BOOK BY: Jenelle Hovde
This regency story started off strong, piquing my interest in Bridget’s mission. The story follows a land dispute and the heroine’s efforts to uncover a Roman mosaic she’s found on part of the property. She wants to be taken seriously as a scholar of antiquities during a time when women struggled for recognition. The land supposedly belongs to her friend’s father, but no one truly knows where the property lines are drawn. He’s argued about it for decades with the previous lord (who recently died and left the estate to his heir).
Rafe is a wounded soldier, haunted by the memories of the property he’s inherited. And with it, the age old land argument. He’s determined to do better for his tenants than his uncle ever did, and prove the viability of the estate before four months are up. At that time, he’ll have to forfeit if he hasn’t proven himself capable.
There are some interesting characters, with lots of quirks and qualities that create some uncomfortable moments for the heroine. If you’ve enjoyed Greek mythology, you’ll easily relate to the heroine’s excitement over the mosaic she’s uncovered. The detail about the excavation shows the author did her research.
However, I couldn’t connect with her or the hero. In the end, I skimmed the last half of the book so I could see how it ended.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.