CAN A SINGLE TRUTH SHATTER A DAUGHTER'S FUTURE, A WIFE'S DEVOTION, AND A FAMILY'S HONOUR?
Beneath the glittering chandeliers of London's finest Regency ballrooms, Lady Rose Summersley, second daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Summersley, is the season's brightest bloom. Presented to Queen Charlotte, adored by society, and betrothed to its most eligible bachelor, her future seems like a fairytale come true.
All she needs is her father's blessing, delayed by his voyage to the West Indies. Yet when the duke returns, rather than blessing the marriage, he brings a storm.
Buried secrets surface to unravel the very fabric of the family, and threaten to destroy much more than Rose's dreams of happiness.
This charming story is reminiscent of The Bridgertons, but without the spice—which better suits my preferences. The Summersleys are a large family of ten children. Unlike the Bridgerton children, who are named alphabetically, the Summersley sons are named after trees and the daughters after flowers, a fitting choice given that their surname is Bloom. Like the Bridgertons, the Summersley children will each be presented to Queen Charlotte during their respective seasons.
Rose is a sweet, gentle young lady searching for her happily ever after. Each of her siblings has a delightful personality, creating a family dynamic that is sure to make readers smile. When society is not calling them away to events and balls, the older children happily spend time with their younger siblings. The duchess is a lovable, relatable mother who clearly adores her children and wants them to find not only loving matches, but also security in their choices. The duke, meanwhile, makes an effective villain in this installment. It is easy to resent the way he treats his wife and children. He is very much a damaged man—one who was never taught how to be a loving, devoted husband and father because he lacked that example in his own upbringing.
When a closely guarded secret prevents Rose from marrying the man of her dreams, her family joins forces to stand against the duke and help her follow her heart. Of course, the truth eventually comes to light, and Rose is finally free to be with the man she loves. But what will the revelation cost the people she cares about most? It seems that answer awaits in the next book in the series—an answer I am eager to discover. This was a difficult book to put down, and I am already looking forward to the next installment.
Pages: 267
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