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Samantha Hastings lived a quiet, peaceful life on her family’s country estate. With no man to order her around and no stifling society rules to follow, she considered herself blessed. However, when her brother’s ship sinks during a short trip to France, Samantha receives a request from her sister-in-law to return to town and manage the late Earl’s finances. Suddenly thrust into society, Samantha faces an unfamiliar world and a pair of very familiar green eyes. Lord Benjamin Westwood never intended on following through with his rash promise to his best friend. Now, with Edward’s death, Benjamin becomes the unwilling guardian to Edward’s bratty little sister, who has grown up considerably since the last time they met. His intention to marry her off to the first available suitor is thwarted when he finds himself falling for Samantha’s unique demeanor. He lights upon the perfect plan; a marriage of convenience, giving him the opportunity to romance Samantha without distraction. However, when they discover Edward’s disappearance was due to foul play, Benjamin’s prefect plan begins to quickly unravel. Now, Samantha is in more danger than either of them realized and Benjamin is running out of time.
4 out of 5 (very good)
When Samantha's brother, Edward, is killed while travelling to France, she is called away from her country home, back to the city and world she worked hard to stay away from. Benjamin was Edward's best friend, and was supposed to find Samantha a husband. He was not expecting his reaction to her, the little girl is all grown up and every possible husband is rejected by Benjamin. When Edward's disappearance turns out to be foul play, Samantha's life is in danger, and Benjamin is running out of time.
First up: CLIFF HANGER!!! We all have that love hate thing for cliff hangers and I did not see this one creeping up on me!! I was loving this book, really enjoying it and then THAT happened and I was not a happie chappie, not at all.
Second: First time author. And you really can't tell!! I only know this, because I went to look for future books in this series, and can't find any of them, nor any other books by this author! Excellent work, Ms Drake, very well done.
I did get who might be up to no good, very early on and I loved watching things become clearer. Love having at all laid out as much as I love being kept on my toes. But while we know WHOdunnit, we don't know the WHY they did it, not yet.
The book open with a murder ten years previous (we get that from the murderer's point of view, so loved that!) which turns out to be Edward and Samantha's father. Then there is Edward's disappearance, and some missing jewellery. It all comes together, or at least its BEGINNING to come together, then I ran out of bloody book!!
So, book two, Ms Drake?? When should we expect that, because I want to know what happens to Samantha and Benjamin but also what Benjamin's mother is up to, taking in that young lady, and whether what I see happening between that young lady and Thomas, Benjamin's twin, actually happens.
4.5 stars, but rounded down to 4 cos Goodreads/Amazon/the blog don't do half stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Best-selling, award winning, author Alyssa Drake has been creating stories since she could hold a pen, preferring to construct her own bedtime tales instead of reading the titles in her bookshelves. Enraptured with many different types of genres, Alyssa currently writes Historical romance, Paranormal/Urban Fantasy romance, Contemporary romance, and Romantic Suspense stories. She thoroughly enjoys strong heroines and often laughs aloud when imagining conversations between her characters. Alyssa graduated from the University of the Pacific, with a B.S. in business and a concentration in French literature. Currently she resides in Northern California with her blended family, where she works full-time at a chocolate factory. She believes everyone is motivated by love of someone or something. One of her favorite diversions is fabricating stories about strangers surrounding her on public transportation. Alyssa can often be found madly scribbling notes on a train or daydreaming out the window as the scenery whips past.