I do like a good second-chance romance, and Mr. Hunt, I Presume fits the bill nicely if you’re looking for a quick, light read. Erienne and Collin were childhood sweethearts, but as a young soldier and the daughter of a baron, there was a class mismatch and her father refused to let them marry. Strong-willed and determined even when Collin gracefully left the field at her father’s bidding, Erienne refused all other suitors and took a position as a governess, which was a little-bit eyebrow raising considering the laws in Regency England at the time would have made it very easy for her father to haul her home if he’d wished to.
However, I liked Erienne enough, and she was determined enough that I could believe she could have carried her point if her father was weak-willed enough to let her get away with it.
Collin and Erienne meet again fourteen years later through the machinations of Lucy, Duchess of Claringdon, who’s an absolute little madam but such a likeable one you could never call her a spoiled brat and really mean it. Lucy just loves matchmaking and has set her sights on her husband’s brother, Collin, as in need of a wife. Though the workaholic general with the War Office has resisted her attempts thus far, a serendipitous circumstance brings her Erienne in need of a new governess position, and Lucy just can’t resist.
This is only a short novella so there’s not really a great deal of angst, or not that doesn’t get resolved quickly, at any rate. Collin and Erienne were charming together and Lucy as an irresistible force of nature/fairy godmother is a laugh a minute. A delightful novella to while away a few hours, my only quibble is that we really didn’t get enough insight into Collin’s character. Four stars.
Disclaimer; I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.