Can true love strike twice? And if so, at what cost?
Young Scottish widow Ailis Murray doesn't believe in second love. Left wealthy by her beloved husband, all she wants now, despite society's disapproval, is a solitary life as a published artist. Driven by greedy in-laws and suitors to seek refuge in the English village of Little Macclow, Lissie meets a captivating ex-officer eager to draw her into the life of the parish?and perhaps even into his arms....
War-weary Charles Reynell is seeking guidance on becoming a cleric, not romance with a spirited lass as lonely as she is lovely. He knows a curate's meager pay cannot support a family. Challenged by the local vicar to coax the reclusive widow back into society, Charles points her towards helping with the village's annual well dressing festival. But his irresistible attraction to her makes him question his path and every belief that led to it.
Does Lissie dare to open her heart again? Must she or Charles?or both?give up their dreams as the price for a life together? Or when the past Lissie fled catches up to her, will they lose even the chance to find out?
--sweet Regency romance in a charming Derbyshire village
--low spice/low heat with a happily ever after
--appealing characters who are gentry, not aristocrats
--grumpy-sunshine pairing (she's the grumpy one)
--he falls first
--stand-alone story, book #4 in series
Perfect for readers of low-heat Regencies who are looking for something a little bit different! approx 364 pages
Autorentext
A native New Englander, Gail Eastwood spent almost 20 years as a journalist, theatre critic and PR consultant, among other jobs, before she finally sat down to write and sell her first novel, achieving her childhood dream. Published by Signet, that first book earned several honors including The Golden Leaf Award for Best Regency, 1994. Her other books have been up for numerous awards, and Gail was nominated for Romantic Times Magazine's Career Achievement Award in the Regency category two years in a row.
Hailed by reviewers as "brilliantly versatile" and a "master at painting pictures of Regency life," Gail was acclaimed for pushing her genre to new levels with the emotional depth and original plots in her books. She dropped out of the field for ten years, but now she's back! She taught Writing the Romance for Brown University, and continues teaching writing and doing editorial coaching. A graduate of Case Western Reserve University, Gail lives in Rhode Island with her actor/attorney husband, two sons, and the family cat. She loves writing and researching, but stubbornly refuses to give up her interests in theatre, dance, costuming, the medieval period, and of course, the beach, even though she now has no time!