Wife Wanted

All for Love #3

by Wren St. Claire

He advertised for a wife and found his soulmate.

Renowned antiquities scholar, Deodonatus (Deo) Kinninmounth Earl of Pendrell, needs a secretary to help him with a new project, but the lonely, socially awkward, bespectacled giant, also wants a wife. He decides to advertise for a lady to fill both roles.

Miss Emily Grenfell is a closet antiquities enthusiast, heiress, and social disaster. Escaping from her draconian mother and a suitor she doesn’t want, Emily arrives a day late for the job interview and is shocked to discover she has applied for a post working for a man.

However, when the enormous, hawkish-featured man with red hair and freckles, proposes a marriage of convenience, Emily is happy to accept, rather than return to a home where she is mistreated and misunderstood.

Embarking on a project to dig up a Celtic burial site on the Duke of Troubridge’s estate, Deo and Emily discover they have more in common than a shared passion for antiquities. As desire sparks between them, Deo struggles to come to terms with physical and emotional intimacy, and Emily falls for her adorably nerdish and irresistibly attractive husband. And when Emily’s rejected suitor tries to cause trouble for the pair, Emily must learn to understand the harsh childhood that has robbed Deo of normal emotional responses and help him discover what his heart is for.

Tropes you'll Grumpy-sunshineOne bedForced proximityNerds in loveChildhood traumaArchaeological mystery(Almost) virgin heroMarriage of convenience
This series is part of Dragonblade's Flame line, so this is a scorching-hot read with open-door steam.

Read in Kindle Unlimited!

All for Love
Book 1 - An Inconvenient Marriage
Book 2 - The Viscount Needs a Wife
Book 3 - Wife Wanted
Book 4 - Compromising the Marquess

Genres: Historical Romance, Marriage Of Convenience

264 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 9, 2026

About the author

Wren is an Egyptologist and writes historical fantasy romance, historical romance and contemporary romance. She lives with her husband six mad Bengal Cats and one confused Mini Schnauzer in Brisbane.
She also manages a website devoted to ancient Egypt and writing called Egyptian Mysteries www.egyptianmysteries.com.au

Reviews

[Petula · Rating 5 out of 5]

We get an unusual heroine in this historical romance. She is a very intelligent lady who has no interest in the type of gentlemen her mother is trying to force her to marry. Escape comes from an advert in a journal.
Our hero is an intellectual who lives by a strict routine. He needs help with his latest project.
The characters are interesting and different from the normal. The story is a lot of fun, with a surprising ending.
Great fun.

[Winnifred D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tropes: bluestocking MFC; underexperienced MMC; marriage of convenience; MC's team up to work on a mystery; forced proximity
Steam level: 3
Occasional "f-bombs", if that offends you.
Part of a series, but works fine on its own.

I would give the first half of this a solid 4 stars, but the last half went downhill for me, so it's closer to a 3.25.
What I liked:
--MMC Deo is unique and his insecurities and fears fleshed him out well as a character. By today's standards he'd probably be considered on the spectrum. He's full of self-doubt but he's doing his best.
--Intelligent writing throughout, particularly pertaining to the main characters' discoveries. I'm not sure I followed some of it, but the author definitely has done her research.
--Surprisingly steamy scenes and I enjoyed the main characters' chemistry. Maybe Deo was a bit too fast of a learner, but I rooted for them.

What I wasn't crazy about:
--MFC Emily is likable, but by the end she's still too much of a people pleaser. I didn't believe in her character arc. After fending off the baddie and dealing with ups and downs with Deo, I didn't really think she had a chance to shine.
--The baddie was confusing. He could have been redeemed, which I thought the author was doing when she switched to his POV in later scenes. Then he moved from unpleasantly obsessive to just unpleasant. Then he just seemed like an afterthought.

What I didn't like at all:
--We're supposed to forgive Emily's dad because he grows a backbone out of nowhere. Poor guy was hardly ever home. Besides, he and his wife had been grieving all these years.. Ugh. Which brings me to...
--Emily's mom. Another example of an abusive HR mater who everyone's expected to forgive for some last-minute reason. I don't get why HR's still specialize in this trope. It's not that I doubt this sort of abuse happened, I just hate when it's used as an emotional hook and then trivialized.

Bottom line: I think if the author had stuck with the main characters' relationship and trimmed down the interactions with the parents and suitor, using perhaps Society's disdain for women in academic roles as more of the conflict, this would have worked better for me.

This is my honest, voluntary review of an advanced reader copy of this book. Thanks to Net Galley, the author, and DragonBlade.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wife Wanted is the third book in the All for Love series. This book can be a stand-alone read.

Emily Grenfell speaks multiple languages and loves antiquities. Her mother has a plan to marry her off to a man who inherit a grand title one day. Emily sees him for the despicable man he is. She wants no part of it. When she sees an advertisement for a secretary in the subjects she loves, she applies and runs away from home for a new and better life than the one she left behind.

Deodonatus (Deo) Kinninmounth Earl of Pendrell, needs a secretary to help him with a new project. But it is also a "wife wanted" ad in hopes to fill both roles.

Emily arrives a day late for the interview. She passes out due to lack of food and exhaustion. Once she comes around 'Deo' proposes a marriage of convenience at first, Emily is happy to accept, but withholds she is not of age and gives a last name that does not belong to her. the next day they marry and life goes on as planned until they are invited to dig up a Celtic burial site on the Duke of Troubridge’s estate, Deo and Emily discover they have more in common than a shared passion for antiquities. As desire sparks between them, Deo struggles to come to terms with physical and emotional intimacy, and Emily falls for her husband. Emily’s rejected suitor tries to cause trouble for the them while he tries to win back Emily. When her parents arrive, Emily is forced to reveal the truth and her future is at risk with 'Deo.'

This was a fun and different historical romance. While I enjoyed this, there were often gaps in the story that I thought deserved to be written into the story. For instance, the carriage ride that Emily takes to 'Deo' could have ramped of the tension since she was late. We could have watched as she made plans to go, her worrying along the way until she arrived. It could have added to drama. There are a few other, but this one stands out. This is still a interesting and enjoyable book, but in my opinion, there were opportunities to give more depth to Emily's story.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.

[Heather C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love on the Spectrum, Regency Style

Prepare yourself- this sweet and funny love story will steal your heart.
Deo is not your ordinary hero. He’s a grumpy but lovable, neuro-spicy intellectual archaeologist who happens to be the Earl of Pendrell. He schedules everything, even schmexy times (Thursdays at 3pm, rain or shine.) He loves routine, ancient artifacts, and his dog, Des, a jaunty Irish setter whose red hair matches his own.

Deo has an exciting assignment, and he needs an assistant. He also needs a wife. Why not place an ad and get two for the price of one? Little did he know that he would also be unearthing the one woman who was made for him.

Emily Grenfell is the sunshine to Deo’s cranky. A gifted scholar in her own right, she sees Deo’s ad in an antiquities journal and knows she has excavated just the treasure she needs- a chance to work on a real archeological dig as well as escape her abusive mother’s insistence that she marry a fortune hunter who cares nothing for her intelligence and adventurous spirit.

Emily’s unconditional love is the soothing balm for all the jagged edges of Deo’s world. With her, he slowly learns to trust and then to take the biggest risk of all, to give his heart to another. He sees her as a true partner and for the treasure that she is, beauty, brains, and an unshakable poise that is unruffled no matter what her mood he throws at her.

It was so fun watching these two struggle to keep their hands off of each other (there was question about the validity of their marriage and Deo wouldn't take her virginity until he knew for sure) and it made for varied and interesting steamy scenes, where they do everything (and I do mean EVERYTHING) but. Lots of steam and so sweet to watch Deo overcome his fears of intimacy and learn the fun of spontaneous bed sport.

Together with their friends (so fun to get to revisit the Duke and Sarah and Emrys and Annis from the first two All for Love books) they find the artifacts, vanquish the villain, and find the most precious treasure of all- unconditional love.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wife Wanted is the third book in Wren St. Claire's wonderful All For Love series. In this book, the story focuses on the socially awkward and brilliant antiquities scholar Deodonatus (Deo) Kinninmounth, the Earl of Pendrell. Deo decides to advertise for a lady who will be his secretary. He also plans to then persuade her to accept a proposal for a marriage of convenience but keeps that to himself for now, along with his identity in the advertisement. No need to perk the interest of the marriage minded mamas or their empty-headed daughters just looking for a title.

Emily Grenfell is desperate to leave home. Her abusive mother is determined to marry her to a man for title & status alone, a man who is a self-serving snake in the grass. She has no other suitors since most eligible bachelors aren't interested in a bluestocking miss who is more fascinated with books and antiquities than fashion and dancing. But once Emily sees Deo's advertisement she has a plan. She runs away to apply for the position, thinking that Deo is an eccentric older woman with money of her own. Emily's shocked when they meet, but she agrees with Deo's plan. Both to be his secretary and his wife.

Navigating their marriage is a rough road. Both Deo & Emily had a lot of emotional baggage to unpack and resolve from their abusive childhoods. Deo could really be a baboon's rear end sometimes, especially at first. But he tried, and worked toward doing better. That's what I consider important. It was really cute to see them fall deeply in love. The dig they were researching at Deo's friend's estate was fascinating too. Yeah, Emily's former suitor slimeball tried to pull some nonsense but it was more of a comic doofus thing. Especially when it all came back to roost on his head.

I've enjoyed every book in this series so far and I'm looking forward to reading the fourth book. Thank you NetGalley & DragonBlade Publishing for the ARC. My reviews are my own honest opinions of what I have read.

[Jan Mawdesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wife Wanted is set in 1851, against a discovery of what could be a burial barrow and Celtic Cross at a time when Archaeology in Britain was in its infancy.
He wants a wife, she wants to escape. They both are deeply involved in the world of Antiquities; he is a noted authoritarian, and she dreams of going on real dig, somewhere or anywhere will do.
Deo to his friends or Deodonatus Kininmounth 6th Earl of Pendrell, by his own admission is not an easy man to live with but realises he is not getting any younger and really needs help with not just his research but also needs a wife. His friend suggests he advertises, which he does, only getting one reply, as his requests are somewhat specific.
Emily Grenfell is a considerable heiress and refuses to be married off to Viscount Bidenden, a man she does not like at all. She is being punished by her mother, locked in her room with the staff forbidden to give her more than a few bits of bread a day.
She reads the advertisement in a smuggled in copy of her much awaited British Antiquities magazine and decides to apply for the position. Arriving at Cheetham Court she is only a day late, but more or less on time, which puts Deo in a quandary as he is used to doing things to a set routine and it is time for Kester, his beloved dog and companions walk!
Flustered and exhausted she faints. When she realises she will be working with Deo and is also expected to marry him as they cannot work together as anything other than man and wife, she understands she has nothing to lose with much to gain, so agrees and they are duly married.
The historic content of Wife Wanted is well researched as the tale of two vastly different but not so different people, slowly and gently discover that falling in love while they do what they enjoy most, discovering the past, is a most enjoyable holiday read.
The Author Notes at the end of Wife Wanted from Wren St Clair are well worth reading.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third in the All for Love series, we are centered around a very young woman, Emily, trying to escape a less than ideal marriage prospect and unhappy family situation. With her very soon to be husband, Deo a.k.a Earl of Pendrell, who finds social situations and big emotional displays upsetting.

—

Deo, Earl of Pendrell, advertises for an assistant in an antiquities periodical and at last his request is answered by the young Emily Frances.

Arriving starved and exhausted she faints away at the idea that she responded to an ad for a wife and not simply an assistant. Unable to turn down the offer, they are quickly wed and accept an invitation to dig up a possible Celtic burial site.

I enjoyed that as the story progresses, the main female who is young, becomes bolder and matures. While the male lead Deo softens and matches her ability to express his feelings when something makes him happy.

Always a fan of a fake/marriage of convenience story where of course they realise that it’s love that is the foundation of their relationship no matter how many times through out the book the remind themselves its just for convenience/money/to help the person.

Moving the story along and setting up the cute romance blossoming between the characters is an interest in antiquities. The author shows her knowledge delicately as she weaves the history through-out the books.

Along with the spicy romance and history, there was a little hint at a crime and I found it an enjoyable read.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily and Deo had all the makings of my favorite romance novels: forced proximity, bluestocking heroine, and an intellectual male lead. Though I found Wren St. Claire’s takes on these troupes played out, the story was enjoyable because they’re classic elements.

This book is short, shorter than I would like. When you tell a story from three perspectives (Deo, Emily, and Bidenden), the reader comes to expect some kind of understanding of each narrator. With a little extra time spent on Bidenden and especially on Deo, the story arc could be even more satisfying. Emily was clearly the center of this story, but spending more time on Deo’s childhood would have really helped readers understand their bond better. This time could have also been spent exploring Deo’s inner conflicts with more depth. Since a lot of the conflict in the novel was easily resolved, their story felt a little too easy.

I appreciated Emily’s self-empowered growth into making her own decisions and asserting herself in the archeological partnership. Emily and Deo were well matched in skills and you can really see their love blossom around the work they are doing together to excavate the burial site.

This book is a lovely beach read/quick fluff read and it doesn’t need to be more than that. Our couple has a happy ending that feels satisfying and our heroine is properly independent. Those are the basic makings of what I consider a decent romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Bridget Love to read Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have Emily Grenfell sorely mistreated, starved of food an affection by her mother for just being female! She of course is unnatural due to her love of antiquities!
Her mother is starving her to get her to agree to a marriage to a man she finds disagreeable! But the Viscount is very attracted to her dowry!
Emily finds an advertisement in a scientific Journal called British Antiquities with the help of a servant she answered for an opportunity of a lifetime!
Deodonatus (Deo) Kinninmounth Earl of Pendrell, needs a secretary to help him with a new project, but the lonely, socially awkward, bespectacled giant, also wants a wife. He decides to advertise for a lady to fill both roles.
Emily does not give her real name or she as she is too young to marry without her father’s permission!
But these two are made for each other they embark on marriage, romance and an architectural dig of a lifetime!
But her suitor is quite desperate and when he shows up and does his best to make mischief for the couple! But Deo is among boyhood friends with a very strong friendship forged for many years and the culprit doesn’t stand a chance!
These two certainly deserve a HEA and boy do thry get one! Steam to fog your glasses! Bravo!
I received an ARC copy for my unbiased review!

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Emily Grenfell sees an advertisement in British Antiquities, she sees the opportunity to do two things. One, she can escape her mother’s abusive treatment and marriage to a disagreeable fortune hunter. Two, she can work with someone who has the same interest in antiquities she does. Deodonatus (Deo) Kinninmounth, Earl of Pendrell, is renown in antiquities circles. He needs a secretary to help him with his new project, and he would like to have a wife. He places an advertisement in British Antiquities hoping the lady who answers it will be suitable for both. Emily answers the ad. She thinks it was placed by another lady. Instead, she meets Deo who is shy, lonely, and awkward in social situations. She has found someone who is interested in the same things she is, and who likes her as she is. When Deo proposes, she accepts (she might have told a small lie about her age, and name). While they learn to navigate their marriage, they embark on a fantastic architectural project. The dig is great, Deo’s friends are wonderful, but somehow her sneaky suitor has shown up and causes trouble. Deo is an adorable grump, and Emily is his perfect ray of sunshine. A very entertaining and enjoyable story.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

[Traci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notes for me

Deodonatus goes by Deo. He’s an Earl who works with antiquities. He needs an asst so he advertises in British Antiquities. He is also hoping for a wife.

Emily - 20 years old. Her cruel mother wanted her to marry a Viscount only after her $$. She loves antiquities also and answers his add.

They are both awkward with people and do not enjoy parties. He has to keep a schedule at all costs.

They attend a house party and the Viscount is there. Being after her fortune he sends a letter to her parents telling them where she is.

The story contains a tomb excavation, potential invalid marriage since she gave incorrect name and age and two people coming to terms with feeling love for the first time.

I enjoyed the story. I will say I did expect more drama and angst when her parents show up.

Safety

He thinks he’s not a kisser, even with his mistress.

When they visit London he breaks the arrangement with his mistress. He had originally planned to keep her since marriage is in name only, but thinks since he won’t be in town for the next couple of months may as well end it.

He had this mistress for 10 years. When in London he visited her on Thursday 3-4 pm. Very mechanical.

[SelinaW · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I adore about Wren St. Clair most is the detailed research she does for the underlying background of each book and the meticulous explanations she provided. Hers are never just simple romance novels, they unfailingly have some historical detail to it.

In this case Deo and Emily are both antique scholars and bond over their shared enthusiasm over the field. Deo marries Emily (who is eager to escape an unwanted marriage her mother planned) and whisks her away to the Duke of Teougbbridge’s estate, where the archeological finding Deo is working on happens to be conveniently located! This allowed us to visit with Rob and Sarah, as well as Emrys and Annis and even Kenrick. There was another mystery and another villain to unmask, much archeological excitement and of course the two MCs, who fell in love and couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

Deo is initially a very shy MC, rigid in his routines and he softens as the story progresses, aided by Emily’s easy-going nature. I adored the inclusion of Kes - Deo’s adorable dog!

Thanks to Dragoblade Publishing and Netgalley for the advance copy of this next installment of “All for Love!”

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Lovely Romance
When Emily answers an advertisement for secretarial assistance to an antiquarian, she assumes her employer will be a woman, as a young lady is specifically requested. She is taken aback that the position is also that of a wife and whilst she knows that the marriage may well be invalid as she is underage and using an assumed name, she is desperate not to be returned to her family. The Earl promises that initially at least their marriage will be in name only and can be annulled if they don’t suit. For Emily that is the perfect scenario, doing a job she loves and in twelve months when she reaches twenty one being independent when she inherits an annuity from her grandmother. Unfortunately a week after their marriage they are tasked to investigate a find where her origins are known to the owner but worse is to come when her erstwhile suitor turns up….
Loved the plot and the characters.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Mojo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I throughly enjoyed this installment in the All for Love series, I finished it in less then a day!

We have a shy, strict in his ways Earl named Deo and a bluestocking fmc named Emily. Deo puts an add in a paper for a female secretary, with the hopes of eventually marrying her. Emily is currently being pursued by a suitor who is heir to a Marquess. Her mother is very much for this marriage arrangement, Emily isnt as she only sees him after her dowry. So she answers the add under a false name/age.

Deo and Emily eventually end up at the Duke's home(hero of a previous installment in the series) to work on a dig site together. They get closer, really close...the spice is spicy in this one! There is a villain in this one, but we know who it is quite early on, so it didn't really add any sort of drama to the story.

Emily and Deo were so cute together, sharing their love for antiquities and comforting each other through childhood traumas they both went through.

Overall an enjoyable, well paced story! Thanks Netgalley for the arc.

[Theld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bridgerton meets Indiana Jones in this new novel by Wren St Clair. Miss Emily Grenfell lives under the tyrannical rule of a mother who is determined to marry her to Viscount Bidenden despite her wishes. On a whim and a prayer, Em answers an ad in the the British Intiquities newspaper for a secretary to escape and is whisked away on an adventure with Deo, Earl of Pendrell. The ad leads her to the biggest discovery of her life.

The incorporation of historical fact and fiction in the book is top notch. The story is unique, fun and entirely engrossing from page one. Not only is the archeological aspect of the book fascinating but the love story is captivating. It's an immediate connection between Em and Deo, and they work so well together. I8 just with Deo would have called out Bidenden at any point.

This grumpy-sunshine, nerds-in-love novel is perfect for anyone who loves the feel of Bridgerton but also loves STEM romances. SO hard to put down and worth every second of read time.

*ARC review

[Kim Mears · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It is the 3rd book in the series, you don't have to read the others but it does help understand the story more.

It is a regency romance where the MMC is an archaeologist and advertises for a Secretary, who he wants to help him on his digs and also be his wife, but in name only. He is not looking for love. The FMC applies as she is trying to escape a marriage her parents want to arrange. She doesn't realise that it's a man, but ends up taking the position anyway. The more time they spend together, their attraction grows.
But she has lied about her name and age, so is the marriage legal, and what happens when her previous suitor finds her and informs her parents.
I have enjoyed reading the 2 previous books in this series and this one was no different. The characters were likable and I found myself not wanting to put it down so I could find out what happened next in the storyline.

I would recommend reading this book.

[Katie Bogdan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

After my first two romance reads of 2026 flopped, I hesitated picking this one up. Once I did, however, I could barely stop myself from reading. Wren St. Claire put something in these pages that was so utterly addicting to me.

Wife Wanted follows the romance between sheltered heiress Emily and grumpy academic earl Deo who are thrown together when Emily answers an advertisement to be Deo's assistant (and unbeknownst to her, wife). I have rarely encountered a fictional couple who are written more perfectly for each other in every aspect of their relationship. That is not to say that their HEA doesn't take hard work; however, these conflicts are handled with maturity and care in a refreshingly candid way. I ended up being pleasantly surprised by this book and I look forward to reading more from Wren St. Claire this year!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

[Ms · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to thank the author for an advanced copy of her latest story. It was an enjoyable diversion during Twixmas. I like the reference to the Regency enthusiasm for archeology. I had visions of a Mary Anning like character stepping through the pages.
The plot started off reasonably enough. However, the story played out in a way one could predict.
The aspect that I found off putting was the anachronistic behaviours of the characters. Deo and Emily would not have been so familiar so quickly and in public. 'My Lord' or 'Pendrell' or simply 'Husband' and similarly for the other spouse would have been used.

I think this plot would have lent itself to an Agatha Christie/ Mitford era novel. The House party/ Anglo Saxon dig/ impoverished toff/ cross class marriage... Yes, Downtown Abbey/ The Mummy mash up would have been much better.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley. This story begins with Emily's mother picking out her husband, Emily is sure he is only after her money and she does not like him very well. Her mother locks her in her bedroom and will not give her food. After a week of bread and water is escapes. She has answered an ad in the antique's magazine for a secretary. She skips out of the house and takes the mail coach to meet the appointment. She faints from lack of food and the surprise that it is a man rather than a woman. Thus begins her adventure. They marry to keep it proper. She does not give him her correct age or name. In a short time they go to his friends as they have discovered a cross over a burial site from all they can tell. There are so many things that happen and I don't want to give anything away. You will enjoy it.

[Lisa H · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the spectrum..

I really liked that Deo was OCD, clearly on the spectrum, awkward and a red head, as was his matching Irish springer dog. What I didn’t like and was clearly improbable was his mistress. Big disappointment there, and so obviously not in his character, it was distracting and unreliable.

Emily is shy, a studious twenty year old with a horrid mother who would starve her so she accepts a most unwanted marriage proposal. She takes a chance applies for a job as a secretary. She does not expect a marriage of convenience.

Deo and Emily are well matched and suited, both shy and introverts with particular habits and interests. They are not suited to the ton and society, but rather scholarly pursuits.
Recommend. 4.5 it would have been a 5, but the unnecessary mistress gets stars deducted.

[Stacie Irwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy this author and her works, but this one didn’t hit for me. The storyline as a whole was good and I wanted to like it more, but I found I had a hard time connecting and engaging with the characters. It felt a bit tedious for me to read all the specifics of the artifacts and methods of the project they were researching. While I can’t deny that it was interesting at times, I found I would speed read a lot to get to more of the connection points with the characters.

Despite that, I did like the basic premise. It was unique and fun. Deo and Emily were good together. I loved how inexperienced they both were and enjoyed seeing them work together to figure things out. 😉

I will most certainly continue to read any new books from this author. 😊

[Dominique Englebert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Social disasters in love
Deodonatus – Deo – Earl of Pendrell needs a secretary, but also a wife. He is not demanding: she must be organised, an expert in antiquities, know Latin and Greek, accept his – according to him – abominable temper. That’s for the secretary. She must also be young, unmarried, of good standing. When miss Emily Grenfell applies for the post to escape her tyrannical mother and a disastrous marriage, she expected to work for a woman but, after the first moment of surprise, she accepts his proposal of a marriage of convenience. He doesn’t know what love is after a childhood without affection, but the attraction between them is undeniable. What will happen on the site of their first dig together in the face of unexpected danger?

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable romance, this novel brings two people of like mind together, while also providing valuable information about the background of the burial site on the Duke of Troughridge's estate. It took me all the way back to the days when I sat in history class, which I loved. Deo and Emily are a match made in heaven, although it does not start that way. Emily takes drastic measures when she escapes her parents' home, but later, coming face-to-face with her mother's choice of a husband for her is almost as devastating. The novel comes to a sweet conclusion, and justice is served. I received a copy of this book as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Cherie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Runaway, Antiques, Kisses and So Much More:
My first time reading this author and the story was pretty darn interesting.
The characters were a bit quirky but enjoyable. I truly liked both Deo and Emily.
Their love story was quite unique due to their very emotionally damaged upbringing.
We follow them as their romance gathers steam and both overcome their childhood deficiencies
which made their intimate scenes very intriguing and had me laughing a little bit.
Of course there is a villain, but he wasn't very noticeable, but he brought the story to a very HEA.
Mature Advisory:3/5

[Lindsey Domokur · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a regency romance with a hero that is socially awkward. It is so endearing to me when there is a man who falls so hard that they lose all sense of what they thought they knew about themselves. It just takes one woman to bring down the walls they built around themselves. Emily did that for Deo. The dynamic between the two of them was so cute and seeing them both fall for each other was adorable.
I felt like the romance was front and center here and the dig and other plot points were secondary, which I am not sad about. The story moved quickly and I couldn't wait for them to get thier HEA. 3.5 stars.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting story filled with courage, humor, understanding and love. Emily is a brave woman to run from a marriage she doesn't want. She knows what she wants in life and won't accept less. Deo is a curmudgeon, but you can't help adoring him! They are cute together with their shared passion for antiquities. The story is well written and moves a a perfect pace to keep the reader's interest. I greatly enjoyed this book and felt that it was a perfect blend if steam and sweetness.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately this didn’t work for me as well as the first 2 - felt rushed and sloppy and somewhat repetitive. I didn’t feel like the characters were as fleshed out and the mc’s traumas were glossed over and largely seemed to be resolved anti climatically. The villain was weak and the stakes didn’t feel very high.

[Jessica Grogan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really more like 3.75 stars. I enjoyed everything that WASN’T about the archaeological dig, which I largely skipped over. Deo and Emily are likable characters whose difficult childhoods affected them as adults. Worth the read even with the dig scenes.

*I received an eARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this refreshing read. Two shy people, both passionate about antiquities and both inexperienced in love. It was refreshing that the MMC wasn’t an expert in sex and instead both characters felt (pun) their way through. I read this in one sitting and plan to go back and read previous titles in this series.

[June Karen Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

An archaeologist advertises for an assistant when he really wants a wife. A lady also an archaeologist wanting to escape a marriage she does not want answers the advertisement. He wants a wife but no emotions. She is uninterested in love. Great storyline, interesting characters. Face paced. Well written. Highly recommended