Review: Interplay between these two, mixed with some fairly outrageous actions and plans on Charlotte’s part keep these two bouncing off
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 9, 2014
Oh this was a fun one from start to finish, Charlotte is firmly upon the shelf at thirty-three, yet her mother can’t or won’t seem to see her as a woman fully grown.  A touch on the spoiled side, I believe that her father was more than responsible for encouraging her rather unconventional approach to life, and her very forthright manner.  Her brother is recently married to a woman not of his mother’s choosing, but is taking up the mantle of title and family quite nicely, and he turns out to be one of Charlotte’s staunchest supporters.For her part, Charlotte is less bold and looking to cause offense than she is more set in her own belief that her way is the better one, and she does have a reputation for manipulating or pushing people to do what she believes they should: a real shocker for her when she realizes that without her own deepest desire for a love that enriches both parties rather than settles them into complacency, she could become a version of her interfering mother.  Fortunately for her, if she is bold and daring enough, and allows herself to speak honestly, she will have that love and more than she ever dreamed of, even when she was prone to those dreams.Nathan the young-ish Marquis of Ravenhurst is famed for his foul temper and refuses to enter the social whirl that is expected of men in his social class.  When he acquiesces to a house party in which his nephew and heir is to play host, he is dashing from space to space within the country house to avoid the partygoers.  Charlotte is a friend of Jaime, the nephew, and is possessed of particular knowledge of his predilections and romantic interest. She agrees to be the screen so Jaime and the man he fancies can have some privacy in the hedge maze, and when she is leaving them alone, she is confronted with the very solid and gruff presence of Ravenhurst.These two are oh so clever! Charlotte is smart but so wonderfully caring and able to empathize and reason her way around nearly everyone’s behaviors but her own and her mother’s.  She is convinced that Nathan is hurting and in dire need of a friend: ignoring the fact that he is the perfect man for her.  Nathan is struggling with his own demons, aided on by a hefty dose of guilt and misguided allegiance to his sister and her need to have him pay for circumstances far beyond his control.  A battered child, his father was a horrible parent and human being from all accounts, Nathan is convinced that being alone is preferable to endangering someone else should he lose his temper.  The only wrench in his plan is Charlotte Darrington, her willingness to brave the lion in his den and the lack of her shying from his tantrums: she brings him a peace and intrigues him more than anyone he has ever encountered.Interplay between these two, mixed with some fairly outrageous actions and plans on Charlotte’s part keep these two bouncing off one another as they struggle with the communication missteps and their burgeoning attraction.  It is hard not to feel for Nathan or Charlotte as the story progresses, and when Charlotte’s innate caring and goodness gives him the needed resolve to take a chance, their interactions prove these two are meant to be together, and love is possible, even among the marry for position and convenience set in Regency London.I received an eBook copy of the title via Tasty Book Tours for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility