Wow! This was an amazing start to a new Regency Series! With a good dash of mystery, which I love! A Rags to Riches wonderful story!
This is not my first book from the author, and I have to say I’ve loved every single one of her stories, but I think this is my new favorite!
I just fell in love with the main characters! Lily and Tim felt so relatable! I loved their kind and compassionate hearts, in spite that sometimes they had a façade to maintain, their witty banter and humor, the way their friendship grows, breaks and reconnects after some events. And the mysterious and intriguing plot that kept me guessing and captivated me from page one!
Lily-Anne Cole’s life has totally changed completely overnight. Working as a maid in Wiltshire, one day she responds to a solicitor’s call, after much insistence, only to discover she’s an heiress. Of a big Estate in the village of Ryhope on the coast of Durham, England, no less! Her estranged aunt, her deceased mother’s sister, the Comtesse de Saint Rémy (Lily’s mother was french her ancestors being royal family), had bought this unique Estate, but had never lived in it. Lily, now the mistress of Hawthorn Hall, an unknown mansion to her, has no idea of how to manage it and feels insecure in her new role. So, with her aunt as companion, and getting herself a maid by helping out a girl in the streets, she travels to her new home. What she never expects is for a leering thief to burst into her own library in the middle of her first night. Nor for her rescuer to be her own groom, who appeared just in the perfect moment, scared the thief away and left her reeling about who and what intentions the burglar had. Still, her groom soon proves himself trustworthy and the only person in her staff she can rely on, because almost every single member of her staff act disdainfully and with no respect toward her. How do one do to gain the whole staff respect and trust? Is it her lower upbringing or her lack of knowledge in her role as the Mistress of the Estate?
Timothy Hastings has climbed up in life to get where he now is. Almost a gentleman, you could say, with a small but decent Estate. His job is quite particular and demanding as he is hired to clean up the messes of the English ton, with different assignments that sometimes required to find stolen goods and restore them to the rightful owner. And right now, the Comte de Motte has hired him to find a treasure of stolen diamonds hidden in Hawthorn Hall. So he, and his business partner -with lose morals Paul-, break in the Manor, thinking it mostly vacant, only to be discovered by Miss Lily in the library, and Tim feigns to be the groom that comes to her rescue and scares the thief away. Now, he has to prove himself really a groom to Miss Lily, long enough to discover where the stolen diamonds are and give them back to the Comte, the “rightful owner”, and get paid. But things gets complicated, as he can’t help himself to try to help Lily, who is being treated with disrespect and rejection by her own staff. She seems strong, yet vulnerable at the same time… And Lily, with no experience howsoever on managing an Estate, finds herself trusting Tim more and more, as he stands by her side and help her get the staff to treat her as she deserves, and as she trusts him to protect her from the runaway thief who could always come back… But what if Lily discovers Tim’s deceit? How will Tim prove to her that he’s not a thief and that he really wants to protect her? Will they find the stolen diamonds or will someone else get to them first?
This was a fabulous story! I was so hooked in the mystery of the stolen diamonds and the danger that lurked behind the mystery! There was everything in this book that I loved: a captivating plot, an intriguing mystery and suspense, relatable and endearing characters, wit and humor, a clean and very sweet romance (with its ups and downs, trust and distrust), and the sense of adventure!
The best of all were the main characters, so amiable and charming: I admired how Lily gradually overcame her insecurities of not belonging in such new high status and her inexperience, her strong determination to do what is right with her staff, demanding respect, yet with kindness and compassion. She was genuine and forthright, and she had a quirky sense of humor. Their witty banter was a delight! I loved how Tim was so charmed by Lily and how he quickly became protective of her. He was funny and charming too. I loved his constant guilt at deceiving her, and how he did his best to be honest and “fix” things, even if in this case, he had to fix his own messes, not only the ones of the Ton. I also liked how he helped Lily feel more secure in her place and show her how worthy she was because of her good heart. Both characters felt relatable: with their own fears and flaws, yet wanting to do the best thing in their circumstances.
I loved the twists of the plot and how the mystery unfolds with some unexpected turns.
This story kept me engaged from page one until the end. I loved it so much! I vividly recommend it to all Historical Romance lovers, especially if you like it with some mystery and suspense and a clean swooning romance!
Can't wait to read the next one in the Series!