Review: There Goes the Groom by Esther Hatch

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

About the Book

Catching a husband has never been so complicated.

Matthew Harrison has only one task in life, to marry money. After failing miserably in London, his family takes matters into their own hands by arranging his marriage to the wealthy Lucy Bateman. But when he meets Lucy for the first time, his resolve to save his family from ruin crumbles. Lucy looks to be nothing more than a child, and he cannot fathom going through with the union. Without a thought for the consequences of his actions, he runs away.

Lucy Bateman didn’t like the idea of an arranged marriage, but she agreed to save her sister from suffering the same fate. However, when she played a trick on her groom-to-be by sending her younger sister to meet him in her place, he fled without a word. Now, three years later, Lucy stumbles upon her long-lost fiance working as a cart driver. Fate has given her a second chance and this time there will be no tricks… other than pretending to be someone else entirely in order to convince him to come home and marry her.

My Review

Oh, the tangled webs! A minor switcharoo prank drastically altered the lives of Matthew and Lucy. I love that she waits for him, and that when she discovers him and goes "undercover" they are able to get to know each other without the pressures of their families and society, where a true friendship blossoms. There is so much humor woven in with the complications of two hidden identities, sweet romance and amazing chemistry, and depth of feeling as Matthew and Lucy attempt to discover more about themselves, each other, and what the future holds. The very different lifestyle, the menial tasks of Matthew's job, the local villagers, and the goose bring a vibrant setting and cast of characters that were an absolute pleasure to read and the perfect place to fall in love! The author strikes such a wonderful balance in each book in this series with light-hearted humor, toe-curling romance, and deeper emotions. Highly recommend them all!

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.

The Romance of Rank series