I thoroughly enjoyed getting swept away by Charles' and Beatrice's love story. It was great to read of Charles' mother, Edith Beaumont, Countess of Whickerton (a younger version of Grandma Edie found in other stories).
Charles has just arrived back in England and is attending a ball with his family when he notices a young woman fighting back tears. He is drawn to her immediately and wishes to help her, but she turns him away on several occasions. Finally, he is able to help her, and she tells him her secret--that she is carrying another man's child, another man who promised her his love but then turned away from her. Left pregnant and single, Beatrice and her family face ruin until her father arranges for his widowed and elderly friend to wed Beatrice to save face and their reputation. Now that Charles knows Beatrice's secret, he offers to save her, yet she refuses his help once again. This is where the tenacious and loving Edith steps in and smooths things over.
The only thing Charles wants must be won through patience as well as respect and kindness. Can he do it? Will love win out? I loved the way Charles was forgiving, respectful, and kind to Beatrice. I also enjoyed the characters of both Charles' and Beatrice's younger sisters that brought warmth to the story. And, of course, Lady Whickerton is an enjoyably strong, mysterious and kind woman who meddles to ensure her family's happiness throughout many of Ms. Wolf's books.
I highly recommend this book as well as the entire Whickertons in Love series. I received a complimentary ARC of this book and have given my honest opinion in this review.