—‘Wait and hope.’ Alexandre Dumas

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*****

I found myself enchanted by the delicate yet determined Margaret Honeywell from wealthy landed gentry stock and the wonderful John Beresford, Viscount St. Clare.
As St. Clare reflects, "a shapely scrap of femininity—altogether too weak and frail." He'd had an overpowering urge to protect her.
A tale of lost love, of lost identity and an eventual HEA Victorian romance to be reckoned with.
We begin with an illegitimate stable boy, rumoured son of highway rogue Gentleman Jim,  Seaton and a young mistress of the house separated by the dastardly  accusations of a jealous youthful neighbor, Frederick Burton-Smythe.
That neighbor grows into the bully he already was, placed by her father's will as Maggie's guardian. Determined to marry her, Smythe makes her life miserable and then St .Clare arrives in London from the continent, a man in whom Maggie sees a whisper of her beloved youthful companion Nicholas. Will Nicholas come to the fore or is this truly St. Clare?
Smythe is a ghastly man, absolutely convinced of his own worth and his right to order both Maggie and her holdings around in any way he sees fit. Associated villains, particularly St. Clare's aunt are suitably underhanded.
A rewarding tale of true love, with a full measure of danger and pitfalls along the way.

A Victory Editing ARC via NetGalley 
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

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