Review: Enjoyable read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 29, 2013
Book source ~ Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for providing a review copy.Honoria `Nora' Duchamp runs her family's bookstore and even though she has a Duke in her family tree she'll never be seen as more than a widow of the merchant class and below the station of her patrons. When Lord Devin stops in to her store one day and then begins to flirt with her, she is taken aback. What could the young and handsome Devin want with her? And why is she suddenly daydreaming of things that could never happen?Lord Alexander Devin is a Viscount and 14 years younger than Nora. When he is sent to investigate a widowed bookstore owner he expects a dried up old hag. Instead, he gets the intelligent and beautiful Nora and he's intrigued. Unfortunately, he's stuck in an impossible situation and must continue to lie to her as to his true intentions. Is there hope for this unusual pairing? What about the lies each are withholding from the other? They seem doomed from the beginning and yet there is hope.This historical romance was a little different from the usual fair since the heroine is older than the hero by a considerable number of years. Well, what was thought to be considerable then and even to some people today. The age and station difference creates a lot of conflict, but it's the reason behind Alex's original visit that is the true problem. Alex, for the most part, is wise beyond his years, but in this one thing he doesn't really use his head. But then again we're talking the 1800s, where the man was the head of the household and he was supposed to take care of his family and not worry the females he was responsible for with unpleasant business.Nora is too stuck on the fact she is older than Alex, but here again, we're talking the 1800s where it was virtually unheard of for a wife to be older than her husband. A mistress, yes, but not a wife. A wife is expected to provide her husband with an heir and she's too old for that even if she could buck tradition and marry Alex.All-in-all a solid historical romance with great characters and an intriguing storyline.