There are quite a few things unusual about this book, not least is that it’s set in the Regency and neither of the protagonists is a member of the aristocracy, though the heroine is closest, being a baron’s granddaughter and the widow of an earl’s younger son. The hero is very far from it, having grown up in the Foundling Hospital before being trained to work in a bank and working his way up to becoming an businessman and a man of some means.
Another way this story is unusual is that the heroine is forty-five years old, eight years older than the heroine and well out of the first flush of youth. Nor was the desperately unhappy in her first marriage; while her husband was a bit of a chump with money, he wasn’t an unkind sort. Clara’s definitely happier without him as well as having gained her financial independence through a smart investment in a hotel in bath, which is where she winds up coming into conflict with William.
Clara’s kind nature is obvious when she takes on a young girl overlooked by her family to find a match for her, though her attempts to match the girl with William soon take on a farcical turn when William makes it obvious that it’s Clara who holds his interest.
This is a quiet and quite gentle romance, without lots of suspense or external conflict. It’s all about Clara and William making choices individually and together which lead to a happy ending for the both of them. I found it a nice change of pace to what I’ve been reading lately and I really enjoyed Clara being an older heroine. Five stars for a charming read.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review via Rachel’s Random Resources.
Author Bio –
Laurie Benson is an award-winning author who writes flirty and frisky Regency romances. She began her writing career as an advertising copywriter, where she learned more than you could ever want to know about hot dogs and credit score reports. Now, she is happy to put that behind her and spend her time writing stories that take her and her readers on a romantic adventure. When she isn’t at her laptop avoiding laundry, Laurie can be found browsing antique shops, going on ridiculously long hikes, or sitting in her car on the school pickup line. She lives with her husband and two sons in a house filled with testosterone—even her bunny is a boy.
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