Last week I reviewed Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer and I mentioned that I bought ten of her other books. One of those books was The Fulfillment. After how much I loved Morning Glory, I couldn’t wait to start this one but this book was a strange read for me. When I finished it, my first thought was to give it five stars BUT the more I thought about the actual story, the more issues I had. This review will have spoilers.

I like to give a heat level rating for all books with romance. If you’re curious about my rating system, you can check it out here.

Synopsis:

Two brothers work a rich and bountiful land—and one extraordinary woman shares their lives. To Jonathan Gray, Mary is a devoted and giving mate. To Aaron, she is a beloved friend. But seven childless years of marriage have forced Jonathan to ask the unthinkable of his brother and his wife—binding the two people he cares for most with an act of desire born of compassion . . . awakening Mary to the pain of infidelity, and to all the bittersweet joy and heartache that passionate love can bring.

My Thoughts:

• Rating-
• Heat Level-

After reading the synopsis, I was incredibly intrigued by this book. I suffered from infertility for four years until I adopted my son. Technically, I still suffer with it since I have never gotten pregnant; though, I no longer care to. Anyways, from the synopsis, we’re told how Spencer chooses to handle her characters’ infertility and it’s not the way most people would… Of course, this can make for a VERY interesting story.

I love when my books have drama and I’m always here for a good love triangle but this one just didn’t do it for me. Jonathan Gray is bland and boring while his brother, Aaron, is exciting and interesting. Jonathan doesn’t know how to communicate while Aaron is expressive. It was so very clear from the beginning that not only was Mary going to fall in love with Aaron but that something would happen to move Jonathan out of the two lovers way… and that’s exactly what happened.

Don’t get me wrong, I DID like Mary and Aaron together. I enjoyed the romantic aspect of this book, along with the early 1900s setting. However, the story could have been so much more impactful if we, as the reader, loved Jonathan as much as we’re supposed to love Aaron. It could have been a true love triangle where Mary was conflicted by more than simply her morals. For Mary, it was never that she really loved Jonathan. I’m honestly not sure why the two even got married because that’s never really talked about. Mary felt guilty for having an affair, even though Jonathan suggested it, but she never felt guilty enough to stop because she didn’t have a super strong bond with her husband to begin with.

In the end, I was happy that Aaron and Mary got their happy ending but I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Jonathan. Other than my issues with the characters, I also wasn’t a huge fan of the pacing in this book. There were a TON of details about work on the farm and everyday life. I found myself skimming a good bit because I just didn’t care that much about those things. I did enjoy reading this book overall, though.

Final Thoughts:

The Fulfillment was a solid three star read for me. I liked it and I had fun reading it but I probably wouldn’t read it again. If you’re looking for some historical romantic drama, try this one out. As always, let me know what you think! Thanks for reading and have a great day!