Even though this is based off one of my least favourite tropes (fake relationship), I really enjoyed my re-read of this romance. It wasn’t what I remembered at all. I got borderline close to tears in parts that dealt with loss and grief, and I’m typically not someone who gets tearful even the saddest of books but the way Mary Balogh knows how to capture the essence of brokenness. She got me!

The premise of this book is that Kit is a rake, fortunately not in the overtly womanizing way, but in the way that there’s not a mischievous caper that he won’t find himself in. Which is the polar opposite of Lauren, who’s as straight-laced and uptight and perfectly appropriate in every situation as they come. When Kit needs an “appropriate” bride, he looks no further than Lauren but it is for Lauren to decide whether it’s worth it to her to learn to let go and live a little in her bid for freedom from society’s claims on her.

This is the sequel to One Night For Love and it was great seeing all the characters again. Whilst this will definitely stand alone- I mean I read it first years ago without the context of One Night For Love, I think after reading that book, you’ll definitely want to check this one out. When I read this over a decade ago, I read it after I read the Bedwyn saga. But now, I completely get why this is a prequel to the Bedwyns because this book sets up that series perfectly, even if it sets up the Bedwyn family as not the nicest people in the land and kind of gives a bit more context I didn’t have previously about how society sees them as a family. I love how this book dealt with difficult family relationships and touched on inequalities and gender discrimination that stifled women’s freedom even when they had the means to live comfortably. I really liked this. Looking forward to starting the saga now that I’ve read the two prequel books.