Series: Ladies of the Order, #1
Traits & Tropes: I've loved you for years/pining; mystery/suspense; childhood friends to lovers; titled hero; class difference
Publication Date: 06.28.20
Genre/Setting: Historical; Regency; Hampshire/London, England, 1824
Heat Level: 3
Rating: 4.5/5
Daughter of an infamous courtesan, Julianna Eden has known pain and doesn’t trust easily. Her heart has been damaged since her mother forced her to leave Witherdeen, home of the Marquess Deveraux, and his son, her beloved childhood friend. Bennet Deveraux had been Julianna’s only friend then and he still is now, even if they didn’t keep their promises to find each other again.
Now the Marquess himself, Bennet is receiving disturbing obituaries detailing his own death and grisly scenes around his estate make it obvious someone wants him dead. With the threats escalating, Bennet decides it’s time to hire an inquiry agent and is shocked when said agent turns out to be his childhood friend.
Thrown together amidst painful memories, Bennet and Julianna must work together to identify the villain before the incidents escalate. It quickly becomes apparent that their childhood bond is still intact and has now grown into an adult attraction. But Julianna refuses to follow in her mother’s footsteps by becoming any man’s mistress and society would never accept her as Bennet’s wife.
I’m so happy we’re getting more stories of the Order. I loved the childhood friends to lovers angle and the gothic tinged mystery elements really worked here. Daventry is delightful as a shrewd matchmaker and master of solving mysteries and his machinations were very entertaining. Julianna did frustrate me with her tendency to pull away from Bennet, even to the detriment of the case, and it took him a little long to come to his senses. Thankfully, Daventry was there to force Bennet to admit what he already knew in his heart to be true, and everything came together very nicely. As always, the mystery was well plotted and kept me turning pages and flying through this one. This spinoff is off to a splendid start, and I look forward to the next story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4060218067
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