Source: Goodreads
Camille Westcott had everything – a title, a fiance, a loving family… but when her parents’ marriage is suddenly found to be bigamous, Camille loses everything. Her fiance forces her to call off the wedding. She is deemed a bastard and is no longer welcome in the polite society that only days before she had been sought after to indulge in. She is not even her father’s eldest child. Stunned and heartbroken, Camille flees to her grandmother’s home in Bath with her mother and her sister, where she shuts her self away from any society that might be willing to accept her. After months spent coming to terms with being a middle child of insignificant means, she finds that her frustration with her half-sister Anna haunts her every waking moment. Too scarred still to seek out Anna’s guidance, Camille does the next best thing. She signs up to take on her half-sister’s old job as the teacher at the orphanage where Anna grew up. Exploring her half-sister’s world, Camille is finally able to see life through Anna’s eyes, live in Anna’s shoes, and maybe, just maybe even find love in the places Anna never looked.
Joel Cunningham grew up an orphan. He’s always lived in the same place, teaching art alongside his best friend, Anna. When Anna suddenly finds out her true heritage and leaves for the big city, Joel is crushed. Reading her letters, he hopes for her return until her words turn to those of love for someone else. His daily existence becomes lonely and tiresome despite the children he loves and teaches. Still harboring a sore heart, Joel is outraged when Camille takes on the teaching position that was once Anna’s. The two troubled souls find that their mutual frustration with the ripple effect of Anna’s true parentage binds them together in strange ways, and after a night of unbridled feelings, the blossoming friendship between them turns into something else altogether, just to be thrown into chaos again when Joel receives a strange letter of his own.
I quite enjoyed this book. It was interesting to see how Anna flitted in and out of the narrative, sometimes in person, but mostly in the thoughts and hearts of Camille, Joel, and the other occupants of the orphanage. The character building was all there. In fact, the majority of the plot was internal struggles that Camille and Joel had to overcome in order to open their hearts to new opportunities. Watching them grow and mature and understand their new roles in the world was fascinating. That being said, so much of the plot was internal struggle that not a lot actually happened on the outside. Watching the more secondary characters be confused about the developing romance was real and true to the plot, which only made it better in my book.
HHC Rating: 4 Stars
Other Reviews in this Series & By This Author: The Bedwyns/ “Slightlys”:: Book 0.5 – One Night for Love Book 0.75 – A Summer To Remember Book 1 – Slightly Married Book 2 – Slightly Wicked Book 3 – Slightly Scandalous Book 4 – Slightly Tempted Book 5 – Slightly Sinful Book 6 – Slightly Dangerous Book 6.5 – Once Upon A Dream The “Simplys”:: Book 1 – Simply Unforgettable Book 2 – Simply Love Book 3 – Simply Magic Book 4 – Simply Perfect The Huxtables:: Book 1 – First Comes Love Book 2 – Then Comes Seduction Book 3 – At Last Comes Love Book 4 – Seducing And Angel Book 5 – A Secret Affair The Survivors’ Club:: Book 1 – The Proposal Book 1.5 – The Suitor Book 2 – The Arrangement Book 3 – The Escape Book 4 – Only Enchanting Book 5 – Only A Promise Book 6 – Only A Kiss Book 7 – Only Beloved The Westcotts:: Book 1 – Someone to Love Book 2 – Someone To Hold *(This Review)* Book 3 – Someone to Wed Book 4 – Someone to Care Book 5 – Someone to Trust Book 6 – Someone to Honor Book 7 – Someone to Remember Book 8 – Someone to Romance (2020) Book 9 – TK – Harry
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