Books › To catch a unicorn
To catch a unicorn
185 pages
A classic tale of a gentle, sheltered innocent navigating a brooding family and taming its most arrogant beast.
What it feels like
Reading this vintage romance feels like stepping into a mid-century gothic daydream, where the air is thick with family tension and unspoken desires. The narrative unfolds at a steady, atmospheric pace, wrapping the reader in the overwhelming, brooding energy of a dark, aristocratic household. It is a story of contrasts—the quiet, sheltered innocence of the heroine set against the arrogant, unpredictable turbulence of the family she is thrust into. The prose is earnest and slightly formal, carrying the melodramatic weight of classic romance tropes with absolute sincerity. It will deeply satisfy readers who crave the old-school satisfaction of a gentle maiden slowly melting the icy exterior of a formidable, brooding hero, all set against a backdrop of glamorous rivals and ancient family legends.
- Mood
- brooding
- atmospheric
- sheltered
- tense
- Tone
- earnest
- romantic
- melodramatic
- wistful
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- innocence and experience · taming the beast · family secrets · coming of age · the power of gentleness
- The writing
- Classic mid-century romantic prose, characterized by atmospheric descriptions and earnest, slightly formal dialogue.
- The arc
- Moves from overwhelming intimidation and sheltered naivety to quiet confidence and romantic awakening.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love vintage, gothic-tinged romances where a quiet, innocent heroine softens a brooding, arrogant hero.
Content notes
- emotional manipulation
- dated gender dynamics
About the book
When twenty-year-old Laura, after a careful, sheltered upbringing, was suddenly thrust into the turbulent household of the 'dark Trevaynes' she felt young and defenseless, and always overshadowed by her glamorous cousin Cleo.
There had been three Trevayne brothers; one, Troilus, was dead, but Cleo, as his widow, considered herself a true Trevayne, and was indeed as unpredictable as the arrogant Dominic or the philandering Perry.
Yet the 'family beast' of the Trevaynes was the unicorn, a strange, wild creature who, so the legend said, would only be tamed by a gentle maiden..
Description from Open Library.
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