Series: The Providence Street Shops, #2
Traits & Tropes: friends to lovers; shy, awkward hero; class difference
Publication Date: 02.02.21
Genre/Setting: Historical; Edwardian; London, England, 1907
Heat Level: 0
Rating: 3/5
Common born Rose Gardener has come a long way from her Cockney upbringing and working in a factory to realize her dream of opening her own florist shop. Though her family has undermined her success often, she takes pride in her accomplishment, although she’s still plagued by some self-doubt especially when romance becomes a possibility. She can’t fathom that the scholarly gentleman who frequents her shop could want anything honorable from her.
Will Carmody is perpetually tongue-tied around women and has yet to find a lady who makes him yearn for anything more than a passing acquaintance. When his friend introduces him to the beautiful Rose, Will finds himself inventing reasons to frequent the shop and strike up a friendship with her. Will is shy and bookish and knows he doesn’t have much to offer a bright young miss, but when her new friend needs help ridding herself of her guardian, Will has the connections and influence to come to the rescue.
This was a cute story with good writing and likable characters. Will was adorable in his awkward shyness and utter lack of experience or guile. I found him painfully relatable, especially when Rose at first judged him to be snobby when really, he was just shy. In that way, Rose was a bit judgmental and even as she got to know Will more, that sense of doubt and unease kept creeping back in on her over and over again, to the point of becoming repetitive. I really enjoyed the setting here and the banter between Rose and Will, as well as Will’s interactions with his friend, Guy. There was excellent tension and connection set up here, but it sadly never came to fruition, with nothing but foreplay occurring during the story and that left this feeling rather incomplete. The subplot of the missing heiress also seemed a bit out of place as it took quite a while for this issue to bring the heroine and hero together, so it mostly felt rather random. Overall, this was a sweet story, but it didn’t quite live up to its potential.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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