Starred review from June 15, 2020
The reluctant heir to an earldom discovers love with the sister of a duke in the pitch-perfect eighth romance of Balogh’s Westcott Regency series (after Someone to Remember). At the “old” age of 25, Jessica Archer, sister of the Duke of Netherby, decides the time has come to find a husband—despite not being enamored with any of the men she’s met during the London season. Then Gabriel Thorne, a British nobleman who fled England 13 years ago to become a successful Boston merchant, returns to town and boldly declares his intention to marry her. At the same time, the handsome Anthony Rochford, a man who anticipates inheriting the title of Earl of Lyndale, begins courting Jessica. Jessica is more attracted to Gabriel than to Anthony, though she’s not sure if she actually likes him. But when Gabriel reveals that he’s come to England to claim the title of Earl of Lyndale for himself, hoping to use it to prevent the eviction of his beloved aunt, Jessica finds herself all the more drawn to him. Balogh masterfully pulls back her characters’ aristocratic facades to delve deep into their personalities. The riveting, fast-paced narrative contains just enough intrigue to keep the pages flying. Regency fans will be delighted. Agent: Maria Carvainis, Maria Carvainis Agency.