Adam Gentry has lost his fiance, and with her all of his dreams of love and companionship. Drowning his sorrow in the bottle, the heir to the Gentry horse breeding empire looks like he may never recover.
Emmaline Somerset has made a dreadful mistake with a man she never wants to see again, and now that she’s admitted her unwed pregnancy to her family, the whole town will soon know about it. Much to her surprise, her sister-in-law Olivia’s brother Adam pays her a visit, offering to marry her to take away her disgrace. It won’t be a love match–he’s still heartbroken over the death of the love of his life–but she’s in need of a husband and he’s gentleman enough to put away his whiskey bottle and offer her a solution.
Befuddled by his spirited and unusual wife, Adam finds himself doing everything he can to comfort her and make the Gentrys’ Paradise mansion her new home. But that couldn’t possibly mean he’s falling in love with her–after all, lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same spot.Trapped into a marriage she never wanted and forced into the role of mistress of Paradise, Emmaline must decide what she wants out of life. She never imagined herself as a wife and a mother, but is her growing attraction for Adam a sign that she should give up her dream of becoming a published author?
This marriage of convenience has two convincing protagonists, each with preconceived notions about their lives, each learning to compromise to make room for the other. Emmaline’s aspirations as an author were endearing, as was Adam’s chivalrous attentiveness to her throughout her pregnancy and beyond. It did annoy me that there were absolutely no recriminations for Adam getting his late fiancee pregnant, whereas Emmaline had to endure lectures from many after her moment of folly.
Some romances close the door on bedroom scenes, others leave little to the imagination. Let’s just say that this book was far and away the latter (which surprised me as I had read another review calling this a “sweet” romance). One of the main plot points of the book is Adam and Emmaline’s burgeoning intimacy, and it is their enjoyment of each other in the bedroom that proceeds to a mutual love and respect in the rest of their lives. Fortunately, an all-too-convenient rescue at the end of the book leaves both hero and heroine realizing their love for each other is more than just physical attraction.
Although this book is the fourth in a series about the Gentry family, I felt that it stood alone quite well. Note: The gentleman on the cover may belie the fact that this is a historical novel, but be assured that it is set in the post-Civil War era.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Rosanne E. Lortz 