What would it be
like to learn that you are not the offspring of an opera singer and Prince
Louis Grimaldi, heir to the throne of Monaco, but a baroness, “whose title is
by right and not courtesy,” and the daughter of an earl? Just ask Elizabeth
Brook Eden. She’s grown up basking in the sun and warmth of the Mediterranean
and suddenly finds herself in North Yorkshire, England. She’s still got a sea
to look out at, but the temperature is not something she’ll grow accustomed to
overnight. Nor will the staff at Whitby Park become accustomed to Brook
overnight. In fact, they are prone to cynicism before trust, even though
Ambrose Eden, the Earl of Whitby, has declared her to be his daughter and heir.
Brook’s arrival at Whitby Park is
thanks to her childhood best friend, Justin Wildon, who also happens to be the
Duke of Stafford. He has long since realized that Brook is stunning, but he
expects she doesn’t feel for him what he does for her. And, as heir to a
dukedom, he’s got a plateful of responsibilities – and several side dishes –
occupying his time. This creates physical distance between them and will be a
barrier in their relationship that cannot be easily hurdled.
Brook doesn’t know much about her
past, but that will not stop the greed of unknown others to obtain what they
think she possesses. Who can be trusted? What does the person(s) want and why?
One thing is for sure: the person has no qualms about taking the lives of
others to fulfill her/his desires. It’ll be a race to find out the whodunit
before the heiress is lost for good.
The setting is 1910 Edwardian
England, and it is opulent, tragic and dangerous. The writing is top-notch, and
you can tell that the author has done her research. Despite the length of the
novel, it was a fairly quick read. The story is enchanting with its captivating
characters – from the handsomely good if romantically bumbling (Justin) to the
dashingly suave flirt (Brice, heir to the Duke of Nottingham) to the superciliously
wicked (Pratt) – and its richness of royal locale. The romance is there, but
isn’t steadily moving forward; therefore, it is intense in its stationary
state. The only confusing part comes from my lack of familiarity with peerage
terminology. It may also take some thought to remember who is who. All the
nicknames and first name, last name, royal title – yikes! But all in all, a
very delicious read. I look forward to continuing reading the Ladies of the Manor series.