Synopsis
Nottinghamshire, 1785
Julia
Cummings has long been acquainted with loss-her mother, her brother,
her sister, her friend, all gone too soon. But the loss that pushed her
grief to the limit as a young girl was that of her best friend, Lucas
Jonquil, who abandoned her without looking back. Now, eight years later,
Lucas has returned to Lampton Park, and Julia has steeled herself- she
will never forgive the man who broke her heart.
After losing too
many of his friends and family to early deaths, Lucas vowed to live
life to the fullest. And after traversing the world, he has returned
from his adventures to find his family and home as he left them- except
for Julia. The little girl he left behind has blossomed into a
captivating lady, a lady who makes it clear she despises him. With
little hope of reconciliation, the former friends are blindsided when
their parents make a shocking announcement. Lucas and Julia have been
betrothed without their knowledge and are to marry immediately. Now
Lucas must rely on the help of his closest friends to win the heart of a
lady who loathes him-a lady he’s coming to love more deeply every day.
My Review
Julia is such an important character as the mother known as Mater in the Jonquil brothers series, and I was thrilled to learn she was getting her own book! It was a little heartbreaking to read of her struggles and vulnerability with Lucas from the beginning, since they have been known to have such a deep love for one another. Lucas is an important brother figure to Julia, but his neglect of her as they grow older has a profound influence on her. She is slow to trust and resents Lucas for his abandonment and silence over the years when she has needed his friendship the most. I did find him rather self-centered, but it is an understandable flaw with all that he has going on in his life. It didn't make him less likeable to me, just made me feel more compassion for Julia and the feeling of being unimportant and overlooked. He has a lot to make up for as they are thrown into the difficult circumstance of an arranged marriage, one which proves to be the best thing that ever happened to him- once his eyes are opened to the possibilities of a life with Julia. A lovely, angsty, Georgian-set romance that begins a new series for the author. I can't wait to see what the next book will be about!!!
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
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