks to her, asking if she was here for the publication of her latest article. Yes, she’s published a few under penname on Heath’s encouragement. It’s pretty clear what Damon feels for her is more than a brotherly affection. Honestly I didn’t like it. No, don’t get me wrong. I liked Damon a lot; I wish LK would write his book since he deserves one IMO but his hidden feelings for Lucy were... ugh, let’s just say I wish it wasn’t this way. Damon admits that Heath isn’t here; in fact he’s out taking lunch with someone. Lucy immediately knew who it was. She feels at a loss but leaves nonetheless to confront Heath. Damon follows her. Heath was, meanwhile with Raine, talking to her. The woman discreetly proposes to be his mistress, talking nonsense about their ‘shared past’. But Heath very plainly told her he loves his wife, so there would never be anything between them. Outside, Damon talks to Lucy insider her carriage. He tells her about what Heath was before knowing her, about his wild, whoring ways and a nomadic life. It changed the moment he saw her and desired to marry. Lucy couldn’t believe that even before an introduction, Heath planned all this, including the buying of the Examiner! Damon was such a gentleman, asking Lucy to give Heath a chance to explain. Oh that man deserved his own book! Lucy takes Damon’s advice and waits for Heath to return home to her...

Love Come to Me was a beautiful and passionate love story, of which I simply couldn’t get enough. I totally thought Heath and Lucy were meant to be together. Oh, I cried and sighed more than once for sure. I rated it a 4 stars before, now it’s 4.5. Leaving it here, waving my *Heath Rayne Fan Girl* banner. *giggles* 

Favorite Quote:

He whispered her name as if it were a love-word, and his mouth drifted through the tear tracks on her face. They would not yield their secrets. Oh, but love . . .
Love was unvoiced and undenied. As they fitted together into one being, each movement was a new discovery, each second an eternity of emotion. Let it last, her heart beseeched the darkness silently. Let it last forever.