Romancing Miss Quill

TITLE: Romancing Miss Quill

SERIES: Willful Winterbournes #1

AUTHOR: Sandra Sookoo

RATING: 

STEAM: 

THE SYNOPSIS
Lightning doesn’t strike twice… Arthur Charles Winterbourne, Earl of Ettesmere, at the age of forty-four is done indulging in fanciful matters such as love and romance. When his wife died, he was brokenhearted. During the midsummer season, he and his siblings join their mother at the Berkshire countryside for revelry and entertainment, but all his wants is to shut himself away and leave living to the ones who believe in happiness after loss.

Romance doesn’t hold a candle to science… Miss Juliana Quill has no time for courtship or attracting a man, which is why she’s on the shelf at seven and thirty. A self-taught astronomer, she looks after her aging father and wants nothing more than to chart the stars and perhaps discover a new heavenly body. That gives her more satisfaction than marriage or rearing children ever could. No sense in wishing for more, especially since she missed her chance.

Love appears when it’s least convenient… When a handful of mysterious notes throw Arthur and Juliana together at every turn, a slow attraction blooms from friendship. Despite their stubborn refusals, desire flares and grows into a romance neither of them ever expected. While Arthur battles with guilt and memories, she’s nearly petrified by their difference, but these two willful, love-shy people will need to open their hearts and minds to grasp a happy ending they’d never dreamed they could have.

THE HEROINE

Julianna Quill is a spinster who has a deep passion for astronomy.  Her mother and brother died, so she is the sole caregiver of her aging, Alzheimer's father. She has always been content with her life and lack of romance or never being married. But when Arthur kisses her, she realizes that maybe she missed out on more than she knew and it sparks a desire in her she had long shut away. Julianna was a very well written character who saw the trouble Arthur was going through to overcome his grief and showed understanding and patience. She allowed herself to explore their relationship while he worked through his emotions, but also knew when she was getting to close to pull back and force him to face his fears before she was irreparably hurt.  She was so sweet to his children and even put herself in uncomfortable situations to attend his society events.   

THE HERO

Arthur Winterbourne, Earl of Ettesmere was in love with his first wife who bore him two beautiful children before you passed away. For five years, he has lived in a fog of grief and mourning his wife. But, when he meets the interesting Julianna he is smitten and, for this first time since his wife's death, she stirs feelings in him he never thought to find again. He struggles with the guilt and betrayal that he feels when he is with Julianna and can't seem to get past the idea of finding love again. He is so very sweet to Julianna and I loved his honesty about how he was feeling about his deceased wife.  Ms. Sookoo handled the grief and transition to a new love with care and I was able to see his struggle and feel his ability to love again. 

THE PLOT

I was a little concerned that this story was not going to have enough of a plot to hold my attention which held true for the first few chapters. I feel that is true with any first book in a new series; the author is trying to set up the storyline and the families involved. However, I was quickly pulled into the angst of the romance between Arthur and Julianna and devoured the rest of the book.  I was also left excited to see which characters book comes next and can't wait to see their happily ever after!

THE STEAM

There were a couple of steamy scenes, all of which took place outside! LOL! And I loved it! 

TROPES

Historical Romance, Regency Era, Country Life, Beta/Cinnamon Roll Hero, Single Dad, Titled Hero, Widowed Hero, Bluestocking Heroine, Independent Heroine, Scientist Heroine, Spinster Heroine, Virgin Heroine, Outdoor Steam, Angst Romance, Class Difference, Friends to Lovers, Four Star, Three Flame

HistoricalRomance, RegencyEra, CountryLife, Beta/CinnamonrollHero, SingleDad, TitledHero, WidowedHero, BluestockingHeroine, IndependentHeroine, ScientistHeroine, SpinsterHeroine, VirginHeroine, OutdoorSteam, AngstRomance, ClassDifference, FriendstoLovers, FourStar, ThreeFlame