Series:
Peveretts of Haberstock Hall (Book 4)
The quiet sister
And the only man to charm her!
Rebecca has always been the inventor of the family, much
preferring her workshop to a ball. But she's thrust out of her familiar life
when she meets Jules Howells, a member of a manufacturing family that is
interested in her latest invention. At first, Jules seems a carefree
rogue…until their ever-more-passionate encounters show Becca a depth to him she
cannot resist!
Rebecca's contribution to her medically inclined family
is inventing items that will assist doctors and help others lead better lives. She
would like to patent them and have her inventions produced and made available
to those who can use them. But as a woman in Victorian England, no company will
give her the time of day, much less look at her work. So she uses her initials
instead of her name and gets a bite from a well-known Manchester company!
Jules is the black sheep of his family. Technically an employee
of the company, he does little except enjoy the money and lifestyle it provides
him while occasionally reeling in a new prospect for the business. He's never
felt invested in what they do. On the contrary, some things have struck him as
unethical. When he's given a "do or die" assignment to sign a new
inventor, he knows he must buckle down and provide results. He never expected
to be faced with his worst nightmare.
After arriving at Haberstock Hall and meeting the
Peverett family, Jules was horrified to discover that R.L. Peverett is a woman!
He cannot go home and admit he signed a contract with a woman inventor. But he
also can only return with the signed contract. Rebecca calls him out on his
hypocrisy, leaving him to stew in the juices of his dilemma. The next day, he came
up with a solution - sign the contract as R.L. Peverett, and once production is
underway and sales made, they can reveal the truth. Jules also sees that
Rebecca has other inventions that the company could use and offers to propose
to purchase them too.
Jules did not impress me at first look. He seems lazy and
more interested in pleasure than contributing to his family's enterprise. But
as he witnesses Rebecca's family life, we learn more about him. Cold parents, a
father dismissive of Jules when he doesn't fall into line, and a brother who is
becoming more like their father than the friend and supporter he used to be. Shy,
intelligent Rebecca intrigues him, and he can't forget her when he returns
home.
I liked watching the development of the relationship
between Jules and Rebecca. When he returns, ostensibly to work with
"R.L." on proposals for other inventions, he and Rebecca have the
chance to get to know each other better. I liked seeing how Jules's attention,
respect, and admiration gave Rebecca confidence she'd never felt. Rebecca's
empathy and interest helped Jules see himself more clearly. There were sweet
scenes of Jules and Rebecca together, from picnics to working side-by-side in
her cottage. As they grew closer, the sparks of attraction they felt grew
stronger, as did the feelings beneath the sparks. Though Rebecca believes
nothing can come of it, Jules has other ideas.
I liked seeing the changes in Jules throughout his stay
at Haberstock Hall. The carefree rogue morphs into a caring man ready to take
his place in the world. I wondered at his plans, which seemed counter to the traits
he had shown there. I liked his determination to be able to support Rebecca,
but his methods did not make him happy. Rebecca came to Manchester as
"R.L.'s" representative, met Jules's family, and saw the
"new" Jules. I ached for her because what she experienced there reminded
her so much of her unhappy time in London.
When the truth of "R.L.'s" identity comes out,
Jules gets a good look at his father's moral code and doesn't like what he
finds. Jules must decide whether to side with his family or stick up for the
woman he loves. It's no contest, but he makes some boneheaded moves along the
way, not the least of which is pushing Rebecca away to "protect" her.
I liked seeing him become a man worthy of the woman he loves. The ending was
terrific, and I liked the twist involving Jules's brother, Winthrop.
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