Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Good book. It is unusual for a romance of the Regency period to have such a diversity of characters. It tackles complex subjects such as racism, mental health, and women's rights while retaining the hopefulness of a romance.
The book opened in 1812 with Jemina, one of two survivors of a shipwreck, suffering from amnesia brought on by the trauma and threatened with commitment to Bedlam if she can't confirm her identity. At the same time, Daniel arrives at the port expecting to greet the woman he married by proxy, only to discover she died in the wreck. The only other survivor is a small Black child, whom the attending officers give to Daniel, the only Black man there. Daniel assumes the girl was his wife's and takes her home to raise as his own. Though Daniel is a barrister devoted to the law, he bends some rules to ensure that little Hope remains with him.
Two years later, Jemina escaped Bedlam with the help of The Widow's Grace and their lawyer, Daniel. Now she works with the group to help other widows escape the clutches of unscrupulous family members and restore their freedom. Her lack of memory still haunts Jemina, and she will do anything to unearth her identity.
As a barrister, Daniel works with his aunt, Lady Shrewesbury, to help the widows she rescues. Careful not to inquire too deeply into how she obtains her "evidence," Daniel unsuccessfully tries to get her to give up her crusade. He frequently finds himself butting heads with Jemina, one of his aunt's best agents.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Jemina and Daniel. The sparks that fly between them aren't all based on antagonism, but each has reasons to ignore them. Jemina won't get involved with anyone while not knowing her past. Daniel protects Hope by being as proper and upstanding as possible. But things between them become more complicated when Jemina stumbles across some information that indicates Daniel knows more about her past than he lets on. Jemina's search for the truth runs up against Daniel's need to protect his secrets.
I liked their back-and-forth banter as each tries to get the upper hand in their battle for information. The more time they spend together, the hotter the sparks between them grow. But Daniel has made some enemies determined to bring him down. When those enemies attempt to set him up, Jemina comes to his rescue. I ached for Daniel because if they succeed, he could lose everything he's worked for. The rescue scene had me laughing out loud as Jemina dealt with an intoxicated and uncooperative Daniel. Extreme measures became necessary, followed by a hilarious extraction.
All of these events led up to Daniel proposing marriage to Jemina. Neither one has yet admitted their feelings for the other, but they simmer under the surface. Little Hope takes to Jemina as soon as they meet, stirring up memories of another child in Jemina's mind. Just when their relationship shows promise, Daniel's secret comes out, destroying Jemina's trust in him. While she sets out on her own to look for the truth of her past, Daniel finally realizes what he must do. I liked seeing him finally come clean, and by doing that, discover an unexpected link between Jemina and Hope. All that is left is to unravel the rest of Jemina's story. I loved seeing the two of them confront the one responsible for so much trouble.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. I learned some things I didn't know, helped along by the author's notes in the back of the book. My only complaint was that the book seemed to drag at times, though I can't pinpoint why. It won't stop me from going back and reading the first in the series.
#netgalley
The book opened in 1812 with Jemina, one of two survivors of a shipwreck, suffering from amnesia brought on by the trauma and threatened with commitment to Bedlam if she can't confirm her identity. At the same time, Daniel arrives at the port expecting to greet the woman he married by proxy, only to discover she died in the wreck. The only other survivor is a small Black child, whom the attending officers give to Daniel, the only Black man there. Daniel assumes the girl was his wife's and takes her home to raise as his own. Though Daniel is a barrister devoted to the law, he bends some rules to ensure that little Hope remains with him.
Two years later, Jemina escaped Bedlam with the help of The Widow's Grace and their lawyer, Daniel. Now she works with the group to help other widows escape the clutches of unscrupulous family members and restore their freedom. Her lack of memory still haunts Jemina, and she will do anything to unearth her identity.
As a barrister, Daniel works with his aunt, Lady Shrewesbury, to help the widows she rescues. Careful not to inquire too deeply into how she obtains her "evidence," Daniel unsuccessfully tries to get her to give up her crusade. He frequently finds himself butting heads with Jemina, one of his aunt's best agents.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Jemina and Daniel. The sparks that fly between them aren't all based on antagonism, but each has reasons to ignore them. Jemina won't get involved with anyone while not knowing her past. Daniel protects Hope by being as proper and upstanding as possible. But things between them become more complicated when Jemina stumbles across some information that indicates Daniel knows more about her past than he lets on. Jemina's search for the truth runs up against Daniel's need to protect his secrets.
I liked their back-and-forth banter as each tries to get the upper hand in their battle for information. The more time they spend together, the hotter the sparks between them grow. But Daniel has made some enemies determined to bring him down. When those enemies attempt to set him up, Jemina comes to his rescue. I ached for Daniel because if they succeed, he could lose everything he's worked for. The rescue scene had me laughing out loud as Jemina dealt with an intoxicated and uncooperative Daniel. Extreme measures became necessary, followed by a hilarious extraction.
All of these events led up to Daniel proposing marriage to Jemina. Neither one has yet admitted their feelings for the other, but they simmer under the surface. Little Hope takes to Jemina as soon as they meet, stirring up memories of another child in Jemina's mind. Just when their relationship shows promise, Daniel's secret comes out, destroying Jemina's trust in him. While she sets out on her own to look for the truth of her past, Daniel finally realizes what he must do. I liked seeing him finally come clean, and by doing that, discover an unexpected link between Jemina and Hope. All that is left is to unravel the rest of Jemina's story. I loved seeing the two of them confront the one responsible for so much trouble.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. I learned some things I didn't know, helped along by the author's notes in the back of the book. My only complaint was that the book seemed to drag at times, though I can't pinpoint why. It won't stop me from going back and reading the first in the series.
#netgalley
