Blurb:
Edward Banks, Lord Watson has known most of his life that one day Regina Harris was to be his bride--but somebody forgot to inform her... An avid academic and aspiring scientist, Edward is pleased to find that he won’t have to bother with the nonsense involved in courting a young lady. Young and naive, it doesn't take much for her social-climbing father to convince Regina the gentleman she's to marry has requested her hand out of love, but devastates her when she learns the truth. Now, it's up to a gentleman who's more comfortable in a conservatory than a drawing room to prove to Regina that she's more than just the proverbial sacrificial lamb that helped gain her family their foot in Society's door and that he--if no other gentleman--is trustworthy. But he just might be the one doing the learning as he'll be forced to acknowledge that sometimes the most combustible elements aren't the ones you control, but sometimes the ones you don't.
Jewelz’ Review:
I absolutely loved this book! I suffer from circumstances that lead me to read these books out of order, however, that’s ok because I’m just learning background information in a random order ;) So, this is the story of Regina and Edward Banks; the story of how she thought she had a love match, and he thought he had a contract bride. Simply put, it’s a love story. No big twists and turns or surprises that shock you and make you rethink what’s going on. But that’s ok, I didn’t need any of that to keep my interest. What this book did have was wonderful character development and a solid plot. Regina is such a spitfire. Oh, I just love her. Granted, she doesn’t start out that way. Her father has done quite a number on her. It’s so fulfilling to watch her develop into the amazing, strong woman that she is. While she grows and changes, she never strays from who she truly is. Underneath the somewhat submissive young woman her father raised, Regina has always been strong. She never wavers in her love for Edward, even when he breaks her heart. Edward is just a good guy. He’s so enamored with his scientific pursuits that he doesn’t recognize what’s right in front of him. This is so perfectly typical of highly intelligent people! I love how he frequently remarks “odd that” as he slowly begins to recognize signs of his affection for Regina. He tries so hard to protect her and to please her, but sometimes he just botches it all. Even the best laid plans sometimes go awry. They both are simply a joy to get to know. Their verbal sparring was delightful and their adventures nothing short of memorable. I think one of my favorite parts of the book was learning the story behind the “horribly decorated drawing room” in their London townhouse. I will be laughing about that for a long time.
Source: received e-book copy for my honest review
FYI: does contain open-door sex
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Blurb:
At nineteen John Banks decides to board a ship bound for America—oblivious of who he'll find when he arrives. Having grown up on a large indigo plantation, the expressive and possibly overdramatic, Carolina Ellis can hardly wait to see what the gentlemen of Charleston will be like. But alas, they were not what she'd been hoping for. Ball after ball and dance after dance, Carolina is disappointed time and again. Then she sees him... Boston and Philadelphia held no appeal to John, so on a suggestion from a friend, he headed south to the booming town of Charleston, South Carolina. Not meaning to become the center of attention, John becomes exactly that when he walks right into the largest social event of the year dressed like nothing more than a poor drifter. So what is a penniless man to do when in such a situation? The only thing he can do: rely on his sense of humor to extinguish the tension. Immediately, Carolina takes a shine to this unusual man and his equally unusual humor and is determined she will do whatever it takes to marry him—Southern aristocracy be damned.
Jewelz’ Review:
I didn’t think it was possible, but I fell in love with John & Carolina just as much as I did with Edward & Regina. Poor John, the youngest son of a baron, he’s decided to become a country vicar and settle down with a polite young miss. However, Edward thinks that John needs to go travel for a while before settling down. During John’s trip to America he befriends Gabriel who ultimately is the reason John’s plans to settle down with the perfect country vicar’s wife fall apart despite his best efforts. Gabriel’s younger sister Carolina is a sweet, kind-hearted young woman. But, no one would describe her as a polite young miss. She’s outspoken, vivacious, and determined. She is everything John was not looking for in his future wife. But, all it took was one look into his eyes, and Carolina knew she would marry John. And once Carolina sets her mind to something – there’s no stopping her. John never had a chance. To his credit, John admits he’s attracted to the spunky Carolina. It’s just that he firmly believes that he needs a calm, quiet, polite young woman who will fill the role of vicar’s wife as he perceives it should be. He’s learned from the problems that plagued his parents’ marriage. And he recognizes the love and adventure his brother and Regina share. But, he believes strongly that he needs a specific type of woman, especially as he is to be a vicar. So, despite the fact that he is attracted to Carolina and enjoys her company, he just can’t marry her. I thoroughly enjoyed Carolina’s persistence in pursuing John. You have to appreciate her strength of character and determination. Her kindness & consideration to those she loved was admirable, especially considering her mother. The rocky and twisting road travelled to the altar is definitely a fun ride for the reader. This was a joy to read and a wonderful addition to the Banks’ family saga.
Source: received e-book copy for my honest review
FYI: does contain open-door sex
Buy from Amazon
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