Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: The Lords of London #3
Publication Date: 2/22/22
Period: Regency London
Number of Pages: 320
A heartwarming story of redemption and acceptance that will turn you into a thorough believer in love at first sight. I loved that there weren’t any ‘grand epiphany’ moments, just a steady movement from an exciting first meeting through a most delightful HEA. When I learned who the male lead was, I wondered how the author was going to redeem him. You see, he was the villain in When a Marquis Chooses a Bride from the Worthingtons series. He was a misguided villain, but a villain nonetheless. However, he’s spent the last four years changing himself from the useless fribble he was to a caring, honorable man who is absolutely nothing like the man who existed four years ago. All of that has occurred off-page between the previous book and this one. So, redemption has already occurred – we are only dealing with forgiveness and making amends – and falling in love.
Nathanael (Nate), Viscount Fotherby, has spent the last four years living on his country estate because of a vile thing he did. He has used those years to learn and grow as a human. He has spent the time learning to manage his estates, learning to appreciate and care for those who are dependent on him – especially his tenants and neighbors, and learning that he really wasn’t who he thought he was. He was who his father had made him into and now that he’s been on his own all this time, he’s realized what it is to actually appreciate others – no matter their rank – to be useful, and to help others whenever he can. Helping a neighbor is what has brought him back to London and it is how he came to be in the time and place to help rescue a young woman who was being threatened by thugs. She was the most arresting woman he’s ever seen and he’d surely like to see her again. He doesn’t even learn her name.
Miss Henrietta Stern is very much a forward-thinking young lady. She is about to begin her second season but hasn’t seen anyone at all who piques her interest. Well, she hadn’t until that handsome man came to her aid as she was trying to rescue a baby. There was just something about him and she just really wishes she had learned his name.
Nate and Henrietta meet and are attracted before they learn that she is the sister of the woman he had abducted. Henrietta has heard all of the tales and descriptions of that dandified fribble and the man she met seems nothing like that at all. They can work out their differences, but can they get her family – especially her sister – to forgive?
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing these two come to care for each other and work together to bring about their own HEA. The story is well-written, well-plotted, and excellently delivered. I hope you will give it a try and that you will love it as much as I did.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
