Synopsis

They can save their families. But will it cost them their hearts?

Louisa Silverton is the daughter of a wealthy American businessman, brought up to believe a healthy profit is the only route to happiness. With the family company over-leveraged and in need of a capital injection, she travels to England to find a rich husband.

The Honourable Miss Sarah Davenport has no time for romance. The family estate of Kenilborough is mired in debt, and only she can save it. Unconventional and outspoken, Sarah is dismayed that somebody as intelligent and attractive as Louisa is willing to sacrifice herself for financial gain.

As Louisa pursues her campaign, Sarah realises her objections to the project run deeper than mere principles. At the same time, Louisa finds herself captivated by Sarah’s independent spirit. Yet to indulge their unexpected passion would surely mean the ruin of both their families. Bound by duty, will they ever be free to follow their hearts?

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Review

This story has a lot going for it: victorian setting, typical male treatment of women, finding a suitable partner to save a family fortune, and so much more. Many of the things that you would expect to find in a story set in this timeframe. You will also discover that there is compassion and acceptance.

I really liked Sarah’s character. She is a no-nonsense woman and, at 16, has the weight of the family estate on her shoulders. Her father is no help, and her step-brother is squandering any income they derive from the estate. He is sleazy and not to be trusted. His mother, Sarah’s stepmother, is not a lot better. She tends to spend money like it is going out of style.

Louisa arrives to find a husband to help bail out her father, but she discovers a friendship and love that transcends family responsibility. I enjoyed the friendships she developed, her smarts in helping Sarah manage her estate, and realizing that life is too short to end up in a dead-end relationship.

While this may be a romance, this didn’t happen until near the end of the book. Yes, we see Sarah’s interest in Louisa about midway through the book, but there is no action on her part to capture Louisa’s heart. I thought this was more of a drama that reflects the times and women’s values, or lack thereof, based on the men’s thought processes of the time. The book does hold true to the time period, which I appreciated.

I did enjoy the book and the HEA ending. We give it 4 paws up.

About the Author

Marianne Ratcliffe grew up in Lincolnshire. A biochemist by training, she has always found creating new worlds and interesting characters every bit as rewarding as discoveries at a laboratory bench. She has had short stories published in literary magazines and was runner-up in the Guildford Book Festival short story competition in 2010. In 2017, redundancy spurred her to focus on creative writing, the result being The Secret of Matterdale Hall, a sapphic romance/mystery set in the Victorian era. Marianne lives in Cheshire with her wife and two dogs.

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