3.5 stars
Heath Hextall has made his fortune in trade, but has inherited an earldom after a distant relative died, and now feels that it’s his duty to to find a nice, well-bred and quietly competent woman to be his wife, to help him keep his life and household orderly. He asks his good friend, the Duke of Worth to help him find a suitable candidate.
Lady Josephine “Joss” Somerhall, the Duke of Worth’s younger sister, is back from an extended stay abroad and while she can’t really fault his choice, but is rather taken aback that Hextall is looking for a wife. She’s loved Heath since she was a little girl, trailing after him and her brother, but as she’s never intending to marry, and is also the exact opposite of what Heath is looking for in a wife, she will need to continue to keep her feelings hidden.
When the two are unexpectedly pulled into a mystery involving armed mercenaries, a dying Bow Street Runner, a file of encrypted documents and a possible plot by Napoleon-sympathisers to get the deposed emperor back in power, their close proximity to one another makes it very difficult for them to ignore their strong and mutual attraction.
Full review on my blog.