A few months back I did a special feature on this book and I just couldn’t get the cover and description out of my mind! I knew my review schedule was packed, so I downloaded it to listen to when I had errands to run.
That’s the thing I love most about audiobooks, there are plenty of days that I have to run errands or just need to get out of the house and go for a drive during the quarantine or days where I have house work to do, rather than sit and read, I multitask with audiobooks.
I rarely accept audiobooks for review because I want to pick books that I maybe had my eye on or maybe I was just in the mood for or perhaps they were on my TBR for years, in other words, it’s my ‘just for fun’ outlet for reading. I was totally in the mood to read this sweet proper romance so I downloaded it and started listening on my way to do a Costco run!
Summary
Warwickshire, England, 1812
Fooled by love once before, Margaret vows never to be played the fool again. To keep her vow, she attends a notorious matchmaking party intent on securing the perfect marital match: a union of convenience to someone who could never affect her heart. She discovers a man who exceeds all her hopes in the handsome and obliging rake Mr. Northam.
There’s only one problem. His meddling cousin, Lord Williams, won’t leave Margaret alone. Condescending and high-handed, Lord Williams lectures and insults her. When she refuses to give heed to his counsel, he single-handedly ruins Margaret’s chances for making a good match—to his cousin or anyone else. With no reason to remain at the party, Margaret returns home to discover her father has promised her hand in marriage—to Lord Williams.
Under no condition will Margaret consent to marrying such an odious man. Yet as Lord Williams inserts himself into her everyday life, interrupting her family games and following her on morning walks, winning the good opinion of her siblings and proving himself intelligent and even kind, Margaret is forced to realize that Lord Williams is exactly the type of man she’d hoped to marry before she’d learned how much love hurt. When paths diverge and her time with Lord Williams ends, Margaret is faced with her ultimate choice: keep the promises that protect her or break free of them for one more chance at love. Either way, she fears her heart will lose. (summary from Goodreads)
Review
If ever there was a book written for the modern Jane Austen, this is it! This book gave me all the Pride and Prejudice vibes while still managing to stand on its own as its own story. Lord Williams was such a great hero and just as swoon worthy as Mr Darcy, and I love that even if he was a little high handed in Margaret’s opinion, I never felt that his feelings were anything other than honest and sincere. Plus he was so determined to have Margaret and I admired his commitment to going for the girl he loved.
Margaret at times drove me crazy being so stubborn and determined not to like Lord Williams but I thought the author did a nice job creating reasons for her stubbornness and justifying some of her trepidation toward him. The romance unfolded so slowly with just the right amount of promise of more to come each time that Margaret and Lord Williams were together. It felt very natural and believable.
While I enjoy a good bodice ripper now and again, there is something to be said about a clean romance. The heart and soul of each character is the focus and their feelings really shine through and it works incredibly well in historical romances. I love proper or clean historical romances for this reason and this book delivered on all the romance and heart that I was expecting. I am looking forward to more books by this author because she did a marvelous job!
Book Info and Rating
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The Lit Bitch 
I am so glad that you listened to the audiobook. I loved this story too.