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Irish Meadows by Susan Anne Mason
Rating: 2 stars (out of 5)
Genre: romance, historical fiction
Review: I've read enough romance novels to know that there is usually a formula, and the formula is so plain that many people think that anyone could write one.  Apparently, Susan Anne Mason falls into that category.  Unfortunately, she's wrong.  She adheres to the formula admirably well (young people hopelessly in love but horribly unsuited to each other because of class differences? check.  forbidding father? check.  conflict to keep the lovers apart in the middle of the book? check.  conveniently timed illness to shift the plot onto different rails? check.), but the writing is so trite and predictable, it's almost painful to read.  Fortunately, it also has the required happy ending, which doesn't even seem particularly contrived, so there were warm-fuzzies all around.  It wasn't enough to make up for writing that preceded it, but, you know, all's well that ends well.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.