Heidi Reads...: Review & Giveaway: Courting the Countess by Donna Hatch

Courting the Countess

by Donna Hatch

Adult Historical Romance

Paperback & ebook, 388 pages

October 5th 2016 by The Wild Rose Press, Inc

When charming rake Tristan Barrett sweeps Lady Elizabeth off her feet, stealing both her heart and a kiss in a secluded garden, her brother challenges Tristan to a duel. The only way to save her brother and Tristan from harm—not to mention preserve her reputation—is to get married. But her father, the Duke of Pemberton, refuses to allow his daughter to marry anyone but a titled lord. The duke demands that Elizabeth marry Tristan’s older brother, Richard, the Earl of Averston. Now Elizabeth must give up Tristan to marry a man who despises her, a man who loves another, a man she’ll never love.

Richard fears Elizabeth is as untrustworthy as his mother, who ran off with another man. However, to protect his brother from a duel and their family name from further scandal, he agrees to the wedding, certain his new bride will betray him. Yet when Elizabeth turns his house upside down and worms her way into his reluctant heart, Richard suspects he can’t live without his new countess. Will she stay with him or is it too little, too late?

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My Review

The dynamics of Richard and Elizabeth's relationship are complicated, but I loved seeing them take two steps forward, one step back in their journey toward trusting each other and risking their hearts for love. There are so many great secondary characters in this book that I would love to see another book about so I'm hoping it will be a series :) The focus of the plot is the angst between Richard and Elizabeth, but there is plenty of foreshadowing of a villainous Mr. Black who is terrorizing the ton with violent burglaries and running a black market of stolen goods and other nefarious activities. Some suspense comes into play in the later part of the book when the family is placed in danger and it added another dimension to the story. Overall I enjoyed the interactions between Richard and Elizabeth the most as they slowly get to know each other's true character and not just what they assumed from first impressions.

(Thank you to the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Donna Hatch is the author of the best-selling “Rogue Hearts Series,” and a winner of writing awards such as The Golden Quill and the International Digital Award. A hopeless romantic and adventurer at heart, she discovered her writing passion at the tender age of 8 and has been listening to those voices ever since. She has become a sought-after workshop presenter, and also juggles freelance editing, multiple volunteer positions, and most of all, her six children (seven, counting her husband). A native of Arizona who recently transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, she and her husband of over twenty five years are living proof that there really is a happily ever after.