Good book. Diana is dismayed and angry when she returns to England after her father and brother's deaths to find that her ex-fiance has moved into her family home. It's even worse when she learns that her brother left his share of their inheritance to Rupert and not her. To cap it all off, he refuses to leave occupancy to her and insists on sharing the house with her.
Rupert knew Diana wouldn't take kindly to the news, but he didn't expect such an extreme reaction. He's still angry over how she broke their engagement and dealing with his own grief over the loss of his best friend.
Boy, did the sparks ever fly between these two. When Jem and Rupert left England for South Africa to fight in the Boer War, Rupert and Diana were engaged. At the same time, she left England to stay with her father in South Africa and be near Rupert and Jem. But when she arrived, Diana confronted Rupert over a rumor she heard regarding a mistress and a child. She wasn't angry or accusing; she simply wanted to know the truth. However, Rupert never answered the question; he just turned and walked away. That left Diana feeling that she had no choice but to break the engagement. Fast forward two years and Rupert and Diana are thrown together.
I liked both Rupert and Diana, but I also had problems with them. Rupert is a gentleman and an officer in the Horse Guards. However, due to his upbringing, he has some serious trust issues. He does not lie, and when someone questions him, he takes it badly, believing that person doesn't trust him. His unwillingness to answer a simple question made him appear guilty, so I couldn't fault Diana for her reaction. Diana is a practical woman and one who doesn't like to be left in the dark. She has no problem questioning things that happen around her. But when there is something that she doesn't like, she can be petty and childish, deliberately provoking Rupert.
The development of the relationship between Rupert and Diana was a fiery one. Before the broken engagement, their love seemed deep and unshakeable, and their attraction undeniable. Not much is said about the time they were apart, but it quickly becomes clear that they hadn't forgotten each other. It was interesting to see that Rupert not only expected Diana's reaction, he looked forward to it, though he is surprised at how furious she is. He refuses all of her proposals that would cede the house to her, instead proposing that they share it. To avoid scandal, using their engagement before they left England, Rupert insists that they pretend they are married. Diana's anger and hurt over what she sees as her brother's betrayal are understandable, but she goes overboard in her reaction. Instead of working with Rupert to find a compromise, Diana takes petty to a new level. Not only does she divide the house into his and her rooms, but she also refuses to allow the servants to help him.
A large part of the book is full of Rupert and Diana pushing each other's buttons, seeming to revel in ticking each other off. I honestly wanted to shake them both and tell them to grow up. Complicating matters was the attraction that still burned between them. It appeared that every time they got into an argument, they ended up in bed. They finally got to the point where they accepted the attraction, but Diana kept the distance between them. When it looks like maybe they will finally get to the bottom of what came between them, yet another rumor rears its head. Diana desperately wants to know the details of her brother's death, Rupert isn't talking, and Diana gets disquieting comments from other people. When Diana asks Rupert for his side, he once again walks away rather than answer her. I liked that this time Diana doesn't take his departure lying down but determinedly pursues him. Tracking him down gives her a new perspective and appreciation of his past, making it easier to break through his walls. I loved seeing Rupert finally open up and tell Diana everything. I ached for him and the guilt he felt and loved Diana's honest and practical reaction to what he told her. With that demon off their backs, Rupert and Diana are finally able to look to their future. I loved the ending and the surprise that Rupert had for her.
Rupert knew Diana wouldn't take kindly to the news, but he didn't expect such an extreme reaction. He's still angry over how she broke their engagement and dealing with his own grief over the loss of his best friend.
Boy, did the sparks ever fly between these two. When Jem and Rupert left England for South Africa to fight in the Boer War, Rupert and Diana were engaged. At the same time, she left England to stay with her father in South Africa and be near Rupert and Jem. But when she arrived, Diana confronted Rupert over a rumor she heard regarding a mistress and a child. She wasn't angry or accusing; she simply wanted to know the truth. However, Rupert never answered the question; he just turned and walked away. That left Diana feeling that she had no choice but to break the engagement. Fast forward two years and Rupert and Diana are thrown together.
I liked both Rupert and Diana, but I also had problems with them. Rupert is a gentleman and an officer in the Horse Guards. However, due to his upbringing, he has some serious trust issues. He does not lie, and when someone questions him, he takes it badly, believing that person doesn't trust him. His unwillingness to answer a simple question made him appear guilty, so I couldn't fault Diana for her reaction. Diana is a practical woman and one who doesn't like to be left in the dark. She has no problem questioning things that happen around her. But when there is something that she doesn't like, she can be petty and childish, deliberately provoking Rupert.
The development of the relationship between Rupert and Diana was a fiery one. Before the broken engagement, their love seemed deep and unshakeable, and their attraction undeniable. Not much is said about the time they were apart, but it quickly becomes clear that they hadn't forgotten each other. It was interesting to see that Rupert not only expected Diana's reaction, he looked forward to it, though he is surprised at how furious she is. He refuses all of her proposals that would cede the house to her, instead proposing that they share it. To avoid scandal, using their engagement before they left England, Rupert insists that they pretend they are married. Diana's anger and hurt over what she sees as her brother's betrayal are understandable, but she goes overboard in her reaction. Instead of working with Rupert to find a compromise, Diana takes petty to a new level. Not only does she divide the house into his and her rooms, but she also refuses to allow the servants to help him.
A large part of the book is full of Rupert and Diana pushing each other's buttons, seeming to revel in ticking each other off. I honestly wanted to shake them both and tell them to grow up. Complicating matters was the attraction that still burned between them. It appeared that every time they got into an argument, they ended up in bed. They finally got to the point where they accepted the attraction, but Diana kept the distance between them. When it looks like maybe they will finally get to the bottom of what came between them, yet another rumor rears its head. Diana desperately wants to know the details of her brother's death, Rupert isn't talking, and Diana gets disquieting comments from other people. When Diana asks Rupert for his side, he once again walks away rather than answer her. I liked that this time Diana doesn't take his departure lying down but determinedly pursues him. Tracking him down gives her a new perspective and appreciation of his past, making it easier to break through his walls. I loved seeing Rupert finally open up and tell Diana everything. I ached for him and the guilt he felt and loved Diana's honest and practical reaction to what he told her. With that demon off their backs, Rupert and Diana are finally able to look to their future. I loved the ending and the surprise that Rupert had for her.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley
Would have been better if it had some passion in both the anger and the love. If felt lacking in everything really from the beginning Rupert was just mean and not caring what Diana is going through. He got everything that Diana's brother would inherit when her father passed away and now bother her brother(Jem) was killed in the war in South Africa and then her father the year after Jem, and finding out she has to deal with the man that she had loved and still does but has hated for years because of a misunderstanding is now living him her town house, has Jem's half of the diamond mines, the race horse, housing and so much more. So she is all aover he place in her feelings and add him into the mix of daily life and his meanness towards her,
I had to re-read sentences because they changed povs each one and I don't mind different peoples views but to have 3 with in 1 paragraph was getting me wanting to just skip and to gloss over it. I managed to read most but the lack of passion just put me off this book or author not sure what yet since this is my first Jane Feather book.
Would have been better if it had some passion in both the anger and the love. If felt lacking in everything really from the beginning Rupert was just mean and not caring what Diana is going through. He got everything that Diana's brother would inherit when her father passed away and now bother her brother(Jem) was killed in the war in South Africa and then her father the year after Jem, and finding out she has to deal with the man that she had loved and still does but has hated for years because of a misunderstanding is now living him her town house, has Jem's half of the diamond mines, the race horse, housing and so much more. So she is all aover he place in her feelings and add him into the mix of daily life and his meanness towards her,
I had to re-read sentences because they changed povs each one and I don't mind different peoples views but to have 3 with in 1 paragraph was getting me wanting to just skip and to gloss over it. I managed to read most but the lack of passion just put me off this book or author not sure what yet since this is my first Jane Feather book.
