Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Good book about a damsel in distress and her unlikely white knight. Lady Ashleigh and her mother are caught in a nightmare situation. Her father is a controlling and abusive man who regularly takes out his anger on her mother and her. Ashleigh has been saving her pin money in a desperate attempt to gain the funds necessary for her and her mother to escape. But when her father announces his plans to marry her to his friend, she knows she must move up her timeline. Ashleigh goes to Mrs. Harding at the School for Spinsters for help. Mrs. Harding suggests she use marriage to another man to escape and offers to find such a man for her.
Cameron has come to London from Scotland to find a wife. He is a widower with a young son and a spy for the Crown. A handsome and wealthy man, he disguised himself with a long beard and frumpy clothes to discourage those who wouldn't fit his needs. Because of a tragedy in his past, he only wants a marriage in name only.
When Ashleigh and Cameron meet, they quickly decide they would not suit. Ashleigh doesn't look past Cameron's appearance, and Cameron bases his decision on an incident he witnessed but doesn't know the background of. However, over the next few days, neither can forget the other. Cameron's instincts tell him Ashleigh is in trouble, but he tries to convince himself it's not his business. When circumstances force Ashleigh to attempt her escape earlier than planned (and she stupidly trusts the wrong person), Cormac witnesses first-hand the abuse she faces. I loved his quick-thinking extrication of Ashleigh from her father's clutches.
Ashleigh is understandably wary of Cameron, given her experience with her father, but his kindness and gentleness weaken her defenses. He offers to either marry her or take her somewhere safe. I liked their compromise: they would get to know each other on the trip to Scotland, where she would decide. They had a frank discussion of their expectations - no intimacy on his side and her mother's rescue on hers. During the trip, the sparks of attraction between them grow.
I loved Ashleigh's sensitivity to what she believes is Cameron's poor state of finances, and she is taken aback by the things he has purchased for her for their wedding. The wedding scene was terrific, and Cameron's fight against his attraction was evident. I loved her shock when they arrived at his home, and she discovered the truth about his wealth. But the bigger surprise comes when he tells her about his son and his expectation that she will be a mother to him. I understood his reasons for not telling her before, but it was still wrong.
I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. The sparks between them are evident from the start, but Cameron is determined to ignore them. That becomes increasingly difficult as Ashleigh is determined to make theirs a real marriage. I enjoyed seeing Ashleigh discover that there is more to Cameron than meets the eye, and she rapidly loses her heart to him. Her frustration is evident when he leaves soon after their arrival and gives no indication when he will return. He has been assigned a new mission and refuses to tell her about his clandestine activities.
I ached for them during their time apart. I liked seeing Ashleigh settle in, fall for little Logan, and help her mother recover. But she desperately misses Cameron. Meanwhile, Cameron is in desperate straits on his mission, and his life is in danger. I was glued to the pages through this part as he faced death. I cheered on Ashleigh after his arrival back home in deplorable condition and loved her determination to be part of his healing. Her ingenuity in finding her way past his protectors was inspired.
This was a turning point in their marriage, and I loved watching them grow closer. Cameron must get past his traumatic memories before he can open up completely to his feelings for her. There are also some instances of Ashleigh needing to realize that Cameron is very different than her father and that she can trust him. I loved how Ashleigh went after what she wanted.
There is trouble with Ashleigh's father, who has not taken the disappearance of his daughter and wife well. He makes a tactical error in his attempt to get them back to London. I loved the plan Ashleigh and Cameron devised and enjoyed seeing Ashleigh take on her father. The real surprise was Ashleigh's mother, and I loved seeing the changes in her.
The ending was great, and I'm looking forward to reading more of this series.
#netgalley
Cameron has come to London from Scotland to find a wife. He is a widower with a young son and a spy for the Crown. A handsome and wealthy man, he disguised himself with a long beard and frumpy clothes to discourage those who wouldn't fit his needs. Because of a tragedy in his past, he only wants a marriage in name only.
When Ashleigh and Cameron meet, they quickly decide they would not suit. Ashleigh doesn't look past Cameron's appearance, and Cameron bases his decision on an incident he witnessed but doesn't know the background of. However, over the next few days, neither can forget the other. Cameron's instincts tell him Ashleigh is in trouble, but he tries to convince himself it's not his business. When circumstances force Ashleigh to attempt her escape earlier than planned (and she stupidly trusts the wrong person), Cormac witnesses first-hand the abuse she faces. I loved his quick-thinking extrication of Ashleigh from her father's clutches.
Ashleigh is understandably wary of Cameron, given her experience with her father, but his kindness and gentleness weaken her defenses. He offers to either marry her or take her somewhere safe. I liked their compromise: they would get to know each other on the trip to Scotland, where she would decide. They had a frank discussion of their expectations - no intimacy on his side and her mother's rescue on hers. During the trip, the sparks of attraction between them grow.
I loved Ashleigh's sensitivity to what she believes is Cameron's poor state of finances, and she is taken aback by the things he has purchased for her for their wedding. The wedding scene was terrific, and Cameron's fight against his attraction was evident. I loved her shock when they arrived at his home, and she discovered the truth about his wealth. But the bigger surprise comes when he tells her about his son and his expectation that she will be a mother to him. I understood his reasons for not telling her before, but it was still wrong.
I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. The sparks between them are evident from the start, but Cameron is determined to ignore them. That becomes increasingly difficult as Ashleigh is determined to make theirs a real marriage. I enjoyed seeing Ashleigh discover that there is more to Cameron than meets the eye, and she rapidly loses her heart to him. Her frustration is evident when he leaves soon after their arrival and gives no indication when he will return. He has been assigned a new mission and refuses to tell her about his clandestine activities.
I ached for them during their time apart. I liked seeing Ashleigh settle in, fall for little Logan, and help her mother recover. But she desperately misses Cameron. Meanwhile, Cameron is in desperate straits on his mission, and his life is in danger. I was glued to the pages through this part as he faced death. I cheered on Ashleigh after his arrival back home in deplorable condition and loved her determination to be part of his healing. Her ingenuity in finding her way past his protectors was inspired.
This was a turning point in their marriage, and I loved watching them grow closer. Cameron must get past his traumatic memories before he can open up completely to his feelings for her. There are also some instances of Ashleigh needing to realize that Cameron is very different than her father and that she can trust him. I loved how Ashleigh went after what she wanted.
There is trouble with Ashleigh's father, who has not taken the disappearance of his daughter and wife well. He makes a tactical error in his attempt to get them back to London. I loved the plan Ashleigh and Cameron devised and enjoyed seeing Ashleigh take on her father. The real surprise was Ashleigh's mother, and I loved seeing the changes in her.
The ending was great, and I'm looking forward to reading more of this series.
#netgalley
