Series: Wallflowers vs. Rogues, #2
Traits & Tropes: class difference; working heroine; self-made hero; forced marriage; hero has never known love
Publication Date: 09.28.21
Genre/Setting: Historical; Regency; London/Surrey, England
Heat Level: 5.5
Rating: 4/5
Since her mother’s untimely death at the beginning of her first season, Lady Henrietta Prince has devoted herself to reviving the grapevines her mother so loved and turning them into a profitably wine business. She values her independence above all else, but she does indulge in a kiss with a stranger at a midnight ball in a moment of enchantment, only to be horrified when the man turns out to be a very distant cousin and the heir to her father’s dukedom.
Lifelong gambler Ash Ellis has pulled himself up from nothing and won’t let anything get in the way of his goal of making real child labor reform a reality. When her father suggests a match between Hetty and Ash, both are immediately reluctant, but Hetty fashions it as a business arrangement once she realizes this is likely the only way she'll have any chance of saving her vineyards.
Hetty is determined their arrangement will be for mutual gain only, regardless of her physical reaction to Ash’s presence. Ash had never planned to marry, and he demands everything from Hetty, only to realize that he’s unwittingly given her just as much of himself.
I really enjoyed this story. Hetty was independent without being annoying about it. Though I did find her insistence on rigid adherence to planning a bit frustrating, I think that’s because this is a trait I too possess and looking in the mirror isn’t always pleasant. Ash was one of those heroes who has never experienced love and has no idea what to do with it, so I loved that. I’m always a total sucker for the hero who has to learn how to give and accept love. Both Hetty and Ash were so afraid of their feelings, despite their obvious attraction, and watching them fight it was quite entertaining. There’s also an element of threat from Ash’s past that keeps things interesting and gives Ash the hard edge to go along with the soft sweetness at his core. Ash wound up being a genuinely good man with a gruff exterior and I loved that Hetty was so determined to peel back his layers to find that goodness at his heart, no matter how much he resisted her. I also loved that Ash did the same with Hetty, peeling back her defenses to get to the same desire for love and connection that he was also trying to ignore and overcome. These two made an excellent pair as opposite personalities who had much in common and wound up being a great match with excellent chemistry and I really enjoyed their 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/3769883088
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/837110884
Comments
Post a Comment