The second lady Silverwood for me was a slow burner at first because I felt like what I wanted to see was not happening however that could be a good thing because it kept me reading till the very end. The characters have such depth to them that I want to know more, we only got to have a glimpse of Ben's character and why he was like that due to the passing of his 1st wife however I wanted to read more about him and his life pre-meeting Vanessa or kate and find out why he picked Vanessa.

Anyway and anyhow, please read this book if you are looking for a cute and charming book or how to discover how lust can turn into love. This book is spicyish and romantic at the same time

I read this book in one sitting! Absolutely loved it. I was so excited to tell someone about it, i was updating my boyfriend at every major thing that happened within the Silverwood Family - imagine falling in love in the 1800’s while at a debutante ball and the guy you’ve fallen in love with had his eyes set on the girl behind you and you fade in to the darkness. Fast forward 7 years and you are teaching his 6 year old daughter Italian. He’s now a widower and looking for another wife but he’s hiding secrets that you find out eventually. Definitely recommend for anyone who is into like Bridgerton vibes with a lot of spice included.

This was a delightful Regency story in the style of Georgette Heyer (but with significantly more spice!). As I was reading the prologue, all I could think was, did someone resurrect Georgette Heyer and blackmail her ghost into writing this book? It quickly became clear, however, this this was not a closed door romance.

I just adored the two leads—they felt like thoroughly three dimensional characters, and their love story felt very true to the time. I did wonder for the first two-thirds or so what the conflict in the story would be, and the climax kind of came out of left field, but I didn’t mind it at all.

If you are used to more modern HR writers like Julia Quinn or Tessa Dare, this author’s style might take a little getting used to. But once you get used to the style, you will absolutely adore this book. Can’t wait to see what comes next from this author.

Just brilliant. Kate is a worthy heroine, real, kind and wanting to do her best for all. Benedict is dutiful and listens to his family and loves truly. This is a romantic romp, with a bit of mystery and bloodshed that helps us care more for the family..

Review for NetGalley:
Kate falls in love during her first season; Benedict is kind, dashing, intelligent, and in love with someone else. However, several years later their paths cross again. Benedict is now a widower in search of a wife and Kate is a spinster in search of love.

Orchard has crafted a really engaging romance novel which ticks a lot of boxes: historical romance, marriage of convenience, unrequited love, second chances plus lots of spicy scenes.

Side characters are well fleshed out and interesting and the romance is really well paced. I look forward to reading more books by Orchard!

This is a new author to me and I am rather pleased to have discovered her. She evokes the period with great authenticity and style. No one can replicate the late, great Georgette Heyer, but like I the author’s style and facility with language.

I liked both the hero and the heroine. However, I felt the hero’s backstory angst (a wife who was unfaithful with his brother, and a jealous cousin wanting to inherit the estate), somewhat unoriginal and lacking credibility.

Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable read and I’ll look out for more by this author.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.