From the Back Cover:
Cecilia Hatherleigh has many secrets in her shy, sweet heart--but none bigger than her unrequited love for Edward Amherst, the earl's son next door. Her love has persevered over many years, even when he grows to be a bit of a rake. Yet despite his fondness for females, he never seems to see her as anything more than the quiet younger sister, and nothing Cecy does has changed that. Rather than pining after his perhaps unworthy love, she determines to focus on her new found faith, following God's leading to make a better world for the poor and dispossessed around her.
A London riot awakens Edward to the responsibilities due his family name. It's time to turn his life around to please his noble father--and that means restoring his abandoned legal career and making a marriage of convenience. Neither will be easy, given his past and the prejudices of the upper echelons of society to which he belongs.
When misadventure strikes at a house party, these two are thrown together even as their lives are upended. If Cecy can't trust God, overcome her shyness, and find her inner strength, the good work they've both done may be for naught--and they may miss the chance for true love...
My Thoughts:
Miss Cecilia is that middle, overlooked child. She's always trying to be the peacemaker and please her mother, yet inside she is restless. Edward Amherst is the son of an Earl who has played the part of the prodigal son. He yearns to make up for the mistakes in his past, but how many good deeds does he have to do to get rid of the guilt? The author does a great job in growing their characters throughout the book. I love how the author incorporates biblical thoughts and ideas throughout the story as the characters come to realize that pleasing God alone should be their highest goal. The thoughts are not cheesy or forced but flow well and are a great asset to the story line. I enjoyed this paragraph where Edward was struggling with thoughts about whether God had forgiven him for all that he had done.
"A guilty sinner? Or forgiven? Burdened to restitution for which he'd never make sufficient amends? or set free? Was his life focused on good deeds? Or was he to focus on a good God?
Did God truly see him as a forgiven sinner, or a sinner who was forgiven? Which was greater in His eyes? Somehow, he felt the answer to this would dictate the rest of his life." (p. 186)
This is a story of forgiveness, trust in God and compassion for those less fortunate. I thought that this story was an enjoyable read and a good addition to this series. I'm looking forward to read about the youngest daughters of Aynsley, Misleading Miss Verity, which comes out in November 2019.
One final note: I would definitely read this series in order, so that you are familiar with the characters. In fact, some characters mentioned in this book come from her previous series, The Promise of Hope. I love that I seem familiar characters pop up from previous novels!
My Rating: ★★★★
***I received this complimentary book from Kregel Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
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