What if the steps they take to avoid marriage...
The last thing Asher MacGregor, newly titled Earl of
Balfour, wants is a society wife, though he has agreed to squire Boston heiress
Hannah Cooper about the London ballrooms. When he's met that obligation, he'll
return to the Highlands, and resume the myriad responsibilities awaiting him
there.
...Lead instead to impossible love?
At her step-father's insistence, Hannah Cooper must
endure a London season, though she has no intention of surrendering her
inheritance to a fortune hunter. When she's done her duty, she'll return to
Boston and the siblings who depend upon her for their safety... or will she? The taciturn Scottish earl
suits her purposes admirably-until genuine liking and unexpected passion bring
Asher and Hannah close. For if the Scottish earl and the American heiress fall
in love, an ocean of differences threatens to keep them apart.
Very good book. Asher has returned to Scotland after
being declared dead, to take up his responsibilities as the earl. He has no
intention of marrying, having a tragedy in his past that has made him unwilling
to risk his heart. He has been coerced
into escorting Hannah and her aunt around London, after which he will return to
Scotland and his duties there.
Hannah has been forced by her stepfather to go to London
and find a husband. She has no plans to marry; instead,
she will return to Boston to watch over her younger brothers, grandmother, and
mother. All she has to do is remain unmarried until she can claim her
inheritance.
I loved the relationship that developed between Asher and
Hannah. They clashed at the beginning, as neither wanted to be where they were.
But it didn't take long for them to discover their similarities, and a pretty
sweet friendship developed from there. Hannah is pragmatic about herself. She
doesn't see herself as attractive, she has a limp
and feels that her only appeal is her fortune. Her family is important to her, and she feels that she is the only one who can
protect them from her stepfather. Her focus is on surviving the Season and
returning to Boston. For Asher, his family is also his focus. He feels guilty
for the way he had previously abandoned them and is determined to make
everything right now that he is back.
It was fun to see Asher push Hannah through the
preparations for the Season. She tried to resist
but ended up giving in. I loved his sensitivity to her limp and the way he found
to fix it. It was sweet to see how he wanted to make her forced social time easier
for her. As they spent time together, they discovered that they liked each
other and appreciated the similarities of their situations. That liking turned
to love, intensified by the attraction they felt for each other. Asher quickly
realized that he wanted to keep Hannah in his life and proposed marriage.
Unfortunately, Hannah was still focused
on her need to return to Boston. I was a little frustrated with her, as Asher
made multiple offers to help her with her family issues, but she refused his
help. I ached for them both as they admitted their love for each other, but
couldn't see a way to make it work.
I loved the support that Asher received from his family.
They welcomed him back into the fold with few recriminations. When he wanted
their help with Hannah's Season, they came in force. There is an especially
moving scene near the end, as Asher is holding a baby, where he finally
confesses his painful past to his brothers. I loved their understanding and
shared grief.
I wasn't sure how Asher and Hannah were going to get
their HEA with everything that was working against them. Seeing her get on that
ship, headed back to Boston, made me want to shake her until she saw sense. That Asher's plan was nearly too late made me crazy
when so much could have been avoided if he had just told her what he had done.
I loved the ending as Hannah makes a decision and tries to stop the ship at the
same time Asher attempts to do the same. It was a scene that had me laughing
out loud and cheering them both on.
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