Celine may not have been overly in love with her husband, but she felt the heavy loss of him and their child after the accident. Now widowed, Celine wants to live her life as best she can without being a burden to anyone. When she meets the rumored flirt Trevor, she tells herself one night of temptation before she leaves won't be the end of the world. What she doesn't expect is for her feelings to grow into something more than lust. As she prepares to face a new life across the country, she will also have to face feelings she never expected to have.

CELINE by Kathleen Bittner Roth takes readers back to 1800s Louisiana with a hesitant but charming heroine and a dashing love interest. The novel begins in stride, filling the pages with historical elements and highlighting the setting. Celine is well aware of her place in the world as a widow in the time, but she is slowly opening herself up to experiences she never considered before. The first half passes with seductive scenes between her and Trevor with both of their impending journeys looming over their heads, and with the exception of an ill placed love triangle, is very enjoyable and reads quickly. The two main characters have a strong spark between them, and as sweetness joins the lust, they become easy to root for as a couple.

However, when the time comes for them to supposedly depart, the story takes off in several different direction. Several cliché plot devices are thrown in, making the story feel over the top and beyond dramatic. One unnecessary but predictable twist after another continuously occur until the conclusion. The story begins with such strong and wonderful direction that the plot later in the story feels off the wall.

Though the first half was more enjoyable than the second, CELINE by Kathleen Bittner Roth is still an overall lovely read with sweet characters. Readers who especially love escapism romances with strong tropes may find it particularly enjoyable.