Bride By Candlelight by Dorothy Eden

3.5 Stars

First off, thanks to my Goodreads buddy Laura for sending me a whole BOX of Dorothy Eden gothics, how awesome is that!!! "Bride by Candlelight" is one of the collection Laura sent and my first Gothic by D.E. although I own and love most of her other novels.

So I enjoyed this. I'm a bit puzzled by the low ratings on GR as it was pretty average as far as 60s gothics go. Had there been just a bit more chill it would have made it to 4 stars but it was still an enjoyable 3.5. Yes, I guessed some things but it wasn't totally predictable and there were some genuinely creepy moments.

A young woman falls in love with a soldier on leave from the war and they don't see eachother for over three years. A few letters pass between them and one of them so touched her she is convinced to go out to New Zealand and marry him. Only thing is, Paul has sustained facial injuries requiring complex surgery and is a little wary of her seeing him again. That must be it, afterall why else would he wait so long to start writing to her again? And why didn't he come to meet her when she arrived, sending his shepherd instead? And when he finally sees her why does he exclaim, "who the devil are you?"

You'll have to read it and find out. There's a nice big spooky run down house, an eccentric old lady, anonymous letters, suspicious phone calls, accidents, and a suddenly amorous finance who seems to have dropped all his former shyness and inexperience and is particularly eager for a wedding as soon as possible.

And then there's Paul's brother Harry, killed in Australia but who the elderly grandmother insists is still alive...

CONTENT:

SEX: None (some cuddling, kissing)
VIOLENCE: A few "accidents "
PARANORMAL ELEMENTS: None
PROFANITY: Very mild.

MY RATING: PG