Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Widowers of the Aristocracy #4
Publication Date: 2/28/19
Number of Pages: 298

This is the most delightful book! It is bright, funny, entertaining, and filled with romance. The characters are fully developed and you get a nice dose of the characters from previous books in each new book. Oh! And the ending is absolutely the best I’ve read in a very long time. But, if you want a lot of navel-gazing, angsty, poor-pitiful-me scenarios, then this book isn’t for you. However, if you want witty, imaginative and endearing characters with wonderful romances this is exactly the read you want. Yes, I did use the plural – romances – because there are two lovely romances in this book. Another great thing – one of those romances is between an older mature couple. BTW – I guess I should mention that there are no sex scenes – other than those behind closed doors — but that was definitely not a problem for me.

The Mature Romance is between widower Marcus Batey, Viscount Lancaster, and Charity, widowed Countess of Wadsworth. Marcus saw and wanted to court and marry Charity over twenty years ago, but because of trickery and deceit, she had to marry a cold, faithless man she neither loved nor wanted. When Charity was betrothed to the earl, Marcus married his good friend Joan as all of his family had expected. Unlike Charity, Marcus and Joan had a good marriage although neither actually loved the other romantically – they were really good, affectionate friends. Marcus and Joan had two sons and a daughter and Charity had two sons and longed for a daughter.

Charity is barely surviving because the estate was bankrupt when her eighteen-year-old son took charge. He’s trying to turn things around, but, being young, inexperienced and not yet fully matured, it is hard to do. Charity isn’t sure what to do with herself in London after all those years living in the country, so when she sees an advertisement for a matchmaker at a local charity, she thinks she’ll apply. Turns out, she’s quite good at it.

Marcus is aware that Charity is now widowed and in London and he has every intention of wooing and winning her – never mind that she has no intention of EVER marrying again. Marcus inveigles an invitation for Charity to attend the Abercrombie’s ball where he plans to begin his wooing. Marcus has quite an active imagination and has ‘seen’ some of the most delightful things taking place between them. Now, if he can just make them come true.

The younger romance is between Analise Batey (Marcus’ daughter) and Luke Merriweather, Viscount Wessex (Marcus’ younger friend). Theirs is the secondary romance, but it is no less lovely. Luke had never met Marcus’ daughter, but when he saw her at her come-out ball at the Abercrombie’s he knew that had to change. He finagled an introduction and the sparks flew – yet, somehow, Marcus never picked up on what was happening. Then, Oh! My Goodness, when he does learn – that scene is priceless and you just have to read it.

Marcus and Charity have a harder time getting their HEA, but seeing their journey is a really nice thing. You quickly come to admire all of the different characters – and there isn’t a scoundrel in the lot.

I definitely recommend this wonderful read!

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