Historical Romance published by Berkley 30 Nov 21
This book is slow moving and takes a while to get to the main event, but once it does get there, it picks up speed and, before you know it, you’ve read the last page.
Lady Estelle and her twin brother live happily in the countryside, with visits to the city for the season and events as needed by their large family. Estelle has befriended a neighbor, Maria, who has been coping with the loss of her mother and now the possible loss of her lady’s companion. When Maria’s brother, Justin, the Earl of Brandon, arrives to escort Maria to her family seat, things seem to take a few topsy-turvy turns.
Estelle and Justin’s first meeting is not exactly what one might consider proper for the times and status of the people involved. Then Justin decides that Estelle would make a perfect Countess for him, not exactly something that endears him to Estelle. Also, what’s the mysterious reason why Maria hates her stepbrother?
However, when Justin invites the twins to a house party at his country seat to help Maria settle in with people she knows and likes, Estelle is too kind to refuse. What a tangled tale emerges when the truths are unraveled. Also, it seems that hate is quite kin to love, and Estelle doesn’t dislike Justin as much as she thinks she does.
A slow-moving, slow-burn romance where all is well that ends well.
Grade: C
Summary:
As a young man, Justin Wiley was banished by his father for mysterious reasons, but now his father is dead, and Justin has been Earl of Brandon for six years. A dark, dour man, he nonetheless takes it as his responsibility to care for his half-sister Maria when her mother dies. He travels to her home to fetch her back to the family seat at Everleigh Park.
Although she adored him once, Maria now loathes Justin, and her friend Lady Estelle Lamarr can see immediately how his very name upsets her. When Justin arrives and invites Estelle and her brother to accompany Maria to Everleigh Park to help with her distress, she begrudgingly agrees for Maria’s sake.
As family secrets unravel in Maria’s homecoming, Justin, too, uncovers his desire for a countess. And, while he may believe he’s found an obvious candidate in the beautiful 25-year-old Lady Estelle, she is most certain that they could never make a match…
No excerpt available.
