Susan F. (scoutmomskf) - , reviewed on 5/14/2022 + 2544 more book reviews

Good book. James, Viscount Grayford, recently returned to England after a diplomatic mission went terribly wrong. He also recently inherited the title after the death of his older brother. A former soldier, he never expected to inherit and isn't very happy about it. Add in the whispers and outright accusations of fraud/treason over that mission, and he is in an understandably foul mood when he arrives at his estate. He is dismayed by the visible neglect of the estate and disgusted by the foul stench he encounters as he enters the house. Facing an incompetent new housekeeper is the icing on the cake.

Emma took the job as a housekeeper to help support her father after he lost his money in bad investments. As a young woman of quality, she has no experience but was hired anyway by a crooked steward. Unfortunately, the remaining staff show her no respect and actively work against her. Emma is horrified when the new viscount arrives just as they are cleaning up from a housekeeping disaster.

I ached for Emma. She is desperate to make a good showing and is constantly undermined by the other staff members. It doesn't help that James's foul mood makes him extra critical. James has his own set of problems. The investigation after his mission found no proof of guilt, but neither would they declare him innocent, leaving him at the mercy of Society's gossips. He left town looking for some peace before beginning an investigation of his own. However, peace is hard to come by with Emma on duty.

I enjoyed watching the development of the relationship between Emma and James. Initially, the antagonism was front and center, but underneath the sparks of anger were sparks of another kind. I liked seeing James loosen up a little and give Emma a chance to prove herself. I also liked Emma's firm belief in James's innocence and her insistence that he tries to clear his name sooner rather than later. The more time they spent together, the stronger their attraction grew. Both tried to resist because of the gap between them, but the attempts grew more difficult as time went on. There are some sweet scenes of them together, but reality is never far away.

The attraction continues to build as the story moves to London. Emma and her father go along to help James with his investigation. Other factors at play drive a wedge between James and Emma. James fears for her safety, while his withdrawal plays on Emma's insecurities. At times, I wanted to shake Emma because there wasn't the gap she thought there was. I loved the scene with James's army regiment and the surprising development with some of the younger members. I enjoyed the twist that came out of it. Her father's comment made me laugh out loud. The epilogue was a terrific peek at their future.

I enjoyed the mystery of the antique book at the center of James's disgrace. A one-of-a-kind volume, its disappearance caused an international incident. I understood James's need to get away and regroup, but it also felt like he was giving up. On one side, he had his cousin telling him to give it more time. And on the other, Emma insisted that leaving it too long would allow the trail to grow cold. I loved how she got her history scholar father involved. There were some exciting twists in the search for the truth, with Emma playing a significant role. The final resolution was good but a slight letdown as it happened off-page and was related later rather than showed. I figured it out pretty early in the story, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment.

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