MISS CAMERON'S FALL FROM GRACE by Helen Dickson

Growing up, I use to sneak away my mom's Mills and Boon romance books because she said that they were to "grown up" for me.  I was reading ahead of everyone in my age group and I wanted something to read, and my mom's books were my target.  Ah, I used to love every Mills and Boon books that I could have gotten my hands on, but now a days, I am sorry to say, I am choosey.

Mills and Boon in my opinion quality have declined, I still get some good one now and again, and sadly this book was not one of them.

Miss Delphine Cameron, being the last child of five children, all being girls; and with her not being the most sought after male heir her parents in their disappointment, have neglected and more or less rejected her making feel like she has no purpose. 

Her spinster of an aunt make her feel for the first time in her life by asking her to volunteer in charity work, by helping the children at the orphanage on Water Lane.

At the beginning of the book you will find Miss Cameron in a seedy tavern in the backstreets of London looking for a child who have run away from the orphanage in order to visit her mother who works at the seedy tavern.  Unfortunately, said child's mother have taken a liking to Delphine's name and have decided to use it so when a man comes to the door asking to see Delphine to cure his master of his "illness", Delphine does not think and goes to help the man in need, not knowing the trouble she was getting herself into.

Lord Stephen Fitzwaring, a returning Colonel from the war in Spain, after having some drinks wanting a woman to warm his bed for the night and have sent his man to look for an experience one who knows what she is about, instead he got the virginal lady Delphine and in his drunken haze mistook her struggles as a game and proceeded to have his wicked way of her.

In the morning light, they both fully understood the error that have occurred and they both know that the only way for Delphine not to be ruined is for the both of them to get married.  Of course they both wish to forget that that night never happened but Delphine's father thinks otherwise, even going so far as to threaten Lord Stephen.

Now these two who were forced to marry must learn to get along together, this being extremely difficult seeing as Stephen has to go back to Spain in the war the day after the arrive at his home, leaving them with only one night together as husband and wife, and then...

If you wish to know how these two poor battered souls was healed and able to love each other again, especially with a baby arriving and abduction of a minor, you have to read the book.

Helen Dickson had a wonderful idea for a book and did quite a good job about it, but I felt that something was lacking.  For the life of me I cannot say what it is, but the book just did not feel complete to me.  There reason to be angry at each other was mostly foolish most of the time and then the arrival of the child was came way too early in the book for me, and then there was barely any mention of said child, only when it was convenient.

It's like she had so much ideas to put into this one book, that some pieces of the puzzle was left out.  It had enough for me to read this book to the end and even though I did not completely like the ending, (it involves swimming) this book was an okay read.