... by Sarah Mallory. Read on to find out more about this Regency romance...
There is nothing I like more than a really gripping Regency Romance when I have time to read at home. And it's usually only over holiday weekends when I can fit in that bit of me-time required to indulge in a good book.
It was a great pleasure to pick up another of Sarah Mallory's books over the Christmas and New Year break. What a great read this is.
The story begins with Conham Mortlake, Earl Dallamire, in a strop. His mistress of six months has refused his proposal of marriage because, as she puts it, his fortune is 'nonexistent', his estate is 'riddled with debts', and his latest inheritance is an 'insignificant property' along with a few acres of land near Bristol!
Cutting, I thought, but of course, back in the eighteenth century, marriage was much more of a contract between families than it is today. Unfortunately for Conham, that lady's assessment of his predicament is only too accurate, and as a wealthy widow, she can exercise a certain amount of choice.
In the deepest vortex of his strop, as he strides through the town, Conham bumps into Rosina Brackwood and steps up to help her. As I hadn't initially taken to Earl Dallamire, I was pleased to discover that he did have some positive traits. The chance meeting sets in place an association between Miss Brackwood and the Earl that twists and turns in its fortunes and misadventures throughout the pages of the book.
It transpires that Miss Brackwood is an excellent land/estate manager. Conham is in much need of such expertise. At a time when women were expected to be only wives, mothers, and managers of households, Rosina's capabilities and aptitudes make for a very refreshing character. I immediately warmed to her and her ideas about resolving some of the issues with Conham's estate.
It was also the business aspects of this tale - can the gardens be made profitable again, can the estate become solvent - that I found particularly interesting and enjoyable as Rosina, with the help of Matt Talacre - an ex-army colleague of Conham's - and support from Conham himself. It added an extra dimension and fizz to the relationship between Conham and Rosina.
If you want to know if there is a happy-ever-after for Rosina and Conham, then you will have to read the book. But, I can guarantee that you will have a thoroughly enjoyable and absorbing read as you work out the answer for yourself.
You can get the book Here
No comments:
Post a Comment