The Wayward Son

The Ashmead Heirs #1

by Caroline Warfield

She knew Willowbrook would never be hers. How can she make the heir love it as she does?

Welcome to book 1 in the exciting new series by bestselling author Caroline Warfield!

Sir Robert Benson’s life is in London. He fled Ashmead the day he discovered the man he thought was his father had lied to him, and the girl he loved was beyond his reach. Only a nameless plea from his sister—his half-sister—brings him back. He will not allow a ludicrous bequest from the earl who sired him turn him into a mockery of landed gentry. When a feisty little termagant with flashing eyes—and a musket—tries to turn Rob off the land—his land—he’s too amused and intrigued to turn away. But the longer he stays, the tighter the bonds that tie him to Ashmead become, strengthened by the powerful draw of the woman rooted on land he’s determined to sell.

Lucy Whitaker’s life is Willowbrook, its land, its tenants, its prosperity, but she always knew it wasn’t hers, knew the missing heir would come eventually. When a powerful man with military bearing rides up looking as if he wants to come in and count the silver, she turns him away, but her heart sinks. She can’t deny Rob Benson his property; she can only try to make him love the place as she does, for her peoples’ sake. A traitorous corner of her heart wishes Rob would love it for her sake.

His life is London; hers is Ashmead. How can they forge something lasting when they are torn in two directions?

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance, Historical Fiction, Regency, Regency Romance, Fiction

355 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 22, 2021

About the author

Caroline Warfield is the pseudonym of a writer who wishes she had walked through fascinating times in the shoes of one of her characters—but which one?

Caro has at various times been an army brat, a librarian, a poet, a raiser of children, a nun, a bird watcher, an Internet and Web services manager, a conference speaker, an indexer, a tech writer, a genealogist, and, of course, a romantic. She has sailed through the English channel while it was still mined from WWII, stood on the walls of Troy, searched Scotland for the location of an entirely fictional castle (and found it), climbed the steps to the Parthenon, floated down the Thames from the tower to Greenwich, shopped in the Ginza, lost herself in the Louvre, gone on a night tour of the Singapore zoo, walked in the Black Forest, and explored the underground cistern of Istanbul.

By far the biggest adventure has been forty-five years of marriage to a prince among men.

She sits in front of a keyboard at a desk surrounded by windows, looks out at the trees and imagines. Her greatest joy is when one of those imaginings comes to life on the page and in the imagination of her readers.

Reviews

[Elodie’s Reading Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

⛏ The Wayward Son ⛏
The Ashmead Heirs Series #1
✒️ Caroline Warfield
https://www.facebook.com/carolinewarf...
Release Date 07/22/2021
Publisher Dragonblade Publishing
➪ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09484DC1D/...

𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯

She knew Willowbrook would never be hers. How can she make the heir love it as she does?

Welcome to book 1 in the exciting new series by bestselling author Caroline Warfield!

Sir Robert Benson’s life is in London. He fled Ashmead the day he discovered the man he thought was his father had lied to him, and the girl he loved was beyond his reach. Only a nameless plea from his sister—his half-sister—brings him back. He will not allow a ludicrous bequest from the earl who sired him turn him into a mockery of landed gentry. When a feisty little termagant with flashing eyes—and a musket—tries to turn Rob off the land—his land—he’s too amused and intrigued to turn away. But the longer he stays, the tighter the bonds that tie him to Ashmead become, strengthened by the powerful draw of the woman rooted on land he’s determined to sell.

Lucy Whitaker’s life is Willowbrook, its land, its tenants, its prosperity, but she always knew it wasn’t hers, knew the missing heir would come eventually. When a powerful man with military bearing rides up looking as if he wants to come in and count the silver, she turns him away, but her heart sinks. She can’t deny Rob Benson his property; she can only try to make him love the place as she does, for her peoples’ sake. A traitorous corner of her heart wishes Rob would love it for her sake.

His life is London; hers is Ashmead. How can they forge something lasting when they are torn in two directions?

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

Will he let his past anger deprive him of a possible love…

I discovered the author’s work just a few weeks ago and while I was not fond of her heroine, she transported me into a world of adventures, drama and emotions, I checked her upcoming releases.
And I saw this one, alas each time a book launch close to the end of the month, each time I must weight if I will be able to read it, as it is more and more a hectic reading period for me and this month is no different.
Yet, I marked it with a question mark on my reading schedule calendar. But I am weak.
So I switched it and read it in one long afternoon-late evening.
And I just loved it.

This is not the usual regency tale I am used, the characters are far far from perfect, they are not broken but angry, and they often take the coward road all the while they face danger head-on.
Rob ran away years ago when he learned his father was not the one he thought, unable to face the one who raised him and disliking the one who sired him.
Now, urged by his sister, half-sister to come back, he is here and learns he is the missing heir of a much coveted estate. Something he absolutely does not want. He made a successful life for him away from here, so there is no way for him to turn back the clock.
Lucy like most women born from gentry has few means to support herself as men control everything. Yet, with none around her to dictate her steps, she made herself the steward of landownerless property. And she is quite successful but she dreads the return of the missing heir. As from there, her future would become much more uncertain.

The author has knitted a complex tale of deceits, greed and betrayal which turned this story of the return of the prodigal son in a quest for answers, an investigation to comprehend why these lands are so sought-after all the while sabotaged then putting lives at stake.

Rob and Lucy are strong determined characters, they bend to no one, but when it is about their heart content, their choices of life have ill-armed them to understand it and express their soul’s desires. I was from time to time haranguing them to stop retreating or postponing, to fight for their feelings and stop for a while and take the time to explore them, instead of tiptoeing around scared to might be rejected, to have to rethink the course of their life.
5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 sort of behind closed doors lovemaking scenes.

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher Dragonblade Publishing, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Sir Robert Benson learned that the man he called father wasn’t really his father at all and that the girl he thought he loved could never be his, he fled the lies and made a life in London as a military man. Now his sister’s urgent letter has brought him back to Ashmead after ten years away. When he learns his true father, the earl, has left him property, he vows to sell it rather than join the class of landed gentry he despises. But when he’s turned away at the end of a musket by a woman on his land, he finds himself intrigued and wanting to know more about her. The longer he remains, the more deeply Ashmead’s ties pull at him, especially when paired with the pull of the woman who is strongly attached to the land he intends to sell.

Lucy Whitaker has made her life at Willowbrook, caring for the land and its tenants and making improvements, even knowing it would never be hers. She turns Rob away with a heavy heart, knowing this man is different from the imposters who have been plaguing Willowbrook for years. She can’t keep Rob away from his own property forever, but as she tries to show him its beauty and convince him not to sell, she starts to fall for him and wishes he’d stay for her despite his misgivings about the land.

This was such a frustratingly slow burn for me. I was happy to have the mystery and sinister plotting to keep me distracted and intrigued, but it really didn’t feel like a romance. Lucy was mostly just hateful and spiteful towards Rob even though he’d done nothing to her, and she knew she couldn’t remain where she was on land that wasn’t hers. She picked fights with him as a defense mechanism and that grew old rather quickly for me. Rob wasn’t exactly likeable for me either. His resentment levels were through the roof and his reasons for harboring them were feeble at best. His hatefulness to his adopted father for ‘lying’ to him made me want to smack him. Robert senior loved Rob as his son, took care of his mother after she’d been used by the earl, and did everything to give Rob a good life, so Rob’s view of his father having lied to him was skewed at best and just made him seem petulant and immature. Given these characterizations, I didn’t care much about either Lucy or Rob, but I was fairly interested in the mystery going on here. It took entirely too long for Lucy and Rob to come together, and his cluelessness made things less than romantic while their time together was disappointingly lackluster. I would’ve liked to see more growth demonstrated by these flawed MCs and we just didn’t get much of that on the page, especially the developing relationship I wanted to see between David and Rob. I just wanted to smack Rob and the chip on his shoulder, and I grew quite frustrated by all the allusions to the childhood Rob, David, and Maddy spent together, and which was never elaborated on much. Overall, this story was fine, not bad and not great, with characters I just couldn’t become invested in.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series: The Ashmead Heirs #1
Publication Date: 7/22/21
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 355

This author has created the most delightful village populated with some of the most delightful people you’ll ever meet. Some are related – some are not. Some used to have secrets – some didn’t. When the old earl died, his will turned the world of a number of villagers upside down. This first book in the series introduces us to the village of Ashmead, its inhabitants and then nicely introduces us to protagonists in future books. As always, the writing is outstanding, it is perfectly plotted and perfectly paced, and you will absolutely adore all of the characters you meet. Well … all of the characters except the villains maybe.

Major Sir Robert Benson was once simply known as Robbie Benson, son of the publican in Ashmead. That changed suddenly when he was fourteen and overheard the girl he loved being berated by her mother because of her association with him. Because, well, it turns out he was her by-blow brother. Robbie left Ashmead after that, has never returned, and had intentions of never returning for any reason. Why would he go back? The man he loved and admired above all others, his Da, had lied to him for his entire life. His Da really wasn’t his Da. No, the man who sired him was the old Earl of Clarion.

Lucy Whitaker has learned that you cannot depend on men to take care of you. You must be totally independent and she has been making herself that way for several years. Sadly, that independence is still dependent on a man. When her father died leaving her without providing for her, she went to live with her sister and brother-in-law, the new Earl of Clarion. After the old earl died, and her sister as well, she was adrift. She couldn’t continue to live with her brother-in-law, but she had no other place to go. The solution was for her to live at Willowbrook until its heir showed up. Still, three years and many imposters later, the real heir has not appeared. Until he did.

Sir Robert only returned to Ashmead because his sister Emma wrote that he must come, she needed him. He never read any correspondence from Ashmead, the Earl’s home, or anyone else even remotely related to that Earldom or that village, so he was shocked to learn he had inherited Willowbrook from the old Earl’s estate. Well! He certainly didn’t want anything to do with that so he’d refuse it if he could or sell it if he couldn't refuse it.

With strange things happening at Willowbrook and Sir Robert’s protective instincts for Lucy kicking in, the story really flies. Villains are afoot and have been for three years. What is it they want? The estate supports itself, but it doesn’t make huge sums of money. As the plot thickens, people are hurt, murder happens, betrayals happen, and Lucy and Sir Robert’s attraction to each other grows exponentially.

Will they find their HEA or will Sir Robert sell Willowbrook and head back to London? You’ll never know if you don’t read this wonderfully crafted romance. Some of the characters I LOVED in this book will be featured in the future books of the series. Madelyn (Maddy) Tavernash, Dowager Duchess of Glenmoor will be featured in the next book along with Brynn Morgan, who is Sir Robert’s best friend. You’ll love them in this book and I’m sure you’ll love them in their own book later this year! I believe the series will wrap up next year with the new Earl of Clarion’s book. You’ll also meet him and come to like him in this book.

Happy reading! I hope you’ll love this book as much as I did.

[🦉Maggie Whitworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋

Enjoyable and entertaining read with some great characters in the storyline.
I loved the heroine more with every chapter, such fire and passion in her antics and she brings life to the whole book.
The Hero was good too, but she sold it to me.
There are secrets and challenges all the way through for this couple, but inevitably it ends happily.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

Sent from my iPhone

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful amount of tension! Waterloo hero comes back to the village of birth at his sisters urging. A place he’d fled from when he’d discovered he was the local Earl’s bastard. A place he wanted nothing to do with—still family called.

[OLT · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Warfield's first book in a new series, The Ashmead Heirs. It's a good read, about how you can, and maybe should, go home again. About family and what's important in life. About love and understanding and forgiveness. It satisfies the reader who is looking for a quiet, homey read.

Ashmead is a quiet village where Robert Benson grew up, the son of an innkeeper. He left the day he learned some secrets about his parentage and has made a good life for himself in the military. He has never returned, somewhat bitter about his family and their secrets, and now has a good life in London.

But he's back now, in answer to an urgent request from his half-sister. When he arrives, it is to learn he's the heir to Willowbook, one of the late Earl of Clarion's estates. This is much to the resentment of the new Earl of Clarion, David. See, the old Earl of Clarion believed, shall we say, in the idea of "droit de seigneur" and left a passel of illegitimate children in his wake, many of whom were beneficiaries in his will. And his legitimate children were given short shrift, for some reason, except for what was entailed.

So that's how hero Robert is heir to Willowbrook, an estate that his half-brother David had wanted. Well, Robert doesn't want Willowbrook, doesn't want to be tied down by it, is resentful of his whole family, including his stepfather and the half siblings he grew up with and the half siblings who were the legitimate children of the old earl.

Obviously this is going to be a story about coming to terms with your parentage and learning that family is important and is what you make of it. And that you can go back home again. Our hero isn't the only one who has lessons to learn. The new Earl of Clarion, his half brother, has resentments of his own for obvious reasons mentioned earlier. So, if you like family relationship stories, the development of respect and affection among all the siblings will warm your heart.

There's also a romance to enjoy. The new Earl of Clarion's sister-in-law Lucy has been left more or less in charge of the running of Willowbrook, since hero Benson, its owner, had had nothing to do with it, partly because at first he was unaware of being the heir to it and later because he had no interest in it. Their romantic relationship gets off to a rough start but develops nicely.

And I mustn't forget that there is also a bit of a mystery with a bunch of villains running around. And a mother/stepmother from hell to contend with. But all will be well, not to worry.

This story entertained me but I found the hero lacking in certain heroic qualities and couldn't give it more than three stars. He was a bit of a self-absorbed whiner and also the kind of person who delegates responsibility for most things, rather than taking them upon himself. He does improve but he was still a meh person IMO.

There will be more romances for these half siblings, those of the peerage and those not, I assume. Next up appears to be the story for Maddie, the new Earl of Clarion's full legitimate sister, who is, of course, Robert Benson's half sister. I am interested in reading that one and also look forward to Clarion's story, which I hope will be coming up also.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5/5.0

This is an engaging story from an author gifted in writing that flows and enchants the reader.

Read full review in the 2021 Holiday issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Suzan Lauder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could never give five stars to a book with more contractions than it had passion. In any case, the author who can say don't in one sentence and do not in the next is just lazy and has an even lazier editor.

My review will be technical, with very little in the way of subjective story analysis, and no synopsis.

- The plot comes from a good premise and does a fairly good job of sticking to the story arc considering the number of characters that no doubt fit into the balance of the series.
- Flow is moderate to slow in pace, with a fair bit of redundancy as the same scene is retold on several occasions throughout the book. Dramatic tension flares briefly a few times, but the desire to shield the reader from anything too worrying stifles the ability to raise angst in this book.
- The author uses third person multiple point of view with head-hopping. The latter is a mistake that should be avoided like the plague.
- Telling is the major way of communication in this narrative-heavy story. The reader would be more engaged if there had been more showing and there would have been better passion in the story.
- Language was easy to read, with no big words to distract from the flow of prose. The words weren't all that Regency in flavour. Some modernisms crept in, such as movie expressions and specifically, seven non-Regency words/phrases, three Americanisms, and four misused words/expressions. However, these numbers are par for the course in a Regency romance. What's not normal is the 65+ contractions. Most Regency romances have under six. It's clear the author didn't even try to remove them. In the Regency, only lower classes and silly people used contractions, yet this author put them in the mouths of all characters.
- The only punctuation error was a missing question mark. There was a change of speaker without a new paragraph break.
- The sole Regency error was calling a duchess Lady Madelyn. That would be the duchess's daughter. The duchess would be called Lady Lastname under all circumstances.
- A tongue-in-cheek suggestion to the author is to never name a horse after a country and western song. The reader will be stalled and pulled out of the era by having the song run through their head.
- Characterizations were flip-floppy for the protagonists. They weren't steady to a single style, and changed depending on the circumstances. Side characters were more reliable.
- The romance was too slow, and the characters remained on edge in each other's company for far too long. A lack of titillating banter or spark was noticed for the first three-quarters of the book, resulting in a question of their suitability in the minds of the readers. When they eventually get together, the book uses such a telling style that the passion is barely believable, e.g., the female protagonist's reactions to a kiss. That kiss was rather sterile as a result.
- Scene-setting was very good. We could visualize what was happening most of the time, though there were places where the situation was a bit vague, such as on the hill or in the pub. Even then, the smells and sounds were excellent. One fault was that nothing at all was said on how the one bodyguard died, probably to save the book a violence rating. However, it left too many unanswered questions. Some small hint without detail would have been appropriate.
- Because this book had a mystery twist, I feel impelled to comment on that aspect. It's done extremely well. The final twist is an excellent surprise.
- The cover is meant to titillate with the open shirt, yet this book is not particularly heavy on the passionate side, nor well done in that regard. However, the rest of the scene on the cover shows the setting of the book well, and the colours and style of the artwork give a sense of nostalgia, assisting in the Regency feel. It's much better than those non-Regency gowns on those other authors' books. Does it say "buy me?" I think so.

I enjoyed this book even though the romance was weak and slow because the mystery that was shared by the protagonists was excellent. I particularly liked the secondary characters, which will lead me to have a great deal of interest in the next books in the series.

My only misgivings about reading another book by this author is that every time I read a contraction, it jolted me out of the story. Very few Regency romance authors are stubborn and lazy about this issue and continue to use contractions. Do they not see what it does to their readers, or do they not care? I know it's their choice, but it's a poor one. Whether it be contractions, incongruous language, out-of-era technology, continuity errors, plot holes, tangents, spelling, punctuation, etc., every time the author takes a reader out of the story, they risk losing that reader. This is why authors try so hard on all aspects of the story when they write.

Disclaimer: I'm a Regency romance author, and some might consider this review a conflict of interest. However, I was a reader first, and my reviews are honest and impartial. I write them for the benefit of both the reader and the author.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Major Sir Robert Benson’s life is in London. He fled Ashmead the day he discovered the man he thought was his father had lied to him, and the girl he loved was beyond his reach. Only a nameless plea from his half-sister, Emma brings him back. He will not allow a ludicrous bequest from the earl who sired him turn him into a mockery of landed gentry. When a feisty little termagant with flashing eyes and a musket tries to turn Rob off his land he’s too amused and intrigued to turn away.
Lucy Whitaker’s life is Willowbrook, its land, its tenants, its prosperity, but she always knew it wasn’t hers, knew the missing heir would come eventually. She can’t deny Rob Benson his property; she can only try to make him love the place as she does, for her peoples’ sake. Then accidents start to happen, small at first until a bridge is sabotaged & people are hurt.
The first in a new series & a very well written page turner it is. The characters are SO well portrayed & have lots of depth. The pace is very good & never lags, there’s mystery & a lovely slow burn romance. I loved both Rob & Lucy, he’s the local lad who ran away & has returned a war hero & is now the owner of an estate. Lucy is the sister in law of the local Earl, she’s feisty, intelligent & loves caring for Willowbank. The pair lock horns several times, their banter is highly entertaining but as they fight verbally their attraction is growing as are their feelings for each other. The secondary characters are also delightful & I hope some of them have their stories. I also loved that there wasn’t a ballroom in sight & the story is set in a village in Nottinghamshire - it was a refreshing change. I loved their road to a HEA with mystery, doubts & misunderstandings. An engrossing read which I highly recommend
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn into this drama from the opening chapter and it held my attention to the conclusion. Sir Robert Benson has proved himself repeatedly on the battlefield and has the respect of his peers. However, his training did not prepare him for the unexpected sight of a lady holding a musket and threatening him on what he discovers is his own property. Rob is related in one way or another to most of the main characters in this novel, but it gives him very little joy. As siblings are brought together to stand against a common enemy, they discover that they have more in common than they would have thought. Lucy Whitaker is an independent woman, who took up the mantle of estate steward, making Willowbrook Estate profitable. Discovering that he has been bequeathed the property, hardly fills Rob with joy, but rather leaves him with problems to solve and people to be protected. When it becomes clear that the estate is being sabotaged, all Rob's military training kicks into gear as he seeks out the perpetrators and their motives. The romance that develops between Lucy and Rob is fairly low-key, although they do finally get their happy ending. I enjoyed this well-written novel, a copy of which I received and as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Rainelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wayward Son. My fellow readers. I love love this story and how it started out. Major Robert Benson certainly was blessed with his blended family that stretched from Ashmead on Afon to London. How the story is written was definitely fitting for a true reader to kick back and enjoy.
You will find that there are a number of characters within the story. What I did to keep track of them is that I kept a journal of whose and who they’re related to. The romance the shines between Rob and Lucy is an unforgettable one. Anytime you meet your soulmate with a musket is a relationship that will last forever. I truly am impressed by the plot and how it comes to the conclusion with Rob thrown into the mix of it.
The interesting entertainment comes on the heals of little Miss Lucy. She fans the flames of Rob’s physical emotions as well as his mental. I love the come home feeling of the story. This is such great writing. I give this book two snaps and a twist.
Until next time my fellow readers. Read on!
#carolinewarfield #goodreads #bookbub #dragonbladepublishing #booktok #netgally

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

When Sir Robert Benson uncovered the truth about his parentage, and the fact that the girl he was in love with was in fact his half sister, he fled his home in Ashmead, and never returned. But now knighted for his service in the military, he is informed that his birth father, the late Earl of Clarion, has passed, and left him Willowbrook, one of the family estates neighbouring Ashmead. When he arrives, wishing to sell it quickly, and left without being noticed, he meets Lucy Whitaker. Lucy is the sister in law of the current Earl, and custodian of Willowbrook. She's made the estate her home, and she loves it wholly and completely. She's wished that the long lost heir never returned, especially when the chemistry between her and Rob becomes too much. But soon, it's clear that someone wants both Rob and Lucy gone, and they're willing to do anything for that, even orchestrate a bridge collapse, and attempt murder. Will the people of Ashmead, and Rob and Lucy, be able to overcome it all?

I'll admit I requested this on NG as a bit of an impulse request, but I was pleasantly surprised by it. I loved Lucy, and though it took me a while to warm to Rob, soon I wanted them to be together, happy, and for the whole town to be healed from the rifts of the past. There's so much history here in the storyline, and it was slowly revealed, again and again, which really helped the reader to connect with the plot. I also liked that it was wholly a romance, that there was a mystery interwoven in the plot, which kept readers on their toes. I guessed a few of the mysteries early, though that didn't detract from enjoying the discoveries the characters made, or the conclusion to the story. I'm really glad that I have a copy of book 2, The Defiant Daughter, ready to read, because Brynn and Maddy's chemistry was immense in book 1.

[BJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt it needed an earlier book to set the scene. There are lots of characters and each one has a history that was painfully Told in bits and pieces. I found the H and h's attraction diminished by their mutual reticence and selfishness. They get their HEA but the writing style is not to my taste.

[Melania Ramona · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. An interesting read, but I wish some things had been a bit more developed (relationships between characters, motives...)

[Linda J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

Enjoyed how this story unraveled all it's secrets. The character's are well written even if at times I wanted to knock some sense into the H/h.

The H served in the military and now provides security for high ranking individuals. His life is in London, but must come home at the urging of his sister. Not all is as it seems because you have more than one villain, which you knew from the onset. But, more villains are added and that was a huge surprise as to who all the players were - kept the story from dragging.

The h is an unpaid steward of the property her ex brother in law owned. This story has so many layers and has a nice set up for the next books in the series. Not all situations are answered here. I wanted to know if the town came back after so many businesses left? Did the villains that were caught get what was coming to them? No cliffhanger for our H/h, but I did want to know how she liked London. Hopefully all will be answered in the next story, which I will be pre-ordering when out.

Lovemaking within marriage and bedroom door mostly closed and only described once - heat level 0.5 out of 5.

Romance builds slowly, no cheating, many interactive story lines will hold your interest and great main and secondary character's. (ljb)

[Gloria Pastorino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t know this author, but I must say that I enjoyed this book very, very much. I usually prefer steamy books and this is quite clean (just kissing and behind-the- door sex), but it’s so well-written that I didn’t miss the love scenes so much. Rob and Lucy are very interesting characters and Caroline has done a wonderful job in describing the inner torment of a man that has discovered the truth about his birth and is struggling to cope with it. And Lucy is a strong woman who’s making her own way in the world and doesn’t want to be treated like the poor relative. If you enjoy a good love story with a bit of mystery and a plot twist at the end, read this book. I recommend it even if you read only steamy (like me!). And I look forward to the stories of the side characters, who are really intriguing and captivating (especially the earl!)
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Lori D · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Midlands, 1817

He had arrived. She knew the true heir would eventually show up but still....there was no hope for it. He'd come to claim her home.

She had lived at Willowbrook and with the old Earl of Clarion passing away, it seemed the new heir may never show up. So she took control of the estate and managed as the stewart. Many imposters tried to take over, but her future was uncertain.

He had fled the village of Ashmead when he found out his father was the Earl of Clarion, and not the man who had raised him. But with pleas from his family, he came back and learned he had inherited an estate, Willowbrook.

Oh yes, see how this is going? As always, Caroline has created a new world around this village and the characters that truly seem to step out of the pages! Mystery, secrets, strange happenings, deception and an enlightening journey to love, kept me captivated until the end!

I cannot wait to see what happens in the next story and can only say, it will be hard to top this one!

[Tracy DeNeal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rob and Lucy

What a delightful story with an interesting premise. Sir Robert fled his home at young age. His sister summons him home after many years. It was fascinating to watch this complicated man discover love of family and find an equally prickly love match to boot!

Caroline Warfield really knows how to weave a tale. This new series is so promising. I can’t wait to see where she takes us!

[Carly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a somewhat unsettling book. When it ended, I was left dissatisfied and discontent, but had to sit and think about why, reading over the notes I’d made while reading. There are some problems with the characters and the plot moseys along, meandering through the book. Towards the end, it seemed as though the plot had expanded to fill the pages.

The compact village of Ashmead (on the river Afon) is in the Midlands, in central England, bordering on Wales and extending to the North Sea. It encompasses a great deal of beauty as well as industry. This village seems to be teeming with intrigues, most of which are unexplained until the end of the book, and then done oddly.

Our hero is the eponymous wayward son, Major Sir Robert Benson, currently working in London with the Horse Guards, under Viscount Rockford. He’s been gone for fifteen years, has refused to read any correspondence from Ashmead, and has lived a life as far from the village as possible. He is a soldier who has returned only to sell an estate, Willowbrook, left to him by the man who presumably fathered him since the writer refers to our hero as “the old earl’s bastard.” Our hero is not what one would call a pleasant man.

The book opens brilliantly with a confrontation between our heroine, Lucy Whitaker, and an imposter who is posing as Sir Robert in order to get his hands on Willowbrook. She is feisty and fearless, and I loved following her actions as she shooed yet another poser on his way, backed by her equally fearless friend/cook/housemaid, Agnes. She starts out a strong woman, standing her ground, in life as well as before feckless charlatans. Sadly, she doesn’t remain as such but becomes missish and much of her liveliness is taken away through loving the hero. That’s the writer’s choice, not the character’s.

The story is not straightforward, much of it is told in flashbacks courtesy of one character or another’s thoughts and memories. The plot is made too complicated, without cause. It wanders as more and more characters are introduced. The two big mysteries appear to be first, Sir Robert’s intense anger with the man who raised him as his father, an innkeeper in Ashmead. Sir Robert has harbored a huge—and I mean gargantuan—grudge against the man who raised him. In the end, when all is revealed, it seems silly. We can surmise it all well before the end, and we hope against hope that the reason behind his anger is not one of mere non-communication. At fifteen, Sir Robert had heard the end of a conversation and in his youth, allowed it to forge his future. Truly, it was silly in the extreme.

The second mystery seems to be about Willowbrook: why does everyone want it? We never really find out. The land surrounding Ashmead may or may not contain coal and copper; it’s never determined, simply conjectured. One of many villains, Mr. Spangler (a lawyer from Nottingham), wanted it for reasons of his own. He makes a VBD (Very Big Deal) out of it in the beginning of the book, but his final reason seems weak and trivial compared to all the original hoopla. The only one who doesn’t want it is Sir Robert who wants to sell it and get back to his life in London.

There are many disconnects in the plot, actions that are deceptive, seemingly important, but coming to nothing. For instance, Mr. Spangler comes to call on Lucy and stares intently at the roof. It seems significant. One wonders…is this part of the reason everyone is after Willowbrook? Perhaps something hidden under a loose tile? A new will? Hidden treasure? Nope. Lucy notices, too, then goes up a ladder to discover what he’d been looking at. She is diverted by Sir Robert, who distracts her, and she falls – right into his arms, of course. That’s the end of whatever was on the roof. A good example of Chekhov’s gun.

Another example of these odd scenes that serve no purpose is the undercurrent of incest. It is unpleasant and unnecessary to the plot: “He [Sir Robert] had known the Dowager Duchess of Glenmoor as Lady Madelyn Caulfield, and she would always be Maddy to him, his childhood playmate. My first love, he thought, staring into her green eyes. My sister.” Why was this even mentioned? It served no purpose. The old earl was villainous, and we get that from the many references to his villainy that the writer shares with us. This seemed prurient and pointless. All it did was add a creep-factor to the tale.

There were few errors, and that made reading much more pleasant.
 I believe there is a typo here: “…sipped the hot back liquid…” Coffee is being sipped, so it should perhaps read, “…sipped the hot black liquid…”
 There is a superfluous comma: “Andy, and me went to see about the badgers…” This should read, “Andy and me…” (no comma)
 A sentence-ending period is missing. “Needs watching, that one” Da didn’t speak until the last…” This should be, “Needs watching, that one.” Da didn’t speak…”
 Sims, a London agent, becomes Sim at one point in the story.
 There is an apparent editing error. In one scene, we’re told, “Rob gave the coachman the order to go on and mounted his great beast.” Lucy is left alone to watch them leave. On the next page, Rob is suddenly inside Willowbrook: “Rob lurched forward at Miller’s smirk…” Where did he come from? Last we read, he was on his horse, leaving.
 A space is omitted between words: “Have Ishown you the back stairway?” This should read, “Have I shown you…”

I rated this book 1.5 stars and rounded up. The plot was far too complicated, sprawling though the book as one character after another brought in more drama. Our hero and heroine had zero chemistry. I’m not talking spice or heat; I’m talking about that “zing” that feels so right when two people find each other and realize they are falling in love. No such zing here.

The book feels longer than it is (266 Kindle pages), and when it does end, somehow it is not complete. The anger Sir Robert has kept simmering for fifteen years was reduced to silliness. It made him look foolish and a bit of a dullard (not what I want in my hero without a strong character arc to put such behavior in its place, in the past). No lessons were learned.

Lucy Whitaker had a terrible character arc. She went from a strong, independent thinker (in the male-dominated world of the Regency period) to a prissy miss who gains strength from Sir Robert and no longer from herself; it becomes all about him. I was hoping they would be loving partners. She was so competent as his de facto land agent. Her ledger entries were precise. She accounted for every penny, made sure Willowbrook and the village prospered. For this…she was never appreciated, let alone thanked. I wanted so much more for her. There were many opportunities for her qualities to have rubbed off on Sir Robert, making him a better man, but that never happened. Nix, I think, on any more books in this series.

[S.K. Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy when historical romance is mixed with a bit of mystery and this series is exactly that. The story was good and believable, especially if you research how many of the nobility treated the females around them, no matter their stations during those days. There may be some who can't imagine a lady holding a musket on an intruder, but that was an easy one for me and once you get to know our heroine, it wasn't a stretch. There are a couple of terms I question from the Regency era, but not enough to toss me out of the story. I did have a bit of an issue with Rob's treatment of the only father he had ever known, but trust and truth runs deep within the young man and you can't fault that. Lucy is a determined and intelligent young woman, but you get a sense, reality is not one of those strengths. She continues to figure a way to remain on the land she loves, even though he doesn't belong to her. Of course, when she falls in love with Rob, she still is torn between her lifelong beliefs of fairness and loyalty toward a family she truly has no real understanding.

[YT · Rating 3 out of 5]

[[ BOOK INFO ]]———————————————
—<< ✨ 3 stars ✨>>—————————

Pages: 355
Chapters: 40 (excluding Epilogue)
Main shelves: historical romance, f/m, clean romance, mystery, forced proximity due to circumstances, slow-burn, frenemies-to-lovers, fish out of water, unexpected inheritance, small town

👤POV(s): multiple: Lucy, Robert, once from David (chap 15)
📝Ending: HEA (Happily ever after)
📚Series? Yes. Same world following different protagonists.

Felt like there was a bit of a loose end when the main conspirator in the mystery aspect of the plot didn’t really face punishment and escaped

………………………………………………………………………………
[[ CONTENT WARNINGS ]]

+ classism
+ mild coarse language (mostly deity swears. eg. Oh, dear God! why….)
+ brief mention of Church and the bible. once in relation to a women’s wages
+ discussing incest (didn’t know they were related at the time. not between the MCs)
+ mention of parental death
+ mentions of war/food insecurity
+ drug use (alcohol)
+ blood
+ threat of possible sexual assault. stopped before it got anywhere.
+ parental abuse, including emotional abuse
+ parental abuser trialed for unrelated crime
+ debt
+ gun violence (+ recount about resulting death)
+ mentions of starvation of children as punishment
+ brief mention of molestation
………………………………………………………………………………
[[ Q’s ]]

Q: Sex scenes?
no shown sex scenes. there is a fade-to-black in the epilogue. The main character kiss on two occasions but that’s it.

Q: Love triangle?
No

Q: unrequited love?
No

Q: virgin trope?
Neither characters have been married before. Robert does show slightly more outwardly sexual thoughts but even then, it’s minimal. It’s not really mentioned if either are virgins but it doesn’t seem to affect their dynamic.

Q: Character death? (of those in main cast)
Yes: Lieutenant Robbins is shot and killed while protecting Lucy. This happens off-screen but the sequence of events is recounted and his body shown.

Q: Betrayals?
Yes: Aaron Miller, a worker hired for repairs at Willowbrook, co-conspires wth the antagonists leading to injury and the death of a character

The other antagonists are pronounced more outright and disliked/distrusted from the start.
………………………………………………………………………
[[ PERSONAL COMMENTS ]]
may contain spoilers

📓 a few mistakes with tense and grammar. Also a few missing words

📓 very simple writing style. Tries to match the time period but occasionally leads to oddly structure lines

📓 the complicated titles and relations of all the characters are hard to follow at times. Also, the Robert actually shares the same name as his non-biological father so it was confusing at times though the author makes a distinction by calling the father ‘Old Mr. Benson’.

📓 very slow romance. From the beginning, there are hints at romantic thoughts followed by self-chastisement. Because of the plot, they have to work together a lot. Robert carries respect for Lucy but at times (especially near the start), his language towards her really grated on me. eg:

“My name is Lucy Whitaker. I live here by the kindness of the Earl of Clarion who has been Willowbrook’s caretaker,” she said at last, through stiff lips.

The information did not seem to surprise the man, but he curled his lip cynically and snarled. “His kindness appears to have limits. Can’t he dress you better than that?” (chap 5. p. 31)

It got better as the story progressed though

📓 the main conflict of the book is the Robert doesn’t want Willowbrook because it would tie him to Ashmead and his life is elsewhere, so he plans to sell the place. While Lucy runs Willowbrook and wishes to keep it.

Once he decided to officially sign to accept Willowbrook, I’m don’t get why he didn’t just keep the place then hire Lucy as the offical steward, and let her run it like she always has. Lucy would deal with the business, maintenance and money to keep the place afloat (which she has been doing for years) and he wouldn’t have to give it a second thought.

📓 when an ‘accident’ at Willowbrook is clearly shown to be sabotage, it takes a long time before they finally connect it to the subterfuge taking place and the clear antagonist they’ve already connected the plot with.

Rob clearly understood the importance of this underlying plot as it was enough to stop him from selling Willowbrook (his one goal at the time) before he could figure it out.

📓 as mentioned in the content warnings, there is discussion of incest: Robert’s first love (Madelyn) had turned out to be his half-sister. He’s horrified when he finds out.

📓 Old Mr. Benson (Robert’s non-biological father) recounts seeing someone molesting a girl and used that information to blackmail them. I’m a bit confused. Did that girl get help? what happened to her?

………………………………………………………………………
[[ CONCLUSION ]]
At first, I had trouble liking the book, the sentences at times, felt odd and the male protagonist was not looking too promising but it got a lot better. In contrast, I loved the female protagonist: hardworking, honest, responsible, and having already earned the respect of the workers at Willowbrook. It was a slow romance but I liked the mystery plot which, in my opinion, took precedence over the romance for the majority of the book.

Unfortunately, by the time the book finished and they got their HEA, I found I wasn't as invested in their relationship or the other characters as I had hoped to be. Their fist kiss lacked tension and the ending just didn't feel very emotionally moving. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood?

Overall, it was a good book with a well thought-out plot with an amazing female protagonist that I would recommend for those that like slow-burn and clean romances, slight slice-of-life vibes, mystery saboteurs and a HEA.

[MrsMascara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful birthday read.

Sir Robert Benson, has made the best of his lot, an illegitimate son of a wastrel earl, he has worked his way through the ranks as a soldier, and been knighted for his bravery, and is busty making a name for himself by working for the intelligence and security arm of the government.

His memories of Ashmead and home are bitter ones, his happy childhood as the son of the local innkeeper and his wife soured by the revelation that he was the half brother to his playmate and first love Margery, and his childhood foe the current Earl, David.

Dragged back to Ashmead to have a look at his inheritance, Willowbrook, he resents every minute he spends there, burning up with injustice that his stepfather never told him he was sired by the Earl. The previous earl changed his will to distribute cash bequests and unentailed properties to many connections, in order to sour his legitimate heir's legacy, by giving him the title and entailed properties without the money to run them.

So misunderstandings, hard feelings, mysteries and anger abound. When he rides up to Willowbrook, he is greeted by Lucy Whitaker, complete with musket. The Earl's sister in law, Lucy has been settled at Willowbrook by the Earl, (which is a relief so she can avoid the poisonous dowager), and she has taken on the responsibility of stewarding the estate. She has had to chase off lots of false heirs trying to claim the house, and she is dreading the real heir, as he will take her home from her.

When Rob meets her is intrigued and impressed by the way she stands up to him. As they try and unravel the damage and accidents that start to happen, and Rob gets to know Lucy, and reconnect himself with his family at the inn, Rob slowly and surely begins to rediscover his ties to Ashmead, and to fall in love with Lucy.

This was very refreshing, as it is set in a village, not the ballrooms of the ton. The village and its inhabitants were very well drawn, I suspect that we will see the stories of Lord David the widowed Earl, and maybe his sister, paired with Captain Morgan?

This was such a well written book. Rob is not perfect, eaten up with bitterness, and unable to talk things through. he is also very blinkered, and determined that his life is not at Ashmead, his slow unbending and maturing was a delight to read. Lucy as well, although admirable, was a real person, who makes mistakes and can make silly decisions, to salve her pride.

The mystery was interesting, the side characters well drawn and delightful, and the slow burn romance between Lucy and Rob, very satisfying.

I loved it.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

[bibliolatry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved The Wayward Son, by Carolyn Warfield, one of my favorite authors. I have loved her books since I read her Dangerous Series. The characters in that series are among my favorites in fictional literature.

This new series, The Ashmead Heirs, is about the offspring of a notoriously despicable earl who fathered many children, legitimate and illegitimate.

Book #1, The Wayward Son, is about Sir Major Robert Benson, a war hero and born-leader who at a young age, heard the shocking news that the father he adored was not his biological father. The next day he ran away and joined the army.

The story begins when Robert returns to Ashmead for the first time in 15 years. He has been made a baronet, and he learns that his "father," the earl bequeathed him a lucrative estate, (ostensibly to punish his legitimate heir). This is unwelcome news, because Robert doesn't want the property--he just wants to leave Ashmead behind, together with the painful memories he has of growing up there.

Without writing a book summary, which you will read in other reviews, I want to describe the feel of this book. CW has a gift for creating stories with characters, so fully developed and likable, that they remain with the reader well into the future.
Those characters together with the beautiful, well-described setting and events are brilliantly put together to create the evocative "World of Ashmead." The mood and tone of the story were sublime. The mystery at the crux of the story was so exciting, that even though I had a busy week, I stopped everything to read this and couldn't put it down. I finished it in less than 24 hours.

Like I stated earlier, the characters are so lovely, that I am excited to read the upcoming books in the rest of the series (about the other siblings). I highly recommend this book, and if you want to learn more about the world of Ashmead, Carolyn Warfield has created a Facebook page with all kinds of background information and pictures, that I found fascinating. https://www.facebook.com/groups/Warfi...

This ARC was provided by NetGalley, and this review was voluntarily written.
#TheWaywardSon #NetGalley

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wayward Son by Carolyn Warfield was an all-encompassing love story and so much more. Sir Major Robert Benson was the head of security for foreign ambassadors based in London. His sister, Emma, had enticed him back to the home of his youth in Ashmead by mention of a catastrophe with which she needed his help. In 1817, Ashmead was about as far from London as one could get, both geographically and culturally. Rob had fled his home there when he was 14 and discovered not only that his father was no his father, but that the girl he liked was his half-sister. He swore he would never return. Now, here he was. It turns out his birth father, lecherous old reprobate that he was, has left him property in is will and now it needed to be dealt with. Why, then, was he met at the front door with a woman aiming a musket at him? Lucy Whitaker did not suffer fools, and she was sick of driving away an increasing number of men claiming to he the heir and rightful owner of her estate. She knew he would arrive eventually, but why all these others?

Lucy is a fabulous character: a strong and independent woman when it was less than popular to be one. She had run Willowbrook for years, and made it profitable. She had taken care of all the necessary repairs and upkeep, learned about farming, nurtured her bees, and more. No one was going to take it from her. Then, he arrived. A man with more problems that one could imagine: first and foremost, Willowbrook. He didn't want it. He didn't want to visit, much less live there. He was strong and handsome, but carry a huge chip on his shoulder. Then things escalated beyond a new "heir" every few weeks. The end of the stable caved in, the bee's hives were destroyed, the bridge was scuttled, and a man was dead. This was a well thought-out storyline, with ins and outs at every turn. Everything that could go wrong, did, but many things went well, too. Criminals abound, and in many guises, just as gentlemen come in various disguises. It was a heart-wrenching story, full of misdirection, hate, greed, and deception. It was a fabulous story, one that bears a reread. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of the Wayward Son by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #thewaywardson

[DENISE I. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down, one of the best books I had read read in a minute.

It was the introduction to a series that I happened to stumble on. The writing of the novel was aligned with the time period without, being overdone. The relationships between the characters were defined throughout the storyline and left me wanting to finish this one and jump into the other stories. (While I do read multiple books at once, I am also a nut job for reading a series in order, so I’m not suggesting that).

The love story was multifaceted: familial - immediate and extended. I love the strong women in the story! The sister needed her brother home and found a way to get him there. His little feelings were hurt, so he ran away. Throughout the book, I wanted a reconciliation between the hero and his family, especially between him and the father. Especially since he was the only one in the family still in his feelings about his whole biological beginning.

The romance was a slow burn; developed as the h and h got to know one another. There was a spark in the beginning but no ripping off of clothes, no compromising anyone’s virtue or over descriptive sex scenes dragged on for pages, resulting in “oh should we or shouldn’t we?” (Not a prude, just not a fan of over long, over done anything.) However, by the last quarter of the book you could feel the heat between the h and h.
The heat level overall was about a 2.
Angst - 3.9 again multiple levels
Mystery - 4.0 because you knew there was more than the one snake involved.

Again, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and ready for the next.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a richly textured story that captivates the reader quickly. Robert Benson grew up the son of an innkeeper. However, he left home the day he learned secrets about his parents. Instead, Rob made a successful life for himself in the military. Turning his back on his former life, he is bitter and disillusioned. However, a worrisome letter from his sister brings Rob back home.

Rob finds that he inherited Willowbrook, one of the old Earl of Carlion's estates (this is Rob's father). However, the new Earl of Clarion is bitter about the inheritance (he's also Rob's half-brother). Since the old earl's death, Lucy Whitmire has been living at Willowbrook as the steward of the property. However, Rob's arrival puts her role in jeopardy. The will of the old earl was strange in that it gave extensive properties and money to the many illegitimate children he had, to the detriment of his own two children.

This is an emotionally satisfying book with many characters and highly-charged emotions. There's intrigue and a mystery. Unfortunately, I think the romance got the short-shrift while the intrigue and drama took center stage. Otherwise, I read it in one sitting because I couldn't set it aside. There are two more books in this series, but I can't imagine them being more exciting.

Ashmead Heirs
**   1. The Wayward Son (2021)  
2. The Defiant Daughter (2021)  
3. The Forgotten Daughter (2022)

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book by one of my favorite authors. Ms Warfield writes a tale of forgiveness and redemption of one mans life. The characters were fully developed with thoughts and feelings of their own.
When Sir Robert Benson life was changed when the father he loved was not his real father. The woman he loved was his half sister. He left that that life behind when he went to London to start over. He didn't want anything to do with Ashmead or the people there. But one thing he cannot forget that his half sister's plea to him to return because she asked.
Robert decides to go back to Ashmead but one little woman with a gun runs him off her land Willowbrook. Lucy Whitaker is loving her life at Willowbrook, seeing to the land and tenants. She doesn't want any man especially Robert Benson to interfere. But she knew one day the heir would return, but she isn't really wanting the heir to be the man she ran off her property. But Robert says it's his land and she must find other prospects to live.
These two people have a fun start to a romance that will bring love and family together.
I really liked this fabulous book and hope there are future ones for us to read.
I appreciate Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an hones review.

[Winnifred D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This author has a good sense of pacing and the plot was interesting, plus the secondary characters were pretty well developed. If you're looking for a romance with steam, though, this is not the book for you. The MC's were both angry and prickly for the most part and I just didn't feel all that invested in their HEA. I thought I would like them both more than I did, but there was little genuine warmth or humor in their interactions.

There was also a really strange subplot involving a crush that the MMC had once had on a girl who was the sister of his nemesis. He'd discovered she was really his half-sister, and that was one of the reasons he left the town (he has an awkward conversation with her on his return). I think that was supposed to be tragic but it was a touch creepy. Lots of scenes with characters who had similar green eyes.

I also have to mention that not much of the dialog here came across as British to me--the characters sounded like they lived in 1800's America in my head almost the whole way through (one of the characters actually uses the word "drug" as a past tense for "drag").

This was a decent read to pass the time, but I really couldn't round up because it's not something I would read again.

[Mary Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

A great start to a series. Lucy is acting as steward at Willowbank. The house and land were originally part of the unentailed land her brother-in-law hoped to inherit but his illegitimate half brother is left it in an acrimonious will. Robbie, our hero, doesn't really want it as it interfere with his career but agrees it is a delightful place. He's intrigued by Lucy and protective of her when villains start to sabotage the livelihood. It's all fairly complicated with Robbie's 'father (mother's husband)', Rob being the landlord of the local hostelry. His Half sister begging him to come back and help her Dad. Her brother Eli, a trainee solicitor, helping to sort the legal wranglings. There is plenty of scope for interesting heros and heroines for the rest of the series. In this case, I thought, the baddie was fairly obvious but it certainly didn't halt my enjoyment. I did feel that if I hadn't been told it was Regency England it would have also worked as a western. The passion is kisses until the later chapter.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Dee Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a first-time read of a Caroline Warfield book, and it covers one of my favorite storylines-unexpected inheritance, and a strong female fighting to survive with little support.
The main male character, Rob, receives an unwanted, unexpected inheritance, and the independent, strong female, Lucy, is now in the vulnerable position of possibly losing the home she loves when the inheritance is claimed.

The characters show fierce independence, resistance to love and marriage, and undeniable attraction. There is just the right balance of attraction and resistance between the two.

Other forces want the property, and a key element of the story is the mystery of unraveling the perpetrator of a sabotage campaign. This brings the two characters together.
The mystery element was a well-handled, added complication while not entirely dominating the story.

The book is beautifully written, well-paced, and full of interesting supporting characters and villains. It paints a picture of complicated family dynamics and ultimate forgiveness.

This was the first in a series, and I look forward to reading about some of the other characters.