Series: The Castleburys #3
Author: Jennifer Seasons
Published May 7th 2024 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc
Goodreads Synopsis
Gentlemen have all the fun . . . or do they?
The newly titled Earl of Castlebury, Crawford is under a lot of stress. New title responsibilities, pressure from his mother to find a suitable wife, his late father’s shipping empire to run. The last thing he needs is a feisty female pretending to be a deal porter down at his shipyard. She’s obviously in hiding for a reason, and try as he might, he cannot refuse his attraction for the spirited brunette. Soon he can’t keep his hands off her, either, even knowing he can never offer the common born beauty a future. He can offer her his body, his passion, and his patronage . . . but never his title or his heart.
Heiress to an ancient dukedom, Sadie Crisp is in hiding from her awful Cousin Archibald, who wants her dead rather than married, so that he can keep her fortune for himself. Disguised as a young male deal porter at the docklands, all is smooth sailing until the new owner of the Castlebury’s shipyard appears. Everything she’s ever wanted, Crawford ignites her passion and sets new hope aflame. Yet she cannot dare tell him of her deepest secret for risk of discovery. And she dare not love him for risk of her heart.
But when the enemy hunts her down and all seems lost, she must trust Crawford with her heart . . . or risk losing her life!
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
Crawford Castlebury is the new Earl, and inheriting the title has left him with a lot to deal with. Top of his mother's agenda is finding him a suitable wife, so he can start producing heirs, whereas he knows he needs to focus on the shipping empire he's inherited. Heading down to the docks, he's the only one to notice that one of the dockhand's is actually a beautiful woman in disguise. Knowing their must be an important reason for her to hide in plain sight, Crawford keeps an eye on her, but an Earl could never be with a common dockworker. Well, he could if she was in fact the missing daughter of a late Duke, hiding from her wicked cousin who wants her dead so he can inherit everything. Can Sadie trust Crawford with her real identity, or is it too much of a risk?
I think this one might be my favourite so far. Crawford has the world on his shoulders, knowing it's up to him to keep the family safe, especially as the Revivalists have gotten close to the Castlebury's twice before. He'd do anything for his family, so he at least entertains his mother's plans to find him a bride this season, though he'd rather be with Sadie. The romance between them was so raw and real, it was amazing to see them grow as a partnership. Because of Sadie's mistrust after everything she has gone through, she found it hard to accept Crawford's love as being real. The extended Castlebury family definitely came to the rescue though, and I'm even more excited for the final siblings to find love!
Dates Read:
February 27-28, 2025
Rating
3 Stars
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