When Alexander Westcott becomes the new Earl of Riverdale, he inherits a title he never wanted and a failing country estate he can't afford. But he fully intends to do everything in his power to undo years of neglect and give the people who depend on him a better life . . .
A recluse for more than twenty years, Wren Heyden wants one thing out of life: marriage. With her vast fortune, she sets her sights on buying a husband. But when she makes the desperate-and oh-so-dashing-earl a startlingly unexpected proposal, Alex will only agree to a proper courtship, hoping for at least friendship and respect to develop between them. He is totally unprepared for the desire that overwhelms him when Wren finally lifts the veils that hide the secrets of her past . . .
Comment: This is the third installment in the Wescott series by Mary Balogh.
In this story we follow Alexander, the new earl of Riverdale, as he embarks on a journey with Wren Heyden to find out if they can have a happy marriage. Alex knows he needs money to take care of the estates that are now his, as well as caring for the people who depend on those estates' success. He knows marrying someone with money would be an easy way to make things quicker, but he also wants to be with someone he can love and with whom he can have a real partnership. He accepts miss Heyden's request for a visit thinking others would be there but she is way more practical than he imagined and their conversation is direct. As they agree to try to see if they can be suitable, his family makes no secret in welcoming her, and Wren also discovers things about herself and her past, but will she let herself live a full life despite the mark she believes would make others want to avoid her?
This story follows the events of what happened in the previous books, the aftermath of the ton discovering the earl of Riverdale had had a bigamist marriage, thus making Alexander the actual heir to the title and not his cousin Harry, as it had been until then. Alexander didn't want the responsibility of the title but he is a good man and wants to do right by those who depend on him. Obviously, his sense of honor is what makes him such a likable person.
He and Wren meet after an invitation from her, and it seems she is trying to meet some eligible neighbors, men who could be prospective suitors, for she wants to be married. I never really understood why this decision at this time, except she likely wants to have someone to share her life with and have children, but it was quite a contrast to see her personality and her attitude in this. Wren has a physical mark on her face, something which has caused her so much emotional pain and that has driven her to hide from the outside world. She is, naturally, timid and unsure of her looks, and I can't imagine someone with these fears -although she is a determined businesswoman - willing to risk marrying someone as a business transaction.
I mean, Wren is wealthy, her deceased uncle and aunt left her everything, and this allows her to have a lifestyle which she might not afford otherwise, but she has been hidden from others, has not been outside without a veil covering her face for years and I struggle to imagine the courage to assume a man would overlook that for money and that she would be fine with it as long as it would get her what she wanted. It did make her look a little standoffish at times.
The romance development is slow and, I will confess, not seemingly very effusive most of the time. I get it that they are quiet, unassuming people and that their journey is more an emotional one than something physical but there were times where it felt not much was really bringing them closer. To counter balance this, the author used his family, and their welcoming of Wren to prove to her she doesn't need to be alone and that her mark should not define her. Usually, I love this, when a family or secondary interactions give perspective to the main couple. However, here, it meant a little less attention on them as a couple.
When they decide they will be married things progress rather quickly, and they share things which make their early married days go on smoothly. Intimacy between them is simple and effortless I think. But there was something missing, some kind of drive - I would not say passion - to really make it feel they were it for one another. This is said and established but I never felt the force of the sentiment.
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