Responsible, practical
Miss Hermione Rogers, has been crafting stories as the notorious Mr.
Michael Michaelmas and selling them for a meager wage to support her
siblings. The only real way to ensure her family’s ruinous debts are
paid, however, is to marry. Tall, thin, and plain, she has no
expectation of success. In London for her first Season she seizes the
chance to write the tale of a brooding duke. In her research, she finds
Sebastian Fitzhugh, the 5th Duke of Mallen, who unfortunately is
perfectly affable, charming, and so nicely… configured… he takes her
breath away. He lacks all the character traits she needs for her story,
but alas, any duke will have to do.
Sebastian Fitzhugh, the 5th
Duke of Mallen has been deceived so many times during the high-stakes
game of courtship, he’s lost faith in society women. Yet, after a chance
encounter with Hermione, he finds himself intrigued. Not a woman he’d
normally consider beautiful, the young lady’s practical bent, her
forthright nature and her tendency to turn up in the oddest places has
his interests… roused. He’d like to trust her, he’d like to do a whole
lot more with her too, but should he?
So we
begin our story with Hermione and Elizabeth, two young ladies, devoted sisters
whose biggest concern in life was whether or not young ladies paint or their
evil governess. But in one blink of an eye everything is changed and for one of
those sisters, their idyllic childhood has gone. Fast forward 11 years and now
Hermione has to sacrifice everything to keep her family safe and in the process
destroys the one thing that she wants so much.
Sebastian,
Duke of Mallen is not a normal Duke; he doesn’t lie about and do nothing with
his life. He is an honorable man who cares about his family and their
happiness. Content remaining a bachelor, then a young lady catches his eye and everything
changes.
And there
we start Sebastian and Heromine’s rough and tumble relationship, until Hermione
betrays Sebastian and damages his love for her. Their lives are forever tied
but their relationship tumbles downwards at great speed…can anything save it???
The
writing is flawless, the story is enchanting and there was not a plot hole to
be found. I LOVE Hugh and Addie, but would quite happily throttle Aunt Agatha
(the old bat).
Again
I am blown away by the sheer talent and imagination of Christi Caldwell! Every
book of hers that I read makes me think I have been born in the wrong time
period and I end up wishing that I was a part of the book. So I give Once a
Wallflower, At Last His Love a very well deserved 10 out of 10.
