An interesting premise. I really appreciated about how the effects of fighting in a war (although the heir should never have been in the military in the first place) are portrayed. Thomas is desperate to find meaning in his life after the things he had to do as a soldier. He doesn’t sleep, he drinks too much. Suddenly, he finds a way to do good in the world, and, despite how unorthodox it is, he seizes it.

As with other previously mentioned issues, one that I had with this book is that Thomas is constantly referred to as “Mr. Fitzbatten”. Later in the book, it is indicated that there is a family title, so he should have been referred to as “Lord Fitzbatten” and “your lordship.”

I like how the relationship between Thomas and Ruth develops. It’s such a crazy predicament to be in, but it works.

The plot twist is, honestly, a bit farfetched. There was no real motivation for what happened to create the twist. However, it is effectively carried off, although I guessed it far ahead of time because it was heavily telegraphed.

Possible objectionable material:
Unwed pregnancy, drinking, perilous situations.

This book is also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2023/08/author-focus-anita-stansfield.html
Thank you to Covenant Communications and NetGalley for providing advanced reader copies in exchange for my honest opinion.

Good book. Good author. Loved the characters and the plot. Look forward to reading more of her work.

Color of Love deals with society's prejudice in the 1850s and the repercussions it had on a young woman's life and family.

The book introduces us to Amala, a young Indian girl, who is sitting at a ball trying not to look bored. She is loved and accepted by her white adopted family, but society generally ignores her. A young man named Henry Beckenridge, who has just returned from nine years abroad in India, sits with her and tries to engage her in conversation several times. Amala wants to talk to him, but is worried about what people will say if they see him talking to her. She doesn't want to hurt his standing or reputation because she knows well how cruel society can be.

Henry is determined to be part of Amala's life. The more he is around her, the more sure he is that she was meant to be in his life. Amala doggedly points out all that will be against them if they did court and marry. Interracial marriages are frowned upon. The children will be ostracized. But Henry feels they can face those things together. Amala finally relents, but before their courtship can go further, society's cruelty rears its ugly head and Amala must deal with a broken heart. Using a relative's kind offer to travel, Amala goes abroad, thinking that distance might help. But when a brief letter calls her home, she's unprepared for what has happened in her absence. Can Amala live with the consequences of her actions?

I really enjoyed the author's vivid descriptions of India and Britain, with their stark opposites and yet some similarities as well. Henry's love for the country while still seeing the struggles was admirable and gave him a lot more depth as a character. I also liked the secondary character of Emmett that gave our heroine (and hero) someone to confide in. Amala was an intriguing, emotional heroine who at times seemed naive, yet at others, too wise for her years. With her young age some of her more impulsive decisions could be forgiven, but her reactions to the events that took place during her extended absence were surprising, to say the least. It was a long, emotional, and drawn out love story that takes the reader on a roller-coaster of feelings as the storyline unfolds. This is a book that will raise eyebrows, make you grab a tissue, and make you want to shake some sense into the characters. But readers will definitely come away with more of a sense of how India and its people were viewed by British society at that point in history, and grateful that fiction stories like Color of Love show a happy ending since, in reality, most people with similar issues in that time period did not get that.