Ms. Howarth has given us another treat of a bygone age, though a little hard to quite pinpoint. Certainly before the Regency and possibly during the early Georgian era. There are not as many clues as we find elsewhere.

The entire story takes place in the countryside and it is reminiscent of du Maurier's Frenchman's Creek to my mind (though there are many differences, this was what first came to my thoughts as I delved further into the story.)

Our Heroine is told she must marry, and the why comes out later. Even as she is undergoing an emotional time of it for other reasons, when she meets our hero. The circumstances set up desire which with other additional issues turns to love, but honor must be served and with a twist and a turn we find that when one has honor and another does not, the outcome of love must be clung to, else despair will set in.

Not only that, but be warned, as Ms. Howarth would also, there is a very descriptive scene of abuse, that highlights its opposite but it is there, and some readers may not want their romances with the hard truths of a bygone era.

All in all, a book worthy of shelf space and reminds us that there are men of honor and means who do come into ones lives as well as the dastardly types. An enjoyable way to spend the day.

(One should note that the book also comes in the digital edition with intros and excerpts for many of Ms. Howarths other delightful books. A great way to start sampling them.) ( )