Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Good second chance love story. I've been intrigued by Lottie and her story since the first book in the series, How to Tempt a Duke. She wasn't the selfish kind of courtesan frequently portrayed in other books. Instead, you can see an innate kindness and desire to help the young ladies she teaches. The hints of her background made me even more curious about how she got there, and the scene at the end of the book sealed the deal.
Finally, in the third book of the series, we get Lottie's story. It opens in the current day of 1816, as Lottie looks at a bouquet of flowers and a ring and considers what accepting them would mean to her life. It then jumps back to 1809, where her story begins. We see how she and Evander meet, fall in love, and part ways due to unforeseen circumstances.
When Evander returns from his longer-than-expected journeys to finally claim Lottie as his wife, he is stunned by the changes in her. No longer the innocent vicar's daughter, Lottie is a notorious courtesan. Her experiences changed her, and she became strong, intelligent, rich, and independent. All Evander wants is Lottie, but she isn't ready to risk her heart on him again.
I enjoyed seeing the rekindling of the relationship between Evander and Lottie. He knows that he made many mistakes and freely confesses his acceptance and remorse for them. Lottie's past doesn't matter to him; he still wants her as his wife. He also realizes that regaining her trust won't be easy, but he refuses to give up. I loved his weekly bouquets to her, with flowers he selects himself, flowers that have specific meanings. He treats her with all of the love and respect he feels for her in hopes of breaking through the wall she erected between them.
Evander's return brought all the love Lottie felt for him back to the surface, along with all of the pain she's endured. She tries to keep him at a distance, afraid of risking her heart with him again, but he slowly chips away at her resistance. Lottie shares that pain with Evander in a deeply emotional scene, opening the door for forgiveness and reconciliation. However, there remain concerns that continue to hold Lottie back from fulfilling Evander's deepest desire, concerns that prove to be valid. I loved how Evander showed Lottie that she was more important than others' opinions, and his demonstration of that belief was fantastic. An unexpected twist at the end provided the perfect comeuppance to the naysayers.
The epilogue was a terrific look into the lives of all of the couples several years later. I also enjoyed catching up with some of those young ladies that Lottie helped.
#netgalley
Finally, in the third book of the series, we get Lottie's story. It opens in the current day of 1816, as Lottie looks at a bouquet of flowers and a ring and considers what accepting them would mean to her life. It then jumps back to 1809, where her story begins. We see how she and Evander meet, fall in love, and part ways due to unforeseen circumstances.
When Evander returns from his longer-than-expected journeys to finally claim Lottie as his wife, he is stunned by the changes in her. No longer the innocent vicar's daughter, Lottie is a notorious courtesan. Her experiences changed her, and she became strong, intelligent, rich, and independent. All Evander wants is Lottie, but she isn't ready to risk her heart on him again.
I enjoyed seeing the rekindling of the relationship between Evander and Lottie. He knows that he made many mistakes and freely confesses his acceptance and remorse for them. Lottie's past doesn't matter to him; he still wants her as his wife. He also realizes that regaining her trust won't be easy, but he refuses to give up. I loved his weekly bouquets to her, with flowers he selects himself, flowers that have specific meanings. He treats her with all of the love and respect he feels for her in hopes of breaking through the wall she erected between them.
Evander's return brought all the love Lottie felt for him back to the surface, along with all of the pain she's endured. She tries to keep him at a distance, afraid of risking her heart with him again, but he slowly chips away at her resistance. Lottie shares that pain with Evander in a deeply emotional scene, opening the door for forgiveness and reconciliation. However, there remain concerns that continue to hold Lottie back from fulfilling Evander's deepest desire, concerns that prove to be valid. I loved how Evander showed Lottie that she was more important than others' opinions, and his demonstration of that belief was fantastic. An unexpected twist at the end provided the perfect comeuppance to the naysayers.
The epilogue was a terrific look into the lives of all of the couples several years later. I also enjoyed catching up with some of those young ladies that Lottie helped.
#netgalley
