The story opens a bit over a year after Court and Vivi were married, with Vivi preparing for a house party and Court returning unannounced from a year abroad. Court, Vivi, and Vivi's brother, Percy, grew up together; Percy and Court were best friends. Despite a budding and real romance in their teens, Court promised Percy that he wouldn't get involved with Vivi (Percy knew that Court loved Vivi). Following Percy's death, Court and Vivi took got caught in a compromising position, were forced to marry, and out of mourning Percy and penance for breaking his promise, Court precipitously abandoned Vivi.
This story had promise as a second chance romance between two characters who deeply loved one another and who were both deeply grieving, but it overall fell pretty flat for me. Miscommunication or lack of communication is one of my least favorite plot devices/tropes, and I felt the excuse that Court broke his promise to deceased Percy was quite thin. I mean, really, Court, you're a grown man and your best friend knew you loved his sister and made you promise not to have a relationship with or marry her? Doesn't sound like a very best friend to me. It's not like you were London's most infamous rake in your late teens/early 20s, either. That's some misplaced loyalty as far as I'm concerned, and don't speak to me about honor because it is not honorable to leave your wife the morning after your wedding.
ANYWAY, Vivi and Court act much younger than they are, which took away from the story for me. Court is fairly arrogant (thinks he's G-d's gift to Vivi, quite frankly), and the expectation he has that Vivi should fall for and take him back based on (in my opinion, empty and trite) excuses and apologies without having to work too hard is unrealistic. There is a scene where they finally communicate effectively about Percy's accident and their shared grief, which was touching and raw, and I wish the rest of the book was that way.
Age gap: Vivi 26yo, Court 30yo (said to be 4 years older than her)
Tropes: Second chance/estranged lovers; brother's best friend; childhood friends/young love; bearded hero (to start); ruination/compromised heroine/forced marriage
SFCP (safe for childless people); main characters do not get pregnant/have a baby.