Series: The 1797 Club, #5
Traits & Tropes: titled hero; impoverished hero; class difference
Publication Date: 01.16.18
Genre/Setting: Historical; Regency; England, 1811
Heat Level: 4/5
Rating: 4 stars!
Narration Rating: 4/5
Unbeknownst to those closest to him, Baldwin Undercross, the Duke of Sheffield, is completely insolvent thanks to his father’s gambling habit and his own failed attempts to improve the situation. His only remaining recourse is to marry for money and do so quickly. A wealthy, title-hunting American heiress could be the solution to his problems.
Helena Monroe is only in England so her miserly uncle could use her as an unpaid companion to her spoiled cousin. She’s endured but is far from happy, until she meets Baldwin and feels an instant connection. Unfortunately, that tentative happiness comes crashing down when she realizes he thought she was her cousin.
Now Baldwin is torn between doing his duty to his family to save the estate and their reputation and the love he’s begun to feel for Helena.
This was a fast-reading story that had me looking for excuses to listen to my audiobook. This couple had a lot stacked against them, but Baldwin’s own pride was perhaps their biggest obstacle. Their struggle felt real and their steamy scenes were also full of emotion and served to make their relationship believable despite their short acquaintance. It would've been very easy to dislike Baldwin given his initial tendency to keep his problems to himself and sacrifice everything for the sake of duty, but he wound up being likable despite his flaws. In fact, perhaps it was those flaws that made him relatable and a character I wanted to root for. I did keep wanting Helena to stand up for herself and cease letting others walk all over her, but she really was in an untenable situation and this aspect of her character served as a showcase for Baldwin's protectiveness of her. This series has been ticking my boxes for steam and drama and this installment thankfully didn’t have as much of an issue with repetitiveness as some of its predecessors. I’m continuing this series and looking forward to getting the scoop on the mysterious Lucas.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2511667646
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/906959072
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