Miss Lucy Bertram is content to spend her days writing scientific articles or curling up with a Gothic romance novel. Indeed, she'd rather stick a hatpin in her eye than attend a ball. But when her father, the eccentric botanist Sir Oswald, insists she accept the suit of a wealthy but stiffer-than-a-poker industrialist to save the family from penury, Lucy decides to act. She's certain her disowned brother, Monty, will take her side. But first she must find him in St. Giles's cutthroat rookeries.
As an unexpected but undeniable passion flares between Lucy and Will, confidences are exchanged and dark secrets come to light. But will a murderer, determined to stay hidden, destroy their chances of finding a happy-ever-after?
Lucy Bertram is the daughter of a poisonous plant expert scientist, although Lucy writes most of his papers and tends to the garden. She is a shy, independent spinster who enjoys the work she does and would love nothing more than to join the botanical society and travel for scientific expeditions. But, since women are not allowed in to those types of scientific societies, she settles for the accolades her father receives for her research.
William Douglas Lockhart has a tragic past in which he left home and his future as a Scottish duke, after a betrayal by his father and grandfather. He joined the army and then became a spy for the Crown. A job which lead him to Lucy’s door. He poses as a stable groom to spy on Lucy’s father as he believes he is responsible for a murder.
What neither of them expected was the instant attraction they both felt and the trust and friendship that developed into love. Together they search the seedy parts of London for Lucy’s estranged brother, Will helps her evade the attentions of a dangerous man who is trying to court her, and eventually she even helps Will with his investigation!
The first half of the book kind of dragged on a bit for me, but I am not going to put too much emphasis on my feelings about that because it was a weekend full of interruptions. When I start a book, I like to have a few hours of time to get several chapters in so I can focus on the setup. That didn’t happen this time, unfortunately. But, once I got into the action of the second half, I was all in with Lucy and Will! Both independent and the ‘never getting married’ sort, they were a fun couple to read about. They didn’t try to fight the attraction afraid to would lead to marriage, but they came to a mutual understanding. In the end, I think they both changed their minds about marriage when they remembered what it felt like to have a family. Someone to take care of you and worry about you. And I LOVE that type of turnaround; one where the characters are much in love, but it’s even deeper than that, it’s a state of being. A love you create for yourself, not just the love you have for the other person. It was such a sweet romance.
Historical Romance, Victorian Era, Country Life, East End London, Detective Hero, Highland Warrior Hero, Soldier/War Hero, Titled Hero, Bluestocking Heroine, Scientist Heroine, Spinster Heroine, Virgin Heroine, Fake Relationship, Instant Attraction, Hidden Identity, Mystery Romance, Suspense/Danger/Murder, Five Star, Three Flame
Greenhouse Steam, Botany,
Add your comment