An Affair By the Sea

in , , , by Duchess Bethany, September 16, 2022

TITLE: An Affair by the Sea
SERIES: The Siren's Retreat Quartet #2
AUTHOR: Erica Ridley
RATING: 
STEAM: 

THE SYNOPSIS
What happens when a wallflower's extremely make-believe fake suitor appears in the flesh just in time to ruin all her spinsterly plans?

Orphaned pianist Allegra Brown is a poor relation with nothing much to recommend her, save a minuscule dowry and a very big imagination. She has spent the past several years as governess to her younger cousins, who are now ready for their come out—and want Allegra to marry, too. Specifically, they eagerly await the return of Allegra’s dashing, handsome, swashbuckling, conveniently absent and secretly fictional fiancé, the dread pirate Captain L’Amour.

The only place Mr. John Sharp strikes fear is in the courtroom, where his neat, ordered mind is renowned for winning every case he presents. John loves predictability and longs to be a chef. Unfortunately, every time he puts on an apron, the entire kitchen catches fire. Much like passion burning between him and a certain wildly unpredictable spinster, who seems to have confused him for a dashing, exciting pirate. By fulfilling her fantasies, can his dreams come true…together?

THE REVIEW
John Sharp is a London renowned solicitor, but secretly has always wanted to be a chef. So he has recently left his steady job, took over a tea room in London and subsequently burned it to the ground! Shamed and embarrassed, he ended up in the seaside town, hoping to open his own tea room where he could control and plan for everything, so there would be no disasters. John realized early on that he was praised for doing things correctly and as an orphan he craved that praise, so he developed an compulsive need for perfection and control in everything he does.

Allegra Brown lives with her uncle and two cousins who she basically raised since they were infants. Her parents died when she was young and she was sent to live with her uncle. Almost like a Cinderella story, her uncle made her basically an unpaid servant. She became a governess and chaperone for her two cousins, just biding her time until her 30th birthday when she will receive an inheritance and she can afford be on her own!

Allegra has made up this gentleman pirate who is madly in love with her and someday he will return to her and they will live happily ever after! You can imagine her shock when, on an outing with her cousins, they almost run over a man fitting the exact description of her pirate!

John haphazardly agrees to go along with the charade and slowly they start to develop feelings for each other. It is the sweetest thing to watch them both open themselves up to the possibility of love and find solace in each other. I really enjoyed this book and I like that this series is standalone; it is refreshing to read a book and not have to focus too much on what I am already supposed to know and flag things I'll need to know for future books!


TROPES

Historical Romance, Regency Era, Seaside, Country Life, Beta/Cinnamon Roll Hero, Disabled/Scared Hero, Lawyer/Barrister Hero, Working/Merchant Class Hero, Self-Made Hero, Starchy Hero, Abused Heroine, Governess/Nanny Heroine, Musician Heroine, Orphan Heroine, Spinster Heroine, Virgin Heroine, Fake Relationship, Cinderella Trope, Runaway/Jilted Groom, Four Star, Two Flame



HistoricalRomance, RegencyEra, Seaside, CountryLife, Beta/CinnamonRollHero, Disabled/ScaredHero, Lawyer/BarristerHero, SelfMadeHero, StarchyHero, AbusedHeroine, Governess/NannyHeroine, MusicianHeroine, OrphanHeroine,  SpinsterHeroine, VirginHeroine, FakeRelationship, CinderellaTrope, Runaway/JiltedGroom, FourStar, Twoflame, Working/MerchantClassHero
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