What a perfect ending to this series. I’m so glad that it rebounded! Lance is a consummate tortured hero, and Marianne his perfect, smart, steadfast match. 

I love a good marriage of convenience, and the twist here, that Lance is coerced into the marriage to avoid a potential murder trial in which he is the defendant, made the third act breakup especially poignant and believable. Toss in a perfect mystery reveal in the epilogue and it’s everything I want in a historical romance. Deducting .25 for the weird “you may have assaulted my cousin” vibes in the 1st third of the book. We know Lance didn’t do it, but still.