Karen Tuft

I loved this book! I loved to see how two amazing characters slowly fall for each other while both trying to protect the other from making the wrong decision, both caring enough to comsider the other's needs first....

But, well, that's not the only part that I loved. The book was amazingly well written and had complex, multi-layered characters that got me from the first "meeting". It's not just the hero and the heroine but each and everyone of the characters is authentic and portrayed in a way that let's them come to life. I really enjoyed meeting Lord Anthony's former personal servant/best friend Lucas Jennings for example and even though Lord Anthony's father made me furious more than once with his ignorance and ...well.... he was a great character and in the end I started to like him as well. His mother is sweet and caring and ...oh, there are so many people that I grew to love when I read the book!

The story itself was interesting, well plotted and had some twists and turns that kept me on my toes. Not a book to read in public, actually, if you don't want people to look at you strangely when you wring your hands or gasp in shock or whatever.

When Lord Anthony comes back from the Peninsula, he is suffering badly and least of his worries are the remnants of the bullet wound that almost took his life at Badajoz. His soul is wounded even worse and he is suffering from PTSD. Lucas cares for him, trying to protect him and trying to prevent others from learning about Anthony's problems but it is Amelia, his mother's compagnon Miss Clarke, who makes him feel better and to whom he opens himself. Of course, despite his father's insistence that he should marry posthaste, Miss Clarke could never become his wife, could she? And how could anyone foresee to what lengths some people would go to exact revenge for some obscure offense?

Amazing characters, great writing and a wonderful and powerful story that I've already reread more than once - I can defintely recommend this book!