Lady Amelia Takes a Lover
Series: Windermeres in Love #1
Author: Sofie Darling
Published July 28th 2022 by Dragonblade Publishing

Goodreads Synopsis
A proper English lady…

A little time in beautiful Italy is just what Lady Amelia Windermere and her eccentric family need while their latest scandal dies down. Amelia is hard at work on their triumphant return to London society when she meets His Grace Tristan Carteret, Duke of Ripon, a sculptor who is too wild for any proper lady.

Meets a dissolute Duke…

Tristan isn’t eager to let go of la dolce vita that he’s enjoyed in Florence—until he meets Amelia. She may appear to be one more uptight debutant, but he soon realizes that there’s a talented artist and a passionate woman just aching to emerge. If only she can forget what society says and concentrate on what she feels when she’s with him.

And that’s how Lady Amelia Takes a Lover…

Exploring their art leads to Amelia and Tristan exploring much more than stone or canvas. But Amelia knows that indulging her desire for the dissolute Duke comes with a price—more scandal. Tristan refuses to give up on the real Amelia just because of society’s rules, but can he sway her to make him her future?
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Lady Amelia Windermere is doing everything she can to ensure that she and her family are received on their return to London. After her sister Delilah causes a scandal while acting at Eton, the family head for Florence, and Amelia sets the ball rolling to return for the final ball of the Season, before their parents find out. While in Italy, she explores her art, and starts to dabble in watercolours of landscapes and her family. But as a young and proper lady, she has little chance to study the human form. Meeting the handsome, and very much not old, Duke of Ripon, she's drawn to a man like she never has been before, and when they make a bargain to both model, nude, for the other, soon they can't keep their hands off each other. But as their feelings turn to love, and marriage is on the table, will Amelia take it, or will she hold out for her return to society?

I liked this book, and especially the fact it was such a quick read. We meet the Windermere family as they are in a sort of self imposed exile in Florence, and the eldest daughter, Amelia, is very straight and proper. She wants the best for her family, and hides her passion from them all. But meeting Tristan, he seems to be a catalyst which sparks her light, and she can't hide her wants and needs from him. I liked the way they brought each other out, and they grew as individuals and a couple. The moments they were together after their separation was well worth it, especially as their feelings were revealed and reciprocated. The epilogue was extremely cute, and I hope we see them happy in the subsequent books!

Dates Read:
December 4, 2022

Rating
3 Stars