Book description from Book Bub:
“Daphne Blakemoor was perfectly happy living in her own secluded world for twelve years. She had everything she needed–loved ones, a true home, and time to indulge her imagination. But when ownership of the estate where she works as a housekeeper passes on, and the new marquis has an undeniable connection to her past, everything she’s come to rely upon is threatened.
William, Marquis of Chemsford’s main goal in life is to be the exact opposite of his father. Starting a new life in the peace and quiet of the country sounds perfect until his housekeeper turns his life upside down.
They’ve spent their lives hiding from the past. Can they find the courage to face their deepest wounds and, perhaps, find a new path for the future together?”
My Review:
In this book, Kristin Ann Hunter has given us the very sweet and unusual regency character of Daphne. Daphne is a jewel. She’s fiercely loyal, loving, and quite protective of those in her care. She’s very shy and has a hard time with the social niceties of the day; and views herself as the ultimate wallflower at any gathering. She’s a dreamer and uses her daydreams to soften the sometimes harsh realities of her life. She’s made a good life for herself and the illegitimate children who have been left in her care. When Daphne’s world is turned upside down by the return of the owner of the run-down manor house where she and the children reside, Daphne must find a way to continue to care for those she loves as well as protect her own heart. When William first meets her, he wonders if she’s going to be able to learn to function as his housekeeper. The charm of this story is in the way Daphne lovingly fumbles her way from one situation to the other, yet makes a profound difference in the lives of all of those around her. William finds that he can’t help but love her, but will Daphne find the courage to accept his love?
This is a completely charming, yet different, regency story. Daphne made me laugh, sigh, and smile. There’s a whole supporting cast of wonderful characters that make this storyline complete. This is clean, sweet regency and it’s a book that I’ll read again. It would be helpful to have read the first book in this series before reading this one, but it’s easy to quickly catch up with all the characters and the things that have gone on before. I love Kristi Ann Hunter’s books, and this one gave me a reason to look forward to her next one.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.