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At Half Moon House, any woman can come to Hestia Wright for help. She’ll move heaven and earth to make things right for the downtrodden women of England—but she’ll never give her heart to another man. The Earl of Stoneacre has long admired Hestia. He can’t help but be smitten with a woman with her strength, honor and purpose—not to mention her legendary beauty. But she’s made her indifference plain, and Stoneacre is not a man to push in where he’s not wanted. Now they’ve been ordered to work together to defeat the Wicked Lord Marstoke once and for all. As the uneasy allies face untold peril and confront their pasts, trust and passion grow . . . but the greatest danger of all might be succumbing to a love that could never survive the obstacles in their way. |
Excerpt
"Have you by chance noted the very fine astrolabe hanging in my private parlor?”
“Yes. It is a lovely piece. I have wondered about it.”
“I loathe it,” she said simply.
Stoneacre blinked. “Loathe it?”
“I do.”
“Was it a gift?”
“No. I purchased it myself. It is exactly like the one my father kept in his study.”
She could see him pondering. “Did he sail?” he asked.
“No. He used it to survey field placement, or when he added new land to an estate. He would use it to consult the stars on exactly the right day to plant seed or harvest crops. I was fascinated with the thing. Dazzled by the shine, all the markings. I would stand before it, marveling at its intricacies and longing to know its mysteries.”
“Did he teach you the use of it?”
“No. He refused. He would not burden a girl’s mind with such heavy matters. He taught my cousin, however. A boy of twelve. The heir presumptive for my father’s title and wealth.”
“Ah.” Wisely, Stoneacre said no more.
“It was one of the first things I bought, once I had a decent amount of money of my own. I hired a student to teach me the workings of it.”
“And do you use it?” He was patently curious.
“I occasionally use it to calculate the exact time of sunrise or sunset, if a particular raid or enterprise counts on such things. But no. For me, its most important function is to be there when I am told that I cannot or should not do something. When someone reminds me that something important is out of my sphere. When I am told I am too young, or too old, too weak, or something is beyond my reach because I am a woman. Then I go and I stand before it and I think of all the things I have done and accomplished in the face of such opposition.”
The look he gave her was full of warmth and approval. She wanted to lean forward and bathe in the heat of it, but she stayed where she was.
“Then it is a valuable piece, indeed.”
He folded his arms. “And now that you tell me, I believe that I love it.”
She laughed. “Ever contrary.”
“Oh, yes. I fear so. I’m surprised you hadn’t sussed that out yet.”
“I should have known, when you said you were resisting your mother’s attempts to marry you off,” she teased, just to remind them both not to enjoy this too much.
“Yes. It is a lovely piece. I have wondered about it.”
“I loathe it,” she said simply.
Stoneacre blinked. “Loathe it?”
“I do.”
“Was it a gift?”
“No. I purchased it myself. It is exactly like the one my father kept in his study.”
She could see him pondering. “Did he sail?” he asked.
“No. He used it to survey field placement, or when he added new land to an estate. He would use it to consult the stars on exactly the right day to plant seed or harvest crops. I was fascinated with the thing. Dazzled by the shine, all the markings. I would stand before it, marveling at its intricacies and longing to know its mysteries.”
“Did he teach you the use of it?”
“No. He refused. He would not burden a girl’s mind with such heavy matters. He taught my cousin, however. A boy of twelve. The heir presumptive for my father’s title and wealth.”
“Ah.” Wisely, Stoneacre said no more.
“It was one of the first things I bought, once I had a decent amount of money of my own. I hired a student to teach me the workings of it.”
“And do you use it?” He was patently curious.
“I occasionally use it to calculate the exact time of sunrise or sunset, if a particular raid or enterprise counts on such things. But no. For me, its most important function is to be there when I am told that I cannot or should not do something. When someone reminds me that something important is out of my sphere. When I am told I am too young, or too old, too weak, or something is beyond my reach because I am a woman. Then I go and I stand before it and I think of all the things I have done and accomplished in the face of such opposition.”
The look he gave her was full of warmth and approval. She wanted to lean forward and bathe in the heat of it, but she stayed where she was.
“Then it is a valuable piece, indeed.”
He folded his arms. “And now that you tell me, I believe that I love it.”
She laughed. “Ever contrary.”
“Oh, yes. I fear so. I’m surprised you hadn’t sussed that out yet.”
“I should have known, when you said you were resisting your mother’s attempts to marry you off,” she teased, just to remind them both not to enjoy this too much.
Reviews
Their journey to capture Marstoke and to their own HEA is wrought with peril, betrayal, secrets, pain and more than one twist. The book is well written and is paced well. The characters are wonderful, the love scenes steamy, the suspense builds slowly and then explodes in a jaw dropping final confrontation.
--Tracey at Flipping Pages
--Tracey at Flipping Pages
5 Hearts -- Hestia finally gets her happily ever after in more ways than one! The ending was absolutely perfect!
--the Sassy Book Lover
--the Sassy Book Lover
I was captivated very quickly . . . a lovely historical romance and I wanted to read the rest of the books in the series.
--Rachel at Romancing the Book
--Rachel at Romancing the Book
I couldn't wait to flip each page to discover what would happen next while at the same time forcing myself to go slowly so as to savor each nuance. It's a compelling story that brings the Half Moon House series to a fitting conclusion.
--PJ at The Romance Dish
--PJ at The Romance Dish
