This was a lovely, lovely, and very romantic read. While it is a short novella, it gives you all you need to know about the characters and their romance. I came to really like Cora Bradley and John Daniels, the Duke of Monmouth. Both characters are very relatable and you quickly understand the motivations behind each of them. Since those motivations are diametrically opposed, it is interesting to see how the author manages to carve out a win for each of them – not to mention a lovely HEA.

John has worked hard his entire life. He started out as a laborer digging ditches, but through hard work and saving his money he moved up from there. What he never expected or wanted was for some unknown, distant cousin to die without an heir. Now, John is a duke and he hates every minute of it. He likes to work – to make a difference – and he isn’t supposed to be doing any of that. His ‘work’ now consists of making viable canals along the river in order to create jobs for those living in the small villages along the way. Only one thing is standing in his way – one small, insignificant grist mill whose owner refuses to sell even though John has offered way more than the mill is worth. If the owner won’t cooperate, John will just have to get parliament to step in and take the property.

Cora Bradley’s father built the grist mill with his own hands – using trees he felled from his land. He built that mill solely because it would allow him to marry and provide for the woman he loved. After they married, they worked together until her death. Now, her father is also dying and Cora will absolutely NOT allow that upstart duke to take his home away. Not when all of his – and her – memories are there. Such sweet loving memories.

After another very loud confrontation with the duke, Cora takes a shortcut home. As she is walking, and almost trips, she finds an old ring pressed into the ground. She knows it must be a precious possession to someone – and leaves the ring along with a note stuck to the side of a tree. She can’t resist going back the next day to see if someone has claimed the ring – and – SURPRISE – it is gone and another note is left in its place. Thus begins a months-long, anonymous correspondence between two people whose letters make their souls sing.

Will Cora be able to reconcile her dislike for the duke with her love for the mysterious John in the letters? You’ll just have to read this delightful story see how John makes it all happen. ( )