Book Review: "Come Be My Love" by Diana Brown

By Amanda Linsmeier

Come Be My Love is a wonderful and rich romance by Diana Brown. Alexandra is just 12 years old when she falls in love with the neighbor’s son, Darius Wentworth. Several things divide this girl from the man she knows to be her soul mate including politics, age and finances. Alexandra, while quite pretty, has no real dowry to speak of and the Wentworths are very well off. Despite the fact that her father is opposed to her spending much time with the family, Alexandra manages to become familiar with them, first through Darius’s younger sister and then through his own father who becomes Alexandra’s teacher, helping her pursue her love of reading and writing. As long as Alexandra is a model daughter her father soon sees no reason to prevent her from going to Charteris, the Wentworth’s home.

As much time as Alexandra is able to see Darius, he still treats her like a beloved younger sister even as she ages into a lovely young lady. Her frustrations are further enhanced when Darius becomes engaged to the beautiful, stylish Philomena. Alexandra knows she could never live up to Philomena and becomes desolate and heartbroken when the two finally marry. Upon hearing the news that Philomena will give birth to a child, Alexandra is convinced that all is lost for her and Darius. However, once the child is brought into their world, it sets into motion a series of events that will pull her and Darius further apart than she ever thought and also push them closer together.

Come Be My Love is a great novel. I love the fact that Alexandra is so independent for a girl at that time. I think it’s great that she refuses to marry without love and that she pursues a career of her own. There were many things that I did not see coming which I felt really enhanced the storyline. After enjoying this book so much, I am eager to read more of Diana Brown’s stories.