Series: Rogues & Gentlemen, #10
Traits & Tropes: virgin hero; ruined heroine; mean girl heroine; neurodiverse hero; marriage of convenience
Publication Date: 07.27.18
Genre/Setting: Historical; Regency; countryside near Bath, England
Heat Level: 3.5
Rating: 4/5
Narration Rating: 4/5
Lady Isabella Scranford is both beautiful and cold, not well liked amongst the ton, but feared. When she finds herself facing an unplanned pregnancy and the father is unwilling to marry her as he promised, she knows her way of life is over. When her mother boots her from the house, she has no friends and receives no sympathy. When her only friend also turns her away for fear of tarnishing her own reputation by association, Isabella contemplates a bleak future, only to meet a man who changes everything for her, and she for him.
I’m not really sure what I was expecting from this book, but it wasn’t this and I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like it. While I didn’t love it the way I thought I would, I did wind up enjoying it much more than I thought I might after I got through the first few chapters of audio. I was close to throwing it down at first because the heroine was unlikeable (she’s meant to be) and I was afraid there would be too much angst thanks to the hero’s idiosyncrasies that made an asylum a lingering threat for him. Fortunately, the heroine exhibited tons of character growth after meeting Henry and getting away from her hateful mother. As she came to know Henry as a real person, she came to know herself out from under the shadow of her mother’s expectations and it made her much more likable. She was protective of Henry and gave him the understanding he needed as well as pushing him when he needed that too. These two taught each other so much about love and trust and I think that was really lovely. I also loved the friends they made and the fact that this story had drama while steering clear of angst and instead using that drama to show strengthened and solidified friendships. This was one of the best representations of neurodiverse heroes I’ve yet read and the first time I’ve ever really liked a former mean-girl heroine. So, while I didn’t adore this quite like I thought I would, I definitely still enjoyed it. This book was worth the read and I’ll read more from this author and series.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2883901600
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/1235567217
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