Series: Rebels with a Cause, #3
Traits & Tropes: brother's best friend; mutual pining; unexpected inheritance; angst
Publication Date: 12.13.22
Genre/Setting: Historical; Regency; London, England, 1825
Heat Level: 1
Rating: 4/5
Inventor John Barnesworth is forced to return to London from Boston when he unexpectedly inherits his brother’s viscountcy. Upset at losing his peaceful solitude, he’s even more distraught to learn that his brother has badly mismanaged the estate and left nothing but debts and a contract with an exceedingly unpleasant fiancé who expects John to uphold his brother’s promises. Her excessively generous dowry would solve John’s new financial issues but he’s not sure it’s worth sacrificing his happiness. So, when his best friend’s sister, Lady Charlotte Stirling, proposes an outrageous scheme to solve his problems, he’s desperate enough to give it a shot, though he struggles to keep his growing feelings for her from getting in the way.
Lady Charlotte knows John is off limits as her brother’s best friend and because he wants to return to America, and she can never see herself leaving her family behind in England. She’s a social butterfly and he prefers to avoid society so a future between them doesn’t make sense, and yet she can’t keep herself from at least trying to help him solve his money problems any more than she can stop herself falling even more for him than she already had when they were younger.
There was a lot going on here, but this book is for me, worked the best of any of the series so far. That said, it definitely wasn’t without some issues that I just can’t help but note. Edward certainly hasn’t learned from any of his past meddling in his siblings’ lives. He’s also a pretty terrible friend to John for most of the book and, though he did come through a little bit later on in the story, it wasn’t enough for me. In fact, none of the people John claimed as friends were there for him when he needed them, and he’d lost everything through no fault of his own. Charlotte could be very oblivious, and I wish she’d fought for John a bit more, but at least she did believe in him because his friends and family sure didn’t. She seemed frivolous at first, but I think that was because she saw herself that way initially. In actuality, though she was rather naïve, she did know a good deal about observing and managing people. This was not a skill I can relate to, but I definitely identified with John’s shyness and the strain he felt when dealing with people in social situations. I really wanted to see him restored to everything he had built, and I wanted to see more of him getting the love and self-worth he deserved. John was just a very endearing, sweet cinnamon roll who needed a hug. I was glad to see the villain here get his comeuppance, though I do wish it hadn’t occurred so much off page. Overall, I did find some parts of this book to be a bit stressful and anxiety inducing, but not nearly as much so as the previous books (and especially Edward and Fiona’s book), I think because John and Charlotte felt so inevitable. I loved the fact that the fights they got into were so realistic and relatable in that they fought and said unkind things to one another, but still loved each other. Charlotte was just a bit too wishy-washy for a while for me to be wholly satisfied, and I wanted to see John have more support from his friends/Charlotte’s family, but otherwise, I really enjoyed this story as it kept me invested and I didn’t want to put it down.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/3617069621
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4766299509
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