Susan Holloway Scott

I'd obviously wasn't in the right state of mind when picking up this up in which case revel the author decent writing style, well researched journey of Mary and Burr relations, long-winded and often times, tedious historical fiction novel. In overall, I've unfortunately decided to cut this short before one of our main protagonist even made an appearance. It just hurt too much to continue.

… (plus d'informations)

I got this ARC from Netgalley and this is my honest review of it.

Harry the eldest son and heir of the Duke of Breconbridge has pursued the beautiful Julia Wetherby into the country to ask her to marry him. This is only her latest ploy in their courtship but hes confident that once he manages to make his feelings known she will be his.

After all he is handsome,rich and one of his ancestors were a King (albeit this was out of wedlock)
After she suggest they take an early morning ride he happily agrees seeing it as the perfect moment to propose marriage without being disturbed.

But the horse wich he is assigned is difficult to handle and when Julia thoughtlessy jumps out from behind a bush she scares his horse so much that it rears causing Harry to fall and hit his head and break his leg.

Julia not being the most solid rock to lean runs off and he loses consciouness. The next thing he knows is that a young woman who he first assumes is a servant is taking care to have him treated for his injuries and bring him back to the house.

Of course she is not a servant at all but Julias younger sister Augusta,called Gus.

Despite Gus and their father telling her to take responsibility by attending to her almost fianceeiInstead of staying and taking care of him Julia goes back to London because she cant stand any sort of unpleasantness and dont want to have to marry a cripple as Harry might end up to be.

Their father goes after her and leaves Gus to take care of Harry,who is between life and death for some time but recovers and startscreate more work for Gus by sending for his private musicians,his dogs.Leaving her to have to make room and board for them.
He also wants her to spend time with him since he gets bored.

Gus is equally charmed and exsperated at his behavior. But how could he ever want someone plain and ordinary like her when his preference seems to be for beautiful and women like her sister? Its best not to get her hopes up

She is also trying to keep him from learning that her sister has abandoned him and is partying in London.

.The nursing back to health plot while falling in love is hardly a new one in the world of historical romances. Its also not my favorite plotline but this had other things going for it like the fact that it is set in the 18th century,one of my favorite periods when it comes to historical romances and I had read another book by this author wich I liked. Might as well give it a chance.

I thought Harry was a complete idiot at first and then he had his accident and changed. Wish this transition had been more gradually as Harry before his accident seemed for a lack of a better word weak in his personality and a bit too easily pushed around.

His character got better and more likeable as the book went on and he started to have to make compromises and face the reality that his life was a very different one now after his accident. That is not to say he doesnt get mopy but he snaps out of it when realizes he has to be there for Gus.

I liked Gus personality shes not one of those aggressive and feisty heroines that makes you groan because they have to be right all the time and get their will. Shes tries to do her best and is confident in her abilities in running a household but a bit naive when it comes to her own feelings and dealing with men like Harry.
She does call him out for his behavior once or twice and doesnt let him use her as a doormat.

I liked that the author didnt just have Harrys leg heal magically without reprecussions of any kind. His frustration felt very real to me and knowing personally someone who has had leg surgery the recovery is long and takes a lot of work and yes even in this day and age some people will make fun of you.

It was also interesting to learn that excercise machines like the chamber horse existed in the 18th century.

I did wish that Julia had suffered some consequences from her actions.As a character she feels like a plot device and is very one-dimensional.

While this has a few uneven bits its a solid romance if you can manage to overlook the fact that for one ,I dont think a man would ask a girl to marry him before he had talked with her father nor do I think a young lady would have been allowed to stay behind without as much a chaperone to keep up apperances ,no matter if the man is invalided.

I mean his leg might be broken but his hands and mouth are still working ;)
I also noticed some grammatical errors in the book and a location name mysteriously changes from Mildenhall to Mendenhall in the course of the book. I expect they will be corrected in the final version of this book.… (plus d'informations)

Charlotte Wylder lives with her mothers and sisters out in the country after her father died while she was a child and her mother sought to to protect her children from the wicked ways of the ton. Life is nice but a bit dull...

All that changes when they are informed that before he died,her father contracted a marriage for Charlotte with the Duke of Marchbourne so the family and especially Charlotte is amazed and overjoyed at this turn of event.

They then travel to London to meet her betrothed.

Charlotte and March first meeting is far from conventional as March was so eager (and nervous) to meet his intended that he rode out and caught Charlotte just as she was trying to retrieve her sisters kitten who had climbed a tree.

March is taken aback by Charlottes behavior but not in a bad way ;)

Later they meet again and share a heated kiss wich only convinces them that they are meant to be married.March even pushes the date for their wedding ahead,wich Charlotte is flattered but also a bit nervous about since she had hoped they would have time to get to know each other a bit better and also prepare her mentally to leave her mother and sisters.

So they are married and its a wonderful day for both of them. March brings Charlotte back to his,and now her home too.

Then their wedding night comes and they tumble into bed and... well lets just say things goes very well for the both of them. *hint hint*

But afterwards March is digusted at the ungentlemanly way he "used" Charlotte and assures her the next day that she will never have to be subjected to such behavior EVER AGAIN.

Charlotte is confused since she liked their time in bed but since her husband has showed such a disgust at this she cant help but wonder if her behavior was wanton and not fitting a duchess.

So they start their married life together and March is as attentive as ever to her in the day but in the nights things are not so great.With March trying to curb his "baser nature" and Charlotte having to contain herself so she is not percieved as a bad girl by March.

Then there is London society to contend with also,many of whose members are far from pleasant people.

This is a historical romance where the hero and heroine start out liking each other very well but with the actual love coming later.
Some could say their relationship is a bit too perfect,but yes while its very sweet the story doesnt start until after they are married and they find out that they have to get to know each other better.

I liked both the hero and heroine very much,they are just very nice people. March has his demons though but they havent led him into a life of vice and rakedom,instead he tries to be ever the perfect english gentleman to such a degree he denies himself happiness.

Charlotte is young and a bit naive but she truly cares about her husband wish she could find a way to help him take down his walls.When it finally happens its a very sweet moment.

Even if it involves climbing a tree or two.

I give this 3,5 stars could have been 4 but there is a scene at the very end that stretched my imagination to its limits.

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