Series: Lords at the Altar (Book 2)
With this ring…I thee claim!
After the loss of his wife and children, the Marquess of
Huntercombe closed his heart to love. But now that he must marry to secure an
heir, he's determined that the beautiful, impoverished widow Lady Emma Lacy
should be his…
Emma has vowed never to marry for money so must refuse
him. But when her children's grandfather sets to steal them away from her, she
has no other option: she must become the marquess's convenient bride!
Terrific book with the unusual plot point of having older
main characters, a very nice change of pace. Hunt has just turned fifty and
finds himself in the position of needing an heir. He lost his wife and children
to smallpox eleven years earlier and recently lost his younger half-brother. His
sisters are happy to assist him, but he vehemently rejects their list of
simpering young debutants (one of whom was his goddaughter - shudder). He'd
much prefer to marry a widow of mature years, who understands that it won't be
a love match.
Emma is thirty-two with two young children. She had loved
her husband very much. Theirs was a love match, though opposed by their feuding
families. As a result, Emma was disowned by her parents, and they were ignored
by his. When Peter died, Emma was left in financial straits, and making ends
meet is a challenge. She adores her children and is very much a hands-on parent
with their care. Her life is complicated by men who believe a widow is fair
game and who take it badly when Emma rejects their advances.
I loved the first meeting between Hunt and Emma. Both
were visiting Hatchard's bookstore and library, where Hunt was drawn into a
conversation with Emma and her children. Hunt was intrigued and attracted and
took the chance to walk with Emma, Harry, and Georgie when the children begged
to play with his dog. Hunt was puzzled by Emma's coolness until later when it occurred
to him that she mistook his intentions. I appreciated the fact that he called
on her to apologize for the misunderstanding. He hadn't been able to forget her
and broached the subject of his search for a wife, and his belief that they
would suit. Emma, being a practical woman, did not reject him immediately and
agreed to them spending time together to pursue the idea. She never planned to
marry for money, but taking care of her children is a priority.
I loved seeing them spend time together, and could see
the feelings and attraction growing. There were some marvelous scenes of them
together and with the children. At one point, Emma pulls back, believing that her
(undeserved) reputation would do him no good. She quickly changes her mind when
an unexpected visit from her father-in-law results in a threat to take her
children away from her. Her visit to Hunt, begging for his help, was immensely moving.
I loved Hunt's protectiveness and care for Emma and his speedy solution to the
problem. The scene at the wedding was priceless, as Hunt threw a wrench into Keswick's
plans.
Though Hunt and Emma are now married, there are still challenges
to overcome before they get their happy ending. Hunt closed himself off
emotionally after the deaths of his family and believes that he is too empty to
offer his heart to Emma. Though Emma accepted the conditions of Hunt's proposal,
she isn't so sure she can abide by them. I loved watching the development of
this marriage. On the plus side from the beginning is the attraction between
Emma and Hunt. The heat between them is intense, and both are enthusiastic
about their physical connection. Hunt is a bit wary, as he feels himself
wanting more than the emotionless bargain, and tries desperately to keep that
distance between them. Though she had agreed to the "no love"
stipulation, Emma quickly realizes that she is falling hard for Hunt. I ached
for both of them as they worked through the things that were keeping them
apart. I loved Emma's courage as she took charge of her feelings. It took a
near-tragedy for Hunt to be able to let go of the past and embrace the future
that was waiting for him. He came through with flying colors, and his big
moment with Emma was intensely emotional. I loved the epilogue, too, showing how
different his life became.
There was a bit of suspense running through the book
also. It began with Emma noticing someone following/watching her. Then there
were the threats made by her father-in-law and his attitude toward her
children. There were a couple of suspicious events, including a fire at their
old house. But it was an attack by a supposed highwayman that put young Harry
in the bullseye that exposed a deeper problem. There were some interesting
twists and turns to the resolution of that issue.
The secondary characters were interesting. The two sets
of parents were particularly horrible in their treatment of Emma. I liked
seeing Hunt shut them down when needed, but would have liked something a little
more drastic to make the point. Hunt's sisters were something else too. I liked
that Hunt was firm but kind when he dealt with them - they could be pretty
obnoxious with their attitudes. I liked Hunt's friends, the Cambournes, and
have put their story on my want to read list. I loved Emma's children, Harry
and Georgie. They are realistically portrayed, and I enjoyed seeing their
antics. Harry especially won my heart with his determination to take care of
his sister and mother. I also loved seeing their effect on Hunt and how they
helped him find the ability to love again.
No comments:
Post a Comment