A reversal of fortune befalls a young woman in the latest Westcott novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Only a Kiss and Someone to Love.
 
Humphrey Wescott, Earl of Riverdale, has died, leaving behind a fortune and a scandalous secret that will forever alter the lives of his family—sending one daughter on a journey of self-discovery…
 
With her parents’ marriage declared bigamous, Camille Westcott is now illegitimate and without a title. Looking to eschew the trappings of her old life, she leaves London to teach at the Bath orphanage where her newly discovered half-sister lived. But even as she settles in, she must sit for a portrait commissioned by her grandmother and endure an artist who riles her every nerve.

An art teacher at the orphanage that was once his home, Joel Cunningham has been hired to paint the portrait of the haughty new teacher. But as Camille poses for Joel, their mutual contempt soon turns to desire. And it is only the bond between them that will allow them to weather the rough storm that lies ahead…

First, I want to say that this is this blogs first time reading anything historical, but we got a new review who LOOOOVES the stuff sooo..

This book was fairly easy to read.  But right from the beginning as I was reading I felt like there was a lot of extra language or filler if you would call it. At times it felt like there were excessively detailed descriptions and periods of extensive repetition that were completely unnecessary and they took away from my ability to connect with the characters.  Once I got past the filler I grew to love the characters and their story.

I appreciated how the author used the societal norms for the era to build depth to the characters and their struggles from royalty to poverty and visa versa.  Without completely spoiling the entire book,I will say that as much as I loved the characters and I was glad that they found true love in each other the ending of the story was way too “happily ever after” for me.The main characters fell in love and chose one another as any good romance story couple should but there was no need to twist the story at the end as to make them have a perfect life.

I feel like it was a cop out to the internal struggles that the heroin was working so hard to overcome and it was in insult to the traits I found so endearing in the hero.  Over all this in most likely not a book I would buy or read a second time due to it’s wordiness and it’s way too  “happily ever after” ending.

BOOKBESTIES-DANIELLE