My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing
Synopsis
Her father promised her to one man.
She promised her heart to a second.
Until she meets the third.
Lady Alicia Kendall has it all: wealth, beauty, suitors--and a history of creating scandals. The only thing she doesn't have is her best friend and man of her dreams, Henry Crawley. When Henry announces his plans to join the Regulars, her father's adamant disapproval of him deepens and prompts a deal to be struck:
She has two weeks to secure Henry's proposal, or she must give him up forever and marry a man of her father's choosing.
Alicia agrees. But when one of her attempts goes awry, she gets a begrudging proposal from someone else entirely--Matthew Wycliffe. The most condescending man ever to walk the face of the earth, and her newly-discovered nemesis.
If only to avoid yet another scandal, Alicia accepts Mr. Wycliffe's offer. After all, with the deal she struck with her father, she'll never marry the man anyway. But as they endure dark castles, hot-tempered soldiers, and hidden secrets brought to light all in their quest for a proposal from Henry, Alicia notices something different about the insufferable, grumbling Matthew Wycliffe. And she wonders if perhaps the proposal she wants is the one she's already received.
My Review
It was hard to know what to think while Alicia is professing love for childhood friend Henry but using Matthew's grudging proposal to buy time to avoid an alliance with Lord Hawthorne who has an uncanny knack for interrupting romantic interludes and overhearing furtive plans. What a love triangle! Her motivations for pursuing Henry are subconscious and it is not until later in the book that they are revealed to herself and the reader through Matthew's skilled observations. I think my favorite parts of the book are observing Matthew and the way he holds himself aloof but is secretly caught off guard by Alicia. Their interactions are fraught with tension and chemistry, despite her supposed animosity for him and his supposed indifference to her. What banter! I don't blame her for her frustrations with Matthew, and they each give as good as they get. Highly entertaining! Definitely going on my re-read list!
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.
Don't miss the previous books in the Wycliffe Family series . . .
