The Matches Made In Scandal series have all featured women down on their luck through no fault of their own, offered a second chance by a mysterious woman known only as The Procurer, who specializes in resolving problems beyond the skill of anyone else.
In this, the fourth and final of the series, we get the story of the mysterious Procurer herself, Kristin Blair. Approached by a desperate client, Mr Cameron Dunbar, who needs to locate his missing niece, Kristin cannot turn the case down out of concern for the young woman, but she and Cameron have a history together - one which left Kristin with a secret she will do anything to protect.
Kristin is one of life’s survivors, an intelligent and formidable woman who defied the odds to become more powerful than she might ever have imagined, and Cameron, an orphan who has risen to become a successful shipping merchant, is her match in every way. Given the constraints of the time period (late Georgian) Kristin’s fear of giving up her independence by marriage is understandable, and there’s a glorious scene where Cameron shows just how well he knows her, by naming and confronting her every fear and then offering rational, sensible methods by which they could make their relationship work. It was really excellent, and such a refreshing change from the heroes I see too often in historical romance, who tend to be completely out of touch with not only the object of their affection’s emotions, but also their own.
There was an intriguing and complex sub-plot involving the search for Cameron’s niece where we got to see just how well the pair worked together, and some nice deep character background for both the protagonists, though I could perhaps have wished for a bit more of Kristin’s life story while her father was still alive and just what led her to believe she could pull off her audacious plan to make herself into The Procurer.
This is an enjoyable romance between two complex characters, and a great finale to a series with a genuinely unique concept. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Five stars.
Disclaimer: I was supplied a copy of this book for review by the author.