Ratings10
Average rating4.3
In Cecilia Grant’s emotionally rich and deeply passionate Regency romance debut, a deal with a rumored rogue turns a proper young woman into . . . A Lady Awakened. Newly widowed and desperate to protect her estate and beloved servants from her malevolent brother-in-law, Martha Russell conceives a daring plan. Or rather, a daring plan to conceive. After all, if she has an heir on the way, her future will be secured. Forsaking all she knows of propriety, Martha approaches her neighbor, a London exile with a wicked reputation, and offers a strictly business proposition: a month of illicit interludes . . . for a fee. Theophilus Mirkwood ought to be insulted. Should be appalled. But how can he resist this siren in widow’s weeds, whose offer is simply too outrageously tempting to decline? Determined she’ll get her money’s worth, Theo endeavors to awaken this shamefully neglected beauty to the pleasures of the flesh—only to find her dead set against taking any enjoyment in the scandalous bargain. Surely she can’t resist him forever. But could a lady’s sweet surrender open their hearts to the most unexpected arrival of all . . . love?
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3 primary books4 released booksBlackshear Family is a 4-book series with 3 primary works first released in 2011 with contributions by Cecilia Grant.
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4.5 stars, rounding up. Plot got a little complicated at the end with all the various inheritance shenanigans and secret plans, but I really enjoyed this. Kind of hard to call this a slow burn considering the premise, but the progression of Martha and Theo from being barely able to tolerate each other to friends and then more was delightful and really well done. I also liked the side characters, especially Sheridan (Martha's lady's maid). Not a lot to say here but this one is so good! Highly recommended.
(2022 Summer Romance Bingo: widowed protagonist. Would work for property inheritance as well.)