Series: Rogues to Riches, #6
Traits & Tropes: fake relationship; damaged hero & heroine; titled hero
Publication Date: 04.13.21
Genre/Setting: Historical; Regency; London, England
Heat Level: 2
Rating: 4.5/5
Since she’s begun experiencing threatening attacks visited upon her household, Miss Abigail Abbott has become desperate and determined that disappearing is the best course of action. There is only one person she trusts to help her, Lord Stephen Wentworth, a genius inventor, and heir to the powerful Duke of Walden. Stephen is shrewd and personable but utterly ruthless when need be, and he has the perfect solution to her problem: he’ll keep Abigail safe by making her his pretend fiancé.
Stephen finds himself in awe of Abigail’s strength and resourcefulness. As their faux courtship progresses, Stephen soon finds contentment he never expected in her arms, but for Abigail the engagement is still a mere pretense, even if her feelings are becoming real. For Stephen, every bit of his time spent with Abigail is real and his future happiness depends on his ability to convince her of the veracity of his feelings and that only she could ever become his duchess.
This is such a beautifully written book. The banter amongst all the Wentworths really, but especially between Stephen and Abigail, was excellent. These characters and the struggles they faced and the pain they felt made for a strong juxtaposition of the gritty against such exquisitely detailed writing. I loved the development of the relationship between Stephen and Quinn as well as the unfailing loyalty the family displayed toward its own. Stephen suffered more than many of even his closest family members ever realized, which made his confiding in Abigail stronger. Two fiercely independent main characters learned they could ask for help and lean on each other physically, emotionally, in every way that mattered, and that was beautiful. I thought the final melodrama may prove too much for me, but it was handled with grace and aplomb by the author and her characters and wound up being satisfying for all. I loved that Stephen and Abigail were for the most part bluntly honest with each other and faced challenges together. I could’ve done without the early scene between Stephen and his mistress but it was in no way cheating at that point and it did contribute to the plot a bit so I can deal with it. I enjoyed this story and the writing and found it a nice wrap-up of the series. I look forward to this author’s next work.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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