A friend’s newspaper advertisement for a groom nets the most famous actor in London, Arthur Bex. Shy heiress Ester Croome proposes to elope with the handsome man, who she’s secretly loved for two years, in order to escape an impending engagement arranged by her overbearing family.
Trying to outlive the shadow of his villainous uncle, Bex needs to marry quickly—to a woman of good character. And smart, beautiful Ester fits the bill. But a harrowing trip to Gretna Green and dangerous abolition rallies prove to be a more treacherous stage than either imagined. Infatuation and a mutual love for Shakespeare might not be enough to bind a couple looking to outrun the chains and secrets of family and the past.
Avoiding a marriage of convenience with another marriage of convenience to the actor she, luckily, has been crushing on for two years leaves sheltered and privileged Ester torn on the trip to Gretna Green. Much of the struggle over the course of the book is that tension between two characters who have agreed to elope but are unsure, because they are relative strangers.
Ester remembers the days before her father’s textile business took off, living in a quarters above the factory in a simpler life she is sentimental for. She has spent her more recent years daydreaming over actor Arthur Bex, and just as she has lost all hope for her future, circumstances intervene to introduce him into her life…as a potential husband.
Ester has been pretty sheltered from the world, including racism and sexism. By abandoning her family and the path they have chosen for her, she is exposed to the realities. Much of the focus of the novel is spent on this sort of bildungsroman transformation. There is also tension because Bex is passionate about abolitionism which heaps additional danger and controversy on the couple.
The history is fascinating and Riley presents the politics with a humanizing angle that is refreshing and less abstract than I have seen in other Regencies. Particularly with the abolitionist movement and its impact on black populations in England.
I also love that this book features underrepresented populations of the Regency and I feel really raises awareness about different populations than usually appear in a Reg Rom. This isn’t a Duke and ballroom type of historical, so if you are in the market for Marquis and marriage mart you should steer clear. However, if you are looking for new voices and characters within the era, Riley is a recommended go-to author.
Most of the action is internal, and for that I found it a little exhausting, but readers looking for that in depth character study should really enjoy. I think Riley also plays with how love can evolve from a crush in an interesting way. However, that also means that Ester is pretty innocent, shy and retiring which is not the typical Reg Rom heroine and not for everyone.
Bex is a stronger, more passionate hero who is hiding secrets. Riley gives a lot of clues as to what they might be, but its uncomfortable that he choses to hide them for so long with Ester. Maybe even a little sketchy? Some readers are going to find his secret keeping disingenuous and problematic.
So we are left with a romance between a character who seems more comfortable with a safe, long distance crush and a man full of secrets. Not my ideal H/H. But it may be yours. If so, check this out. Readers in particular who are interested in marriages of convenience and the conflict that results.
This is #2 in a series and worked fine as a standalone.
Riley is well loved for her historical romances, so I look forward to exploring some other of her titles.
3.75 out of 6
| Content Rating/Heat Index | |
|---|---|
| Mature Content |   |
| Some mentions of mistresses, adultery, slavery and other themes | |
| Intimacy | |
| Vanilla scenes | |
| Violence | |
| Assault attempts, some drama | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Great for mature readers | |
