Joel was a sweetheart in the previous book and Camille the worst bitch. I had my doubts about this pairing, I thought that Joel deserved better!

Little did I know…

I loved Camille’s character growth, I didn’t understand her motives from the beginning but as the story developed it all started making sense. She was trying to find her own path and accept who she was after finding out the difficult truth about her family. And she succeeded. Towards the end I admired her and was rooting for her.

Joel on the other hand turned out to be a dick and guess what, Camille deserved better! I didn’t mind that he had had a crush on Anna because who wouldn’t and also that was before he met Camille. But that effin mistress! That was so unnecessary and lasted way too long

Book 2. Camille wasn't a terribly likable person in the first book but she grows into herself here. Looking forward to the rest of the series, and glad to see that the next one isn't just the siblings.

I really liked Joel...Camille not so much. She just seemed so guarded and uptight even as the story progressed. I honestly couldn't see the attraction between them other than both of them were going through very turbulent times.

Camille Westcott's life has been turned upside down by the discovery that her parent's marriage was bigamous. She's not even sure that Westcott is her real name any more. She's definitely no longer Lady Camille. She's lost her home, her parents, and her brother. The fiancee she relied on as her rock ended the engagement. She and her younger sister have been exiled to Bath to their maternal grandmother's home.

After a period of mourning she emerges and distresses her family by joining the local orphanage as a teacher with the clear intention of becoming independent. The children love her; heavy brows, thin lips sergeant major inclinations and all. She has long experience of being unloved as a child and the children elicit deep kindness, interest, humour and caring from her.

Working alongside her is the dishevelled but virile Joel Cunningham, an orphan grown up to be a successful portrait artist who donates time to the children. He's initially resentful of Camille on behalf of her half-sister, his best friend and former love object. He develops an interest in her and her relationship with the children that transcends the intimidating presence she projects.

He is commissioned to paint her portrait and his plan is draw many sketches and have many conversations with her so that he can learn who she is and illustrate that in his final painting. Camille reluctantly accedes to the portrait painting process but warns him that while he might learn about her, he will never know her. Challenge accepted.

Together they will struggle with ideas of identity and role, with loss and courage, connection and independence and with how to love and be loved.

Mary Balogh's stories are character driven and are very satisfying as a result. I loved that the unlikely Camille, far from conventionally beautiful or entitled, became enormously attractive due to her inner struggle and developing ability to demonstrate love. I enjoyed the developing insights and the interactions both between her and Joel, and those she had with her family. Joel too was a character worth knowing although I thought that his development was not treated with as much care and depth. How did being an orphan impact on his capacity to trust families?

A very enjoyable read, devoured in a day.

easy breezy romance novel :)