STORY: Life for Lady Adelaide Bell was easier if she hid in her older sister’s shadow–which worked until her sister got married. Even with the pressure of her socially ambitious mother, the last thing she expected was a marriage of convenience to save her previously spotless reputation.
Lord Trent Hawthorne couldn’t be happier that he is not the duke in the family. He’s free to manage his small estate and take his time discovering the life he wants to lead, which includes grand plans of wooing and falling in love with the woman of his choice. When he finds himself honor bound to marry a woman he doesn’t know, his dream of a marriage like his parents’ seems lost forever.
REVIEW: Hertfordshire England
Lord Trent Hawthorne, age 24, had a great father, the late John, Duke of Riverton, and older brother, Griffith, the current Duke of Riverton, to guide him as he grew up. Now, he has just married Lady Adelaide Crampton, daughter of the Earl and Countess of Crampton.
The Hawthorne and Crampton families have adjoining lands and the children all knew one another as they grew up but aren’t necessarily close. Adelaide has always been adventurous and asks to gather mushrooms one afternoon in some ruins on the Hawthorne’s property. When the floor gives way trapping her, Trent comes along and finds her. As he tries to rescue her, they both become trapped overnight. Even though nothing happened, she is considered to be compromised and they have to marry. After their wedding, they head to Trent’s London home. Since they really don’t know one another very well, they are both very shy.
Lady Crampton and her older daughter, Helena, are both shrews. Adelaide was always ignored by her mother and sister as their goal was to make the best marriage possible for Helena. Adelaide has never been very graceful and neither has she been given the instruction on learning to act ladylike. Therefore, her clothes get messed up easily and her deportment isn’t graceful. In addition, while Helena had a season in London, Adelaide was never given that opportunity. Now, Lady Crampton’s plan is to use Adelaide and Trent’s connections to get Helena out into society.
Adelaide soon finds Trent’s home to be an unconventional one. The servants are more like friends and two of them are a married couple.
As Adelaide and Trent are essentially strangers, both are painfully shy about their relationship which can’t seem to get started. Therefore, Trent’s brother, Griffith, suggests that Trent court Adelaide ad give themselves a chance to fall in love. Theirs is a good plan until their families get involved.
The plot of this story is good. However, it seems to be dragged out and the extreme shyness of the hero and heroine quickly became too far-fetched for me to believe. But, I know there are readers who will enjoy it.
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher
Connie for b2b
