Series:
Society's Most Scandalous (Book 3)
He's walked right into…
The gossip of the Season!
Captain William Grosvenor's body may be recovering from
battle, but his survivor's guilt remains. The last thing he should be doing is
kissing mysterious maids in carriages. Especially when that “maid” is, in fact,
debutante Lady Annie Fitzroy! Sparring with adventurous Annie is exhilarating,
but it's also dangerous. Because the biggest scandal of the Season is about to
explode…and Annie is at the heart of it!
Annie is a high-spirited young woman trying to enjoy the
season and find a suitable husband. None of the men she has met appeal to her.
We first see her participating in a carriage race against a young man who
disparaged "women drivers." After the race, she is invited to a
gathering that common sense tells her is a scandal waiting to happen, and she plans
to avoid it. Unfortunately, another young woman is determined to attend.
Worried about Felicity's safety, Annie disguises herself as a maid to rescue
Felicity. While there, William, Felicty's cousin, sees Felicity there and helps
Annie extricate her from danger. William misunderstands Annie's role, and Annie
adds to the problem with her deception. An explosive kiss complicates matters.
William is back in England, recovering from wounds from
the war in Spain. He has also recently inherited his brother's home and
fortune. William has no interest in remaining in England and taking up those
duties. He is itching to return to the war and relieve his guilt over his men's
deaths. Unfortunately, he is not healing as he should, which frustrates him and
leaves him feeling he doesn't know who he is.
William's next meeting with Annie does not go well. She
is a much better playactor, as she gives no indication they have met before.
Meanwhile, William is so flummoxed that he fumbles his words and all but
insults her. Annie hasn't forgotten the power of that kiss and vows to avoid
William as much as possible. But they keep encountering each other, and every
time, the sparks fly.
I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop as they got
to know each other. Annie comes to respect William and his devotion to his men.
She aches for the pain she senses in him and wants to help him. Once William
gets past his mistaken ideas of what Annie is like, he realizes that being
around her lightens his guilt. It is clear that William is falling for her, but
he doesn't see it. He has been stalwart in his decision not to marry, which
blinds him to his growing feelings.
Annie realizes she loves Will but that it is a hopeless case. Matters
are complicated by the sparks of attraction that neither can deny.
When Annie finds herself in the center of a scandal,
William is one of the few to stand by her. I loved his kindness and compassion
and his desire to protect her. He goes a little overboard, adding to the
scandal. Watching Will and Annie go back and forth over his desire to do the
right thing and her refusal to marry without love was fascinating. I loved the
scene where Will finally saw the light on his feelings. It didn't happen the
way I expected, and I laughed out loud. Will's attempt to explain his feelings
was sweet and awkward, and it was fun to see Annie's reaction.
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