Series: Westcott, #9
Traits & Tropes: house party; dislike to love; emotional; damaged hero; slow burn; grumpy hero
Publication Date: 11.30.21
Genre/Setting: Historical; Regency; Hertfordshire, England
Heat Level: 1 (very sensual)
Rating: 5 stars
Justin Wiley, now the Earl of Brandon, has a painful past since his father banished him for reasons that are unknown, but much speculated about by society at large. Despite having been the Earl for six years now, Justin is still very serious and dour. Nonetheless, since a year has now passed since his stepmother’s death, he must take responsibility for his half-sister, which means bringing her back to Everleigh Park, the seat of the earldom, no matter how much she resists the idea.
Maria now loathes the half-brother she used to dote upon and her friend and neighbor, Lady Estelle Lamarr, notes this animosity immediately. When Justin comes to fetch his sister, he also invites Estelle and her twin brother to spend a couple of weeks at Everleigh to help Maria settle in. Though Estelle has taken Justin into some dislike, she agrees to come for the sake of her young friend.
Justin has gathered not only his sister, but extended family from both sides in the hopes of showing her that she is not alone. As these previously separated branches come together in discussion, family secrets are revealed, even things Justin never knew, and he finds himself longing for a countess of his own. He thinks Estelle is perfect for the role, but she is equally certain he could never be the man for her.
This is my first ever Mary Balogh book, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I have to say I was rather pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it. This was rather different than most romances I think, almost an homage to the highly descriptive style of Jane Austen. At first, I found this style to be rather solemn and I struggled a bit to get into it, but once I had my bearings, I actually found it to be very relaxing and immersive. I definitely would’ve benefited from reading some of the other Westcott books, just because of the surfeit of side characters, but this in no way detracted from my understanding or enjoyment of this book, other than a struggle to keep everyone straight. That said, I think I would’ve struggled with all of these characters anyway just because of the nature of this elaborate house party bringing together all the different branches of Justin’s and Maria’s families.
This book may not have had as much steam as I typically enjoy, but I think it was rather a case of quality over quantity. That’s not to say that this book was highly explicit either, but I think the slow burn between Justin and Estelle, combined with the sheer sensuality of the scene when they finally do come together, made this surprisingly sexy in a way that really worked for me. The emotional quality of the relationship development between Estelle and Justin and its ultimate culmination was just beautiful for me. I adored the fact that here we had this hero who had been so hurt by people he loved in the past that he now keeps himself totally closed off and doesn’t reveal his emotions to anyone, but he was open and totally raw with Estelle. That particular scene sold me on this book and on their relationship as she helped him work through his pain and he faced it head on, letting her see his very soul with this sort of intense vulnerability that I think is quite rare, both in life and in fiction. I loved it. Additionally, I loved the interactions between all of the supporting characters, except at times Maria, though she at least did do a great amount of growing up over the course of the story. I think my favorite relationship besides that between the MCs was the bond Estelle had with her twin, Bertrand, and now I find myself hoping he’ll get his own book. Either way, I will definitely be reading more from this author simply because of how real and raw her characters felt to me and how believable and emotional the relationship between Justin and Estelle wound up being.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/776225356
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4341621319
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