Rebecca's contribution to her medically inclined family is inventing items that will assist doctors and help others lead better lives. She would like to patent them and have her inventions produced and made available to those who can use them. But as a woman in Victorian England, no company will give her the time of day, much less look at her work. So she uses her initials instead of her name and gets a bite from a well-known Manchester company!

Jules is the black sheep of his family. Technically an employee of the company, he does little except enjoy the money and lifestyle it provides him while occasionally reeling in a new prospect for the business. He's never felt invested in what they do. On the contrary, some things have struck him as unethical. When he's given a "do or die" assignment to sign a new inventor, he knows he must buckle down and provide results. He never expected to be faced with his worst nightmare.

After arriving at Haberstock Hall and meeting the Peverett family, Jules was horrified to discover that R.L. Peverett is a woman! He cannot go home and admit he signed a contract with a woman inventor. But he also can only return with the signed contract. Rebecca calls him out on his hypocrisy, leaving him to stew in the juices of his dilemma. The next day, he came up with a solution - sign the contract as R.L. Peverett, and once production is underway and sales made, they can reveal the truth. Jules also sees that Rebecca has other inventions that the company could use and offers to propose to purchase them too.

Jules did not impress me at first look. He seems lazy and more interested in pleasure than contributing to his family's enterprise. But as he witnesses Rebecca's family life, we learn more about him. Cold parents, a father dismissive of Jules when he doesn't fall into line, and a brother who is becoming more like their father than the friend and supporter he used to be. Shy, intelligent Rebecca intrigues him, and he can't forget her when he returns home.

I liked watching the development of the relationship between Jules and Rebecca. When he returns, ostensibly to work with "R.L." on proposals for other inventions, he and Rebecca have the chance to get to know each other better. I liked seeing how Jules's attention, respect, and admiration gave Rebecca confidence she'd never felt. Rebecca's empathy and interest helped Jules see himself more clearly. There were sweet scenes of Jules and Rebecca together, from picnics to working side-by-side in her cottage. As they grew closer, the sparks of attraction they felt grew stronger, as did the feelings beneath the sparks. Though Rebecca believes nothing can come of it, Jules has other ideas.

I liked seeing the changes in Jules throughout his stay at Haberstock Hall. The carefree rogue morphs into a caring man ready to take his place in the world. I wondered at his plans, which seemed counter to the traits he had shown there. I liked his determination to be able to support Rebecca, but his methods did not make him happy. Rebecca came to Manchester as "R.L.'s" representative, met Jules's family, and saw the "new" Jules. I ached for her because what she experienced there reminded her so much of her unhappy time in London.

When the truth of "R.L.'s" identity comes out, Jules gets a good look at his father's moral code and doesn't like what he finds. Jules must decide whether to side with his family or stick up for the woman he loves. It's no contest, but he makes some boneheaded moves along the way, not the least of which is pushing Rebecca away to "protect" her. I liked seeing him become a man worthy of the woman he loves. The ending was terrific, and I liked the twist involving Jules's brother, Winthrop. ( )