Series: Midnight Secrets, #4
Traits & Tropes: age gap; reformed rake
Setting/Genre: Historical; Regency; England
Heat Level: 3/5
Publication Date: 10.13.20
Rating: 3/5
There’s no love lost between Lord Jonathan Cromford, the Earl of Lindsey, and his late father, a feeling only amplified by the hoops Jonathan must jump through to claim his full inheritance. The stipulation that he must forego his rakish tendencies and produce an heir is more than he can take, but with few options, Lindsey must put his pleasures on temporary hold at least. He’s totally unprepared for his chance meeting with Lady Caroline Nicholson and the draw he feels toward her.
Caroline and her family have just departed Italy with haste under some scandal, but she’s not going to let that damage her chances of making a good match. Her cousins are well-versed in high society and Caroline hopes that with their help she can find love before the end of the season. But even with her clear goals, Caroline can’t help her reaction to the roguish Earl of Lindsey. They have an immediate connection, but she can’t allow much interaction with him lest she irreparably damage her reputation. But as the two continue to cross paths, Caroline and Jonathan must both decide what’s most important, their growing love or financial security and societal expectations.
This was a cute reformed rake story, but man was it a slow burn. I feel like there was a lot of build up here and not as much follow through as I was expecting. Even at the end there were several key plot points that were left unaddressed and I was left a little confused about the solidity of Jonathan and Caroline’s HEA. Their courtship was cute despite all that. I loved how seasoned rake Jonathan, so used to hiding his emotions in an attempt to save himself from hurt, was so bowled over by Caroline. His description of them as inevitable was quite charming and his determination to make any chances necessary to his lifestyle to make sure they could be together made Jonathan a hero I could root for. There are still lots of unanswered questions and this book doesn’t seem to really fit in with the rest of the series so I’m wondering if these issues will be addressed in a forthcoming spinoff series perhaps. Either way, this was still a solid read with an endearing couple that displayed an undeniable connection in the face of several factors working against them.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/552605764
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3119987141
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