Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Terrific book. The Philpot and Brookes families have been friends for many years. While Charity's best friend is Griff's sister, Dorothy, she and Griff have never gotten along. Griff believes that Charity is flighty, spoiled, and selfish, while Charity thinks Griff is a humorless prig. But underneath the antagonism simmer feelings that neither wants to admit. Charity's singing career takes off, leading to a month-long tour in the north. Charity plans to take her BFF with her and enjoy some adventures away from London. Then Griff announces his intention to chaperon the trip, ostensibly to protect Dorothy from Charity's bad influence. Charity is understandably furious to have Gruff Griff the Fun-Stealer tagging along.
Griff is a practical man, an engineer by trade and by avocation. Charity drives him nuts with her flirting, stubbornness, and sometimes reckless behavior. There's something about her that gets under his skin, and even moving away for four years didn't get her out of his system. Finding out about her trip sends him scrambling to find a reason to go along.
The trip starts rough as Charity schemes to do everything she can to make Griff regret coming along. She comes across as something of a brat, pouting because she didn't get her way. Griff isn't much better; his smugness at thwarting her is not an attractive attribute. Meanwhile, poor Dorothy is caught in the middle. I enjoyed that first day, as Charity put a crimp in Griff's plans by forcing a stop at a different inn. It's there that Griff begins to get an inkling of the real Charity Brookes when she puts on an impromptu performance for some soldiers.
Forced together as they are, both Griff and Charity soon discover that their impressions of each other are not entirely accurate. While Griff is secretly a huge fan of Charity's singing, he never understood how much work went into it. I loved seeing his growing respect for her and how that respect opened his eyes to other feelings. I also enjoyed seeing Charity begin to see past Griff's gruff exterior. His passion for his work fascinates her. His rescue of her during a panic attack opens her eyes to the more sensitive man he keeps well hidden. I loved seeing his protectiveness come out when he saw the toll the tour takes on her.
But as their unexpected feelings for each other grow, so too do their insecurities. Charity knows what his opinion of her is because he's complained about her often enough. Even if she has feelings for him, they can go nowhere. At the same time, Griff knows he's falling for Charity, but with all of the fancy suitors she has, why would she be interested in a plain old Mister? But just as things start to look promising between them, Griff's jealousy (spurred by his insecurity) erupts in a burst of anger and accusation. I ached for Charity because she didn't deserve any of it. When she confronts him about it later, both of them fling hurtful words at each other. Their passionate anger turns to passion of another kind. Unfortunately, the next day Griff's reaction manifests in some boneheaded statements rather than telling her how he feels. Charity naturally wants something more that matches her feelings. So she runs for home, leaving Griff behind wondering what to do.
I ached for Charity, who buried her hurt in her work to exclude all else. When he returns to London, Griff's reaction shows that he still cares but has no idea what to do about it. That is until Charity discovers that she isn't just rundown from overwork, and they find themselves married. Neither knows how the other feels and because of it must find a way to live together. I liked Griff's determination to make their marriage work. In a hilarious scene with his two brothers-in-law, Griff comes up with a plan to win his wife's heart. He really won my heart with his sweet care of Charity when she was so sick, and I loved how that chipped away at the wall around her heart. But when her past runs up against his insecurities, Griff again allows his fears to explode in anger. I cried for Charity and her devastation at his words and cheered for the support she received from her family. Fortunately, Griff had learned his lesson and realized what a monumental idiot he was. He did a stellar job of groveling, with witnesses, in an emotional plea for forgiveness. I loved that Charity was woman enough to admit her own mistakes in a memorable final scene.
#netgalley
Griff is a practical man, an engineer by trade and by avocation. Charity drives him nuts with her flirting, stubbornness, and sometimes reckless behavior. There's something about her that gets under his skin, and even moving away for four years didn't get her out of his system. Finding out about her trip sends him scrambling to find a reason to go along.
The trip starts rough as Charity schemes to do everything she can to make Griff regret coming along. She comes across as something of a brat, pouting because she didn't get her way. Griff isn't much better; his smugness at thwarting her is not an attractive attribute. Meanwhile, poor Dorothy is caught in the middle. I enjoyed that first day, as Charity put a crimp in Griff's plans by forcing a stop at a different inn. It's there that Griff begins to get an inkling of the real Charity Brookes when she puts on an impromptu performance for some soldiers.
Forced together as they are, both Griff and Charity soon discover that their impressions of each other are not entirely accurate. While Griff is secretly a huge fan of Charity's singing, he never understood how much work went into it. I loved seeing his growing respect for her and how that respect opened his eyes to other feelings. I also enjoyed seeing Charity begin to see past Griff's gruff exterior. His passion for his work fascinates her. His rescue of her during a panic attack opens her eyes to the more sensitive man he keeps well hidden. I loved seeing his protectiveness come out when he saw the toll the tour takes on her.
But as their unexpected feelings for each other grow, so too do their insecurities. Charity knows what his opinion of her is because he's complained about her often enough. Even if she has feelings for him, they can go nowhere. At the same time, Griff knows he's falling for Charity, but with all of the fancy suitors she has, why would she be interested in a plain old Mister? But just as things start to look promising between them, Griff's jealousy (spurred by his insecurity) erupts in a burst of anger and accusation. I ached for Charity because she didn't deserve any of it. When she confronts him about it later, both of them fling hurtful words at each other. Their passionate anger turns to passion of another kind. Unfortunately, the next day Griff's reaction manifests in some boneheaded statements rather than telling her how he feels. Charity naturally wants something more that matches her feelings. So she runs for home, leaving Griff behind wondering what to do.
I ached for Charity, who buried her hurt in her work to exclude all else. When he returns to London, Griff's reaction shows that he still cares but has no idea what to do about it. That is until Charity discovers that she isn't just rundown from overwork, and they find themselves married. Neither knows how the other feels and because of it must find a way to live together. I liked Griff's determination to make their marriage work. In a hilarious scene with his two brothers-in-law, Griff comes up with a plan to win his wife's heart. He really won my heart with his sweet care of Charity when she was so sick, and I loved how that chipped away at the wall around her heart. But when her past runs up against his insecurities, Griff again allows his fears to explode in anger. I cried for Charity and her devastation at his words and cheered for the support she received from her family. Fortunately, Griff had learned his lesson and realized what a monumental idiot he was. He did a stellar job of groveling, with witnesses, in an emotional plea for forgiveness. I loved that Charity was woman enough to admit her own mistakes in a memorable final scene.
#netgalley
