She only has three weeks before her life changes forever, and she knows exactly how she wants to spend her days. As a child, Ros was inspired by her adventurous Aunt Alice and created a list of ten things to do before her wedding day. So far, Ros has done none of them.
She is determined to tackle each item, though she’ll have to accomplish them all in secret. After all, a soon-to-be-duchess is not usually allowed to bury treasure in the pasture, eat sweets all day, or learn how to swim. She enlists the help of her best friend, Liza, who brings along her cousin, Charlie, a prodigal son-turned-boxer who has come to the countryside to mend his reputation and learn how to be his father’s heir.
Together, the three of them work to complete the list, and as each item is crossed off, an unlikely friendship blossoms between Ros and Charlie. The more time they spend together, the more Ros falls in love with this imperfect man and his good heart.
Comment: This is the second book I try by this author. I had read one other back in 2021 and liked it, so I would certainly try to read something else. After reading a positive review on this title, I've decided to do just that but only now, two years later, did I finally pick it up.
Miss Newbury, Roz, is betrothed to a duke, which is going to help all her family financially but, mainly, socially. She knows him to be an older man and hopes their marriage will be a considerate one, if not truly happy. However, the idea of being a proper wife and a proper duchess suddenly makes her aware there isn't a lot she can do after all is set and society is looking at her critically so she decides to accomplish the items on a wish list she wrote as child. At first she decides to do it on her own, perhaps with the help of her best friend Liza, but it just happens that Liza has her cousin Charlie Weston staying at her house, after a huge disagreement with his parents. Charlie is known to have been in trouble, and he seems the perfect person to help Roz finish off her list....but will they discover more to meet the eye in each other?
This author writes "proper" romances, in the sense there's no sex/intimacy scenes in them. I don't mind this type of book and, depending on the plot, it can be a good way to not be distracted by (sometimes) pointless sex scenes that add nothing to the story but I must say that, this time, the longing the characters reveal wasn't enough to convince me of their everlasting love and the lack of sex scenes here felt it was only adding to a bigger issue, in my opinion: the characters are/act too young.
It is true they are young in age, Roz is only 20 and if we got Charlie's age I might not have paid attention, and the fact they belong to established and well in life families helps to create this sheltered vibe. Still, their actions are often a little juvenile to me, not that they act like children or young adults but that what they do and how they think, even with some hints of responsibility here and there are, for the most part, too immature. Roz, in particular, is too sheltered and I struggled to fully appreciate her actions when she had so much to loose if the wrong people were to see her or gossip about her.
I like historical romances, and the "lighter" ones often have a lot of sex as a way to showcase maturity too, especially if the vibe is a specific one. But I also like more serious novels in which the characters go through some kind of transformation, which might include sex with someone they learn to care about, but in this particular situation, Roz and Charlie seem to be pretending while talking about this and that, and going through the items on her list. I liked it that they fell in love and got a HEA but it was very hard to appreciate the emotional development they are meant to embrace.
Roz' list seems cute enough and some items are more on the funny side than the really deep one. Still, I didn't mind that this was the tactic used to bring the main characters together. But Roz is engaged and we learn her fiance is older and less likely to want to let her experience things. Charlie, we are told, was on some kind of scandal which led to his parents being disappointed...therefore, they should not be a good match but going through her list not only brings them closer but is a way for Roz to kind of influence him to want to be a better man.
I suppose this is often a byproduct of wanting to be with someone who has other ways of seeing things. Who doesn't want to be better for someone they truly care about but I confess I was a little put off by this idea that sweet natured but conscientious Roz (despite being sheltered) would know better on how to advice Charlie and that he would easily accept her opinions and moral lessons? Even if they do make sense to his situation? It was just too..... this isn't a religious story in which preaching is the way to behave, but it did feel this sometimes. Charlie can only be a good match if he "reforms".... I mean, I do agree his behavior, the one which led to his problems was juvenile, but should he not need to reach that conclusion on his own? the whole thing felt forced so that he and Roz would be a suitable couple.
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