- SYNOPSIS -
Once upon a time there were three
young ladies who, despite their fortunes, had been on the Marriage Mart a bit
too long. They were known as the “Spinster Heiresses” . . .
He’s inherited a title, but not a penny to speak of, so the Earl of Rochdale knows he must find a wife—preferably one tolerably pretty and good-tempered, but definitely wealthy, and willing to exchange her fortune for his family name.
His choice: Leonie Charnock, one of the season’s “Spinster Heiresses.” Years before, the earl had saved the dark-eyed beauty’s reputation, and she is still breathtakingly lovely, leading Rochdale to hope that their marriage will be more than in name only.
However, Leonie doesn’t want to be anyone’s wife. Nearly destroyed by the secrets in her past, Leonie agrees to their union with one condition: there will be a wedding but no bedding. But it’s a condition the new Countess Rochdale isn’t sure even she can keep . . .
He’s inherited a title, but not a penny to speak of, so the Earl of Rochdale knows he must find a wife—preferably one tolerably pretty and good-tempered, but definitely wealthy, and willing to exchange her fortune for his family name.
His choice: Leonie Charnock, one of the season’s “Spinster Heiresses.” Years before, the earl had saved the dark-eyed beauty’s reputation, and she is still breathtakingly lovely, leading Rochdale to hope that their marriage will be more than in name only.
However, Leonie doesn’t want to be anyone’s wife. Nearly destroyed by the secrets in her past, Leonie agrees to their union with one condition: there will be a wedding but no bedding. But it’s a condition the new Countess Rochdale isn’t sure even she can keep . . .
- MY THOUGHTS -
What
really makes IF EVER I SHOULD LOVE YOU a joy to read is the depth and
development of the characters. When you first meet Leonie you realize that there
are scars and secrets in her past but you don’t truly understand the level to
which they’ve shaped her until you get deeper into the story. We often see
scarred heroes who are struggling to overcome wounds in romance and typically
it is the heroine who aids in the healing process and provides the nurturing
balm that soothes his soul. I really loved how this story flipped that trope on
its head and gave us a heroine who is using alcohol to dull the trauma of her
past and help her cope.
And
even then, Rochdale doesn’t save
Leonie. He illuminates the problem – to both the reader and Leonie herself. She
doesn’t just enjoy a wee nip of brandy from time to time, she craves it. She
needs it to get through the most basic minutiae of her day. The urge controls
her thoughts. But she is the one who must decide for herself what is her top
priority. She is the one who must make the conscious decision, day in and day
out, to do better.
I loved
that the novel didn’t try to sugarcoat the process of dealing with an
addiction. We got to experience things from Leonie’s perspective, watch her
fail and feel like a disappointment. But we also saw her pick herself back up.
We saw her try and try again. And I think that is part of the reason why Leonie
is such a beautiful, honest character. She feels so incredibly human in her daily
struggle and her desire to belong and be loved by a real family. I think it’s
that sense of honesty and relatability which made me unable to put this book down.
For
me, perfect characters hold no allure. It’s in the flaws and struggles, the ups
and downs, that you really get to connect to a character and feel like you can
understand them. Rochdale is supportive and caring and sexy-as-sin. But he is
by no means perfect. Watching him struggle with the desire and love he feels
for Leonie and the worry that her alcoholism would not only hurt her, but their
future together was a delicate balancing act that felt so realistic. That
struggle between love and fear, trust and protection is one I can definitely understand.
You
can’t help but fall for Leonie and Rochdale together. Their teasing and the
push and pull of their relationship as they get to know each other as a newly
married couple kept me wanting more. I was so excited to see them start to open
up to one another and grow closer that I couldn’t put the book down. Even the other
spinster heiresses caught my attention and I can’t wait for the next novel in
the series to be released so that I can get to know Cassandra better.
If you’re
looking for a historical romance with a second chance romance and a marriage of
convenience that becomes more then I think this would be a wonderful novel to
pick up. If you’re tired of predictable, two-dimensional characters and weary
of insta-love, then IF EVER I SHOULD LOVE YOU is not to be missed.
- LINKS TO PURCHASE -
Amazon | B & N | Kobo | Google Play
- ADD TO GOODREADS -
- AUTHOR INFO -
Cathy Maxwell’s enthusiasm for life graces the pages of
her books and are the topic of the talks she gives to readers and writers
groups about her chosen career.
She is no stranger to the
limelight. After graduating from college, Cathy started off as a news
broadcaster. She later decided reporting was boring compared to making
news and joined the navy. After a successful stint in Naval
intelligence, including a tour with the Pentagon, Cathy proceeded to pursue
writing. Now, she has 30 published romance novels (and five anthologies)
to her credit, many of them spending significant time on the New York
Times and USA Today mass market best-seller lists.
It’s clear that Cathy has succeeded in achieving her goals to a rare degree!
This native of Olathe,
Kansas is now learning how to be a Texan. When not writing, she is likely to be
busy with one of many local charities or packing her bags to research her next
novel. Cathy’s motto is “travel light” and she enjoys meeting her fans all over
the world.
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