Unaware of her beauty…
Until he awakens her.
Prudence Carstairs knows her scars leave her with no
romantic prospects -- instead, she's content revolutionizing her employer's
home with her technological marvels. Then he unexpectedly perishes and his
mysterious younger brother, dashing Dominic Thorburn, reluctantly takes over.
In the new earl, Prudence finally finds someone who meets her gaze without
flinching. Might he see the beautiful, intelligent woman beyond her scars?
Terrific book about two scarred and lonely people. Prudence's
scars are mainly on the outside, while Dominic's are more emotional. It takes
trying to help each other see the parallels in their own lives.
The story starts in Greece, where Dominic went after the disastrous
end of his beloved army career. He spends his days swimming, gardening, and
caring for his goats, with trips to the local taverna for coffee and
companionship. On one of those trips, the taverna keeper gives him a London
newspaper left behind by a tourist. One small notice in that paper changes his
life, as he discovers his father and brother are dead, leaving him the new Earl
of Bannatyne. Dominic has no interest in the title or anything else, but he
can't ignore them either, returning to England. He intends to sell everything
as quickly as possible and return to Greece. And then he meets Prudence.
Prudence lives in the old rectory with her scholar brother
and runs his household. Badly scarred as a child, she only goes out in public
wearing a hat and a veil and has given up all hope of love and a family of her
own. Instead, she made do with renovating and modernizing her employer's home until
he unexpectedly died. Since then, she has continued to care for the house. The
arrival of a previously unknown younger brother comes as something of a shock.
I loved the first meeting between Prudence and Dominic. The
encounter was quite ... revealing. Prudence, who knew nothing of Dominic's
existence, thought he was a vagrant making free of an empty home. Her
skepticism was understandable, and I enjoyed seeing her put him through his
paces to prove his identity. Dominic doesn't know what to make of Prudence, a gently
bred woman with great fire.
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between
Dominic and Prudence. After a rough beginning where both need to overcome some
misconceptions, they form a deepening friendship. I loved how easily Dominic
sees past Prudence's scar to the amazing woman she is. It was incredibly moving
that he doesn't ignore it; he accepts that it's there and moves on. As their friendship
grows, Dominic shares his family history and the story of his army career,
which reveals him to be the brave and honorable man that he is.
As the time passes and their friendship develops into
something more, Dominic becomes determined to show Prudence that her scars do
not define her. I loved the things he did to make her happy, from a trip to the
beach to the Exhibition in London. I ached for her when the Exhibition trip
went so horribly wrong and loved Dominic's tender care of her. I also liked how
Prudence worked to make Dominic see that he could do so much more to help
people if he assumed his title and used his influence to help the poor that
way, too.
I loved seeing them give in to the attraction that grew stronger
the more time they spent together, leading to the admission of their love for
each other. But while Dominic sees that Prudence is right about how he can do
the most good, Prudence still can't get out of her own way to see that she and
Dominic belong together. When she's with him, she believes anything is
possible, but her fears and insecurities cause her to pull back. I was happy to
see her finally consign "Poor Prudence" to the past and embrace a new
future. The epilogue was fantastic.
I liked the secondary characters that helped round out
the story. Prudence's brother Clement can seem oblivious at times, but he loves
his sister and is very protective of her. I also enjoyed meeting her sister,
Mercy, who is trapped in an unhappy marriage. She is the next book's heroine,
and I can't wait to read it. Mercy also has a friend, Sarah, who plays a part
in the latter half of this book, and has made a lasting impression on Clement.
Hopefully, we'll see more of them in the next book also.
I loved the depth of historical detail in this book.
Dominic's memories from the Crimean War add depth to the events that caused his
discharge and his determination to help those affected. Sewage issues also played
a significant role in the story, including Dominic's unique method of courting Prudence.
Until he awakens her.
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