Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Series: The Ashmead Heirs #2
Publication Date: 10/21/21
Period: Regency Ashmead and Wales
Number of Pages: 277

I met and loved Brynn and Maddy in the first book of the series, The Wayward Son, and I couldn’t wait for their book. I’m here to tell you, it was worth the wait! This writer’s work always warms my heart and makes it soar, and that was definitely true with this book. I adored the characters and was so happy to see their personal growth throughout the book. Then, there are the secondary characters, Rhys, Gideon, and Philip – OMGoodness – though they aren’t Ashmead heirs, they definitely need their own books.

Lady Madelyn (Maddy) Tavernash, widowed Duchess of Glenmoor, was in a seriously abusive marriage and when her husband died, she walked away and never looked back. For the last ten years, she has been living at her brother’s estate because she refused to take any settlement from the Glenmoor estate. She may be living in lesser circumstances, but her life is quiet and peaceful – just as she wants it – until it isn’t. When she begins to enjoy the company of one of her brother Rob’s wedding guests AND she learns that her stepson is being accosted and threatened, her peace and quiet come to a rapid end and she finds herself doing things she never thought to do again.

Colonel Brynn Morgan is retired from the military and trying to determine what he wants to do with the rest of his life. He’s accepted employment with the Home Office under the leadership of Viscount Rockford and spends his days analyzing reports on ports and troops, etc. While helping his good friend Robert (Rob) Benson unearth and thwart a villain at his newly inherited estate, he meets a most intriguing woman. He enjoys teasing her but knows she has serious issues of her own. Brynn has plenty of issues himself and he certainly cannot pursue a relationship with the lady – especially since she is a duchess and he isn’t an aristocrat of any sort. She sure does call to him though.

When the two of them are thrown together in an effort to help one of Maddy’s stepsons (Philip) and to determine what actually happened to the other (Gideon), they each have to begin to deal with their personal demons. Brynn’s demons rear their ugly heads more and more as they draw nearer their destination – Brynn’s childhood home and his younger brother Rhys.

With danger lurking and futures at stake, Maddy and Bryn must finally confront their feelings and decide how they’ll deal with them.

I definitely recommend this book because I absolutely loved it and can hardly wait for the next one, The Forgotten Daughter, which releases in January. I hope you’ll choose to read it and love it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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