ROMANCE, DRAMA

At seven years old, Elizabeth was sent away to boarding school with no explanation. She is accosted with a marriage for her father's financial gain and sent to live at her husband's estate, without every meeting him. Her brother ,Sam, tracks her down and uncovers the terrible neglect she has endured while also telling her husband, Duncan. He finally arrives to the estate where he and Elizabeth fall in love, giving Elizabeth a family she has long been denied.

GOOD

THIRD PERSON

Authors Writing Style: GOOD

Characterization: GOOD

Commerciality: GOOD

Franchise Potential: FAIR

Pace: GOOD

Premise: FAIR

Structure: GOOD

Theme: GOOD

No the book profile does not accurately reflect the book. It is cut off so it only reflects a small part of the story. There should be more details about Elizabeth being left at her husband's estate after her sham of a wedding. The profile also doesn't touch on her reconciling with her brother's or Elizabeth developing a relationship with her estranged husband.

The story begins with a young girl waiting for her parents to see her recital but they never come. She had big dreams of impressing her family and was abandoned. She is taken home and eventually sent to boarding school. Elizabeth doesn't see her father for almost 20 years. She is shipped from school to school so she can't make friends or get comfortable. Her family never contacts her and she never goes home again. Elizabeth is completely abandoned until she is summoned by her father and forced to marry a man she doesn't know to complete a merger between 2 companies. It is a very heart-wrenching story that intrigues the reader about how the characters story will continue. Will she find happiness in the end?

The book starts off strong but falls flat by the second half. Elizabeth has lived a lonely life and is yet again, forced into a situation she didn't choose. The tone turns happy and hopeful very quickly. Elizabeth reconciled and forgave years of neglect and abandonment with one conversation. It was too easy and didn't match with the tone of the first few chapters. The second half is very predictable with an "everything is beautiful now that I have found love" trope that is not entertaining.

THE STORY DOES NOT RELY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS

The hook is that after years of abandonment, Elizabeth is thrust from her lonely life into a marriage by her cold father, who blames her for her stepmother's death. Elizabeth is secluded to her husbands' distant manor where she creates her own life. She finally meets her husband after finding out the truth behind their union. He is kinder and more compassionate than he seemed.

This could have a large fanbase because it has all the elements of a grand romance. They are in a sprawling manor in Ireland, a scorned woman who needs love and affection and a handsome man who gives it to her. There needs to be more of a connection between how her past affects her and how she reacts to people coming into her life. Especially, people like her husband and brother who are apart of the group that abandoned her.

This does not have awards potential as is. An epic romance with compelling characters and stunning backdrop can be done masterfully. This is not there but with some realistic character development and a dive into the emotional work it takes to rebuild relationships and forgive, it could be an awards contender.

LARGE BUDGET

JANE EYRE, FIFTY SHADES OF GREY

The tragedy of Elizabeth's childhood is original to this genre. She has been abandoned by her family with no explanation. She spends all of her time, from the age of seven, living in boarding schools with no contact from any family member. When she is one week from graduating, she is pulled from school to marry a stranger without notice. Then she is shipped off to his secluded estate where she is abandoned by her husband for five years. For a modern day story, it describes unique circumstances.

The lead character is not a strong female lead at first. She is a young woman holding on to the pain of her seven year old self. She overcomes it by carving out a life for herself with the little she is given. Elizabeth blossoms into her power when she begins to heal through the men in life, her husband and her brother. With the strong female character being so prevalent, it is rewarding to see an average women who needs time and attention to grow into that strong women.

This is not a rare gem but has elements interesting enough to create a great story. It needs work to make the character arc believable. Elizabeth is quick to forgive but her journey to that should be explored. A normal person does not get over 20+ years of abandonment issues after weekend spent with her estranged brother and husband.

Film - Studio, Film - Streaming, Film - Indie

CONSIDER

This story has elements of an emotionally impactful story. It is a short story but can be improved by exploring the characters emotions further. I felt 7 year old Elizabeth's sadness and loneliness. Adult Elizabeth fades to the background as the story develops around her and more characters are introduced. Duncan's character should be explored as well. He is surprised at what he learns about Elizabeth, how she become his wife and all she has endured. He did agree to marry a woman he didn't know or even bothered to attend his own wedding. It was a business deal for him which he profited from greatly. The loving, honorable man Elizabeth meets would never have agreed to the marriage in the first place. He is a smart man and didn't raise an eye before her brother, Sam, told him what he knew. The characters actions work for the story but are not consistent with the characters that are first presented.