By Sarah M. Eden
Daphne Lancaster is used to being ignored and rejected, so she isn't anticipating Lord Tilburn's attention to her--even though she has admired her since a brief encounter with him, in which he was kind to her, when she was twelve. So when he seems interested in her, she's inwardly thrilled--but when she finds out that his father forced him into a courtship with her, she is heartbroken. For his part, James never intended to court Miss Lancaster; he agreed to be civil and pay a little attention to her; when his father threatened to cut off not only his funds but his brother's and mother's as well, James is torn, knowing it's not fair to a young lady to have someone forced into caring for her but also wanting to take care of his family. When he finds himself coming to know Daphne, he finds that she is delightful, but the truth of how his attentions began threatens to ruin everything. James must find a way to convince first Daphne's formidable brother-in-law, the Duke of Kielder, who will not allow anyone to hurt his family, and then Daphne herself that he can be trusted.
I was a little apprehensive as I started this book, because Adam (the Duke of Kielder) is such a forceful character, that he would take center stage and Daphne would be overshadowed--and indeed, at the outset, it almost felt like the book was more about Adam than Daphne (at least in the chapters from James' POV). However, as the book progressed, I got to see more and and more of Daphne and Adam was moved to the sides more--which was brilliant because it realistically depicted how James's perspective and emotions shifted. I loved having another glimpse of Adam--he's one of my favorite characters and I laugh out loud at some of the things he says--but I also liked seeing both Daphne and James find their voices. This is another excellent book from Sarah M. Eden! Can't wait for more!
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