…to bride in the spotlight?
Good conclusion to the series. I have been looking forward
to Stephen's story since the first book in the series, and I was curious to see
if the uptight, occasionally vengeful head of the family could be redeemed.
There has been some progress as each of his siblings finds happiness, often
with someone who doesn't fit Stephen's idea of appropriateness. His pride in the
family takes a severe hit in the previous book when he finds out about his late
father's affair and the existence of a half-sister.
As this book starts, Stephen struggles with his feelings
about his father. Added to his workaholic tendencies, his family has had enough
of his grumpy attitude, motivating his strong-willed mother to insist that he
return to the family estate in England for at least two weeks of vacation. He's
not happy about it, but he goes. He doesn't expect to find the house devoid of
all staff except the housekeeper's daughter, Esme.
While her mom recovers from a health scare, Esme has
taken a leave of absence from her hotel job to fill in at Chatsworth. With no
family expected to be in residence, Esme has given the staff two weeks off,
leaving just herself to hold down the fort. She's shocked when Stephen shows up
unannounced. He didn't make a very good showing at first, but eventually comes
down off his high horse and shows his human side.
Stephen and Esme have a long history. They were good
friends as children, even though he was the earl's heir and she was the
housekeeper's daughter. They played together, did homework together, and hung
out in the kitchen under the watchful eye of Esme's mom. That all changed when
Stephen was thirteen and was sent off to boarding school. Their parting was
acrimonious, and Esme felt the sting of betrayal and loneliness after he left. After
a few moments to clear the air, they settle into a cautious working
relationship.
I liked seeing the relationship develop between Stephen
and Esme. It doesn't take long to rekindle their friendship, mainly once
Stephen relaxes his lord-of-the-manner persona. I enjoyed seeing them reminisce
about the fun they had as kids. When Esme learns why Stephen had been
"banished" to England, she sets out to remind him what it's like to
have fun, from visiting their old haunts to attending the village fair. Neither
expects the attraction that flares between them.
Stephen sees nothing wrong with spending time together,
but Esme is conscious of the gap between their places in life. When Stephen
invites her to go to Paris with him for a short visit and to attend a charity
event with him, she is hesitant to accept. I loved watching him treat her to
everything from a spa day to being dressed in designer clothes. I felt for Esme
and her discomfort at the event and loved that Stephen understood her feelings.
Their escape was amusing, and giving in to their growing attraction was not a
surprise. I also enjoyed their visit with his family the next day. I loved that
the family absorbed Esme into their circle since she'd always been a part of
their lives. I got a kick out of the reactions of Stephen's female family
members and their advice to Esme. They had no trouble seeing the way the wind
blew.
Matters get complicated when a picture of them on the
fair's Ferris wheel makes national gossip papers. Esme's fears get the better
of her, and Stephen allows hurt pride to make him walk away. Both have past
issues that affect how they deal with what happens. It takes frank conversations with their mothers
for each one to see what they are throwing away. I loved the emotional ending
and seeing Esme and Stephen open up completely to each other about their fears
and hopes. The wedding day scene was incredible. I loved the attention to
detail; from when Esme woke up to when Stephen saw her walking toward him, I
felt like I was there.
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