The Golden Season

by Connie Brockway

Can a Regency belle buy true love on the marriage mart?
Lady Lydia Eastlake has been the belle of Regency London society ever since her debut. The well-to-do heiress is in no hurry to wed since she cherishes both her independence and her influence for good…until the dark day she learns her fortune has vanished, forcing her to put herself back on the marriage market for one last golden season.

Lydia needs a wealthy husband but what she finds is Captain Ned Lockton, a dashing war hero from a noble family. At first Lydia believes Ned, with his coolheaded charm and dangerous smile, is the man who can make all of her dreams come true. But then she discovers he is on the hunt for a rich bride who will rescue his own family from ruin.

Too late, Lydia realizes she has lost not only her fortune, but her heart. As an unexpected danger closes in around them, she and Ned must decide if they are willing to surrender their tidy dreams for the future and pay the price of passion in each other’s arms…

“Connie Brockway’s work brims with warmth, wit, sensuality and intelligence.”—Amanda Quick, New York Times bestselling author

“Romance with strength, wit, and intelligence. Connie Brockway delivers!” — Tami Hoag, New York Times bestselling author

“If it’s smart, sexy, and impossible to put down, it’s a book by Connie Brockway — Christina Dodd, New York Times bestselling author

“If you’re looking for passion, tenderness, wit, and warmth, you need look no further. Connie Brockway is simply the best.” — Teresa Medeiros, New York Times bestselling author

“Brockway’s lush, lyrical writing style is a perfect match for her vivid characters, beautiful atmospheric setting, and sensuous love scenes.” — Library Journal

“Connie Brockway’s work belongs on every reader’s shelf!”— Romantic Times

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Regency, Fiction, Regency Romance

389 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 3, 2019

About the author

Connie Brockway is the author of more than twenty historical and contemporary novels. Her work has appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, and has received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal.
She received a BA from Macalester College and attended the University of Minnesota for her MFA. After a publication hiatus of several years, she is at work on new fiction — including Fallen Ladies, a historical mystery set in 1898 New York.
Her story "First Knight" appears in Parallel Truths, a multi-genre graphic novel anthology now live on Kickstarter, alongside Andy Weir, Eloisa James, Tony Lee, JN Chaney, and seven other writers. With Eloisa James, she is co-writing Fetching Love, a Regency novella series launching April 2027 to benefit Bond Between rescue dogs.
She divides her days between the Twin Cities and The Driftless region of southeastern Minnesota where a greyhound called Roo races through the fields because his DNA can't be denied.

Reviews

[willaful · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars. In theory this has everything: interesting characters, interesting set-up, a great sense of feeling for the period… but too much of the time, it doesn’t quite gel.

The setting is the London season of the classic Regency romance, and it’s beautifully drawn. It feels like home to be reading a Regency with a sense of time and place again, one in which people are actually aware of the constraints of their society. Our heroine, Lydia, is one of the most aware. A celebrity of her time, she was brought up to be charming and delightful, and she walks a very careful line between being “an original” and crossing into unforgivable scandal.

Lydia at first seems like she’s going to be an unpleasant character, a spendthrift who only care about her position in society. She’s actually far more complex: not just caring and generous, as all seemingly selfish, spendthrift heroines turn out to be, but inwardly quite insecure from never having known unconditional love. She’s the star who doesn’t dare give up being the star.

Ned is not quite a match for her. He’s noble, honourable, all the good things… and a little bland when they’re together. Their witty conversation never felt all that witty to me. Though there's a masquerade ball scene that raised my temperature a few notches... and when that man writes a love letter, Lord have mercy! Utterly swoonworthy and almost makes this a keeper.

Overall, there was a lot to really like here. Intelligent characters; intelligent writing. Misunderstandings averted by people actually paying attention to each other. Some illuminating plotlines with secondary characters (and unlike many other readers, I did not get the feeling of sequel-bait, though I certainly wouldn’t mind.) It's a book I was glad I'd read. Just not a book I loved.

[Hirondelle (not getting all notifications) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can not quite make myself finish this. I liked very much 3 of the author´s first books, but each newer one seemed worse and worse till I quit. I picked up a new book of hers again, just to check - vintage Connie Brockway would be precisely the type of light reading I am really craving. But no luck. The writing was just piecewise - for example when describing this character ( a character which seems like a refugee from Sex in the City btw) her personality is described contradictorily on adjacent pages:
page 34:
"Sarah reminded one of a particularly toothsome blancmange, a mass of sweetness without substance. Loath as Lydia was to admit it, it was not an assessment without grounds"

page 35: blabla about Sarah "a docile and indolent nature, when in truth Sarah was and always had been a virago"

Besides not being sure if virago is really the word she meant when put in context (and I am also not sure about the use of the word labile elsewhere) perhaps there is no inconsistency but the effect is just confusing. I ended up not really knowing what Lydia thinks of Sarah. Friendships might be complex, but surely the writing could be more to the point. And I really think Sarah is not a virago - lots of other things yes, including blancmange but not virago.

And apart from contradictions, the characters in general seem thin, two dimensional, inconsistent. I quit before the ending and good riddance to this book.

[Linda Banche · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! Ms. Brockway has written a first-class tale of love, honesty, and honor triumphing in that most artificial of all places, the Regency ton.

Lady Lydia Eastlake must wed for money. So must former Navy captain, Ned Lockton. Each appears the other's ideal--until they fall in love and discover the other is penniless. Honor pulls them toward other partners. Love pulls them together. You'll wonder how they will reconcile their differences in this page-turner, even though a happy ending is guaranteed in a romance.

When I read a romance, I have to like both hero and heroine. The heroine is usually no problem, and I like Lydia. But, all too often, the "hero" is a villain in disguise and I hate him.

Not so with Ned. Ned Lockton is that rarity in romance, a nice guy. Now, "nice" does not necessarily mean "wimp". Ned is a former Navy captain who was invalided out after a distinguished career, and now has the thankless job of rescuing his feckless family from penury. He's also young, gorgeous, and blond. (I like my heroes blond.) I adore him.

If you like a story that keeps you reading and guessing right up to the end, try THE GOLDEN SEASON. You won't go wrong.

[Kim H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a huge Connie Brockway fan & was eagerly anticipating this book for some time, but frankly, I was pretty disappointed with it. It's not a *bad* book, but it definitely did not live up to my expectations.
The H&H just did NOT have any chemistry. Nothing really physical starts happening until way late in the book & I was so not into them as a couple by then, the big love scene felt like it was dropped on me out of nowhere. The best I could give this is maybe a B- and I'm not even sure if it rates that, or I'm just cutting it some slack because it's a Connie Brockway.
The premise is familiar; both the H&H find themselves in financial difficulties & need to marry for money, and they fall in love not realizing that the other is just as penniless as they are. I think an old premise can still work in the right hands, but this just seems to drag on for chapter after chapter with the hero & heroine secretly pining for each other and never doing anything in the way of acting on it.
The heroine was fine if a little lacking in dimension, but the hero is a complete letdown. I have no problem with stoic heroes, but this one was almost completely deadpan and I never 100% bought into the attraction he had for the heroine - mostly because his self-control where she's concerned never really seems to slip. There's a slight, very clichéd external conflict thrown in at the end that you could see coming from a mile away, meaning it plays like a slow-motion train wreck, complete with the obligatory cardboard cutout villain. One thing I truly appreciated about this story is that CB doesn't invent some magical fix for the H&H's money problems, no fairy godmother or rich relatives conveniently dropping dead & bequeathing them a fortune; they finish as broke as they begin. All in all, it's not a bad story, but I've come to expect much better from Connie Brockway & she just didn't deliver this time.

Grade: B-
Sensuality Rating: PG-13

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Wealthy, orphaned Lady Lydia Eastlake reigns over Regency England as the town's most celebrated beauty. But she must face losing the only life she's ever known when her fortune suddenly disappears-and the only solution is to find a wealthy husband. Enter Captain Ned Lockton, a rich and dashing war hero who sends Lydia's pulse racing. Little does she know that the enigmatic captain's family estate is secretly on the selling block--and he's on the hunt for a rich bride who will rescue his family from poverty ..."--Publisher

Why I picked this up: Since I am completely broke, in ever sense of the word, a romance novel that did not feature super-rich heroes really appealed to me.

I was intrigued by the storyline itself, but I only kept reading to see how these two worked their lack of funding out. It wasn't as satisfying as I imagined it would be, mostly because these two still purchased expensive clothing and gifts on credit. The heroine was a little too perfect in beauty, brains, and kindness to really appeal to me. Ditto the hero. However, I was intrigued by the fact that the story does not end with a pile of money falling in their lap and by the fact that most of the secondary characters also did not get a magical happily ever after. Brockway writes a very grown-up romance and while it doesn't do much for me, I can see why many people enjoy her books.

[Lynn Calvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazon preorder
A good but not great version of the "he's broke and needs to marry a fortune" "she's broke and needs to marry a fortune" story. I liked him a lot better than her. Her childhood trauma explained but didn't engage me, and there was a melodramatic plot twist at the end involving a secondary character that all felt sort of "eh."

Overall pretty good fun though.

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those books that you close with a sigh and a smile, wishing you had a sequel to start immediately.
As always with Brockway, there's a nice edge to the characterizations, and the secondary characters are delightfully drawn. I found the beautiful, spoiled, pragmatic heroine surprisingly sympathetic, and I adored the hero, Ned.

[Margeline · Rating 2 out of 5]

could have been perfect for me, but the third act drama was too much and unnecessary still I loved both mc and the h girl friends

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a bit of a slow start, I'll admit, but thankfully that didn't last long. It took off, and boy did it take off! I've always had a fondness for merry old England, especially historical England, so this book didn't disappoint.

Unlike Catherine Anderson's romances, this one felt more like a story with a romance woven into it rather than a romance with a story added. Lydia was a wonderfully written, confident, intelligent heroine with real weaknesses and human flaws. Even when I wanted to shake her and tell her to stop being crazy I adored her. And Ned was a nuanced, fleshed-out hero with his own hangups and an interesting thought process. The chemistry between them was amazing, very organic; no tired use of slap slap kiss or some brave cowboy sweeping a wounded beauty off her feet. The UST between them is more subtle; instead of Ned clapping eyes on Lydia's perfect ass or Lydia swooning over Ned's muscles and Stetson, they simple notice each other-physical attraction is a big part of it, but so is personality. (Yeah, I made a lot of comparisons to Anderson, but she's been my main romance source for a while. Hopefully this will change!)

Both the hero and the heroine need saving: from poverty. See, their family fortunes have gone down the drain; hers due to her being a spendthrift and his due to his nephews gambling most of it away. They fall for each other, not realizing they're in the same situation and when the truth finally comes out there's no shrieking and running away and hate. Of course, they still can't be together because they need financial security, and it's done in a way that makes them look pragmatic rather than melodramatic.

There are a LOT of obstacles to True Love, though. Mainly when Lydia marries another man for his money, but she does it to help her friend. See, Emily Cod's led a bit of a tragic life and her thought-to-be-dead husband shows up and demands money from Lydia, else he puts her back in the asylum (she'd previously been committed for her kleptomania). This is where it veers dangerously close to Anderson territory, but Bernard Cod is no Rodney Wells or Steve Fisher. Yeah, he made me want to punch him in the face but not as violently as either of those two did. And yes, Ned kicks the shit out of Cod for hitting Lydia, but the gender roles are evened out by Emily kicking some ass.

Emily herself is a very fascinating character, as are Lydia's other friends. They truly care for her, rather than being vapid society women who just hang onto her for status. Sarah's subplot was pretty intense, and Emily's tragic story genuinely made me feel bad for her.

Of course we get our happily ever after, though, and it's beautifully done. Ned's final line of dialogue to Lydia is one of my favorite lines in any book: "I love you, ma'am. And you shall never be done with me".

So yeah. This was definitely one of the better romances I've read, and I'd read it again. It has its flaws and uncomfortable moments, but the setting was beautiful, the characters were well-written and likeable, and the romance was awesome. I look forward to reading more of this author's stuff.

[Jessica Layman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

So funny story. I set "The Golden Season" on my TBR list like years ago, and it filtered through recently to be at the top of the list. I put it on hold and was surprised that the cover on Goodreads was different than the one I had, but whatever. I also was surprised it was one of those little books I call "bodice rippers" because there's usually half-clad people on them and you know it's just a smut book set in Victorian or Regency times. I don't normally go for those, especially ones that are a little older, but I figured I saw something intriguing when putting it on my TBR.

Got all the way through it (review forthcoming) and realized only just now when going to review it that I had read the "wrong" book. There is a different book titled "Golden Season" that I was supposed to be reading instead. This Golden Season book just happened to be a romance that I could see myself reading, so I went with it. The other, correct book is back on my TBR list.

So, to review. This was a pleasant surprise from the stereotype of bodice ripper I was expecting. It was written to a pretty decent standard, although because we were in 3rd person sometimes the author switched briefly into bystanders' perspectives and it was confusing and mostly didn't add a lot to the plot. For some reason I also had a hard time keeping the side characters straight especially Lydia's friends, something about their names were all too similar.

I thought the plot had a touch too much going on. It distracted a little from the main relationship. Each main character had their own side plots that I think were supposed to help characterize them to the audience, but it meant we didn't spend as much time on their chemistry and relationship beyond some banter and noting that they spent a lot of time together. I still believed the chemistry because I love a slow burn relationship where the man is pining, so I was invested. But I feel like there could have been more.

I also thought, romance wise, that it was decent, but again, maybe too much assuming we know they are fated to be together. So, overall, this was a good beach or airplane read, it definitely was quick, but turns out I never would have read this without the title mix-up.

[Teressa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is quite different from the other Connie Brockway books I've read thus far. Typically, her books have characters that are battling some type of inner turmoil, a deep dark secret from the past, or appear to be suffering from depression. I didn't have that sense in this book. Certainly, both of the main characters do have a bad situation that they are facing.

Lady Lydia has gone bankrupt, because she has not dealt wisely with her finances. She doesn't really seem to be wallowing around in self-pity. At first, she seemed like a flighty spoiled brat, but the reader soon finds that she is really a kindhearted and loyal friend. Captain Ned is also facing financial ruin, but it is not due to his mismanagement. Rather, his family has squandered the money, and his spoiled, bratty, rotten nephews continue to make stupid decisions. For some reason, Ned has this loyalty to his family that is almost ridiculous. If my own family members were so irresponsible, then I would not fall on the sword for them, and give into a loveless marriage.

They develop a very sweet and fine friendship, although they both feel far more than friendship for one another. Ned is too gentlemanly and polite to act upon his feelings, and Lydia is too worried that her situation will keep him from loving her. Typically, in these books, the courtships and affairs are a bit hot and steamy somewhat quickly, so it's nice to see something that is more respectable. Of course, this is a Connie Brockway book, so she throws in a romantic scene.

I like how Lydia is so loyal to her odd but dear friend and companion, Mrs. Emily Cod. In addition, I liked how she set Childe Smyth straight in his love life. The part where she talks to him about his kitty is quite amusing.

This book was a nice change from some of the ones I've been reading. There's hardly any violence, and the romance moves along at a nice steady pace. The characters are quite likable. And, the ending, although it suddenly seems a bit rushed, ties things up nicely. You don't know EXACTLY what will happen, but leave feeling good about how things probably will be.

[Dangermousie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this by purest coincidence in an airport bookstore while waiting during a 5-hour layover. I was intrigued enough by what I saw flipping through it to buy it for my Kindle. I spent the next couple of hours giggling, sighing, and thoroughly in love. The set-up for TGS is pretty cliche - the Regency heroine named Lydia discovers she is close to broke due to questionable investments by her brokers and realizes she needs a well-off husband ASAP (she does not plan to deceive the man about her finances and plans to tell him the truth after he proposes and make him an offer to withdraw his proposal). Enter Ned the hero, a former naval officer, who just sparks with her and, to make it all perfect, he comes from a very rich family. Only there is a catch - it turns out he is looking for a rich wife as well, due to his family relying on him to get them out of unforeseen financial straits.

So, why is a book with such a cliche set-up so good? The hero and the heroine are both smart, good people - I don't remember the last time the heroine fell for hero because he had a mellow sense of humor, and was a kind and a very very good person. Or a book which had a smart, wry, charming heroine who was appreciated for being such. The writing is fun and light and no character (except a fairly minor one) is in any way evil (in fact, the subplot about rival pretender to Lydia's hand is resolved in a totally delightful and unexpected way). It also has a certain degree of realism - for one, money issues aren't magically resolved, it's just both hero and heroine realize that having a partner you can love and respect is more important than society.

[Nadine in NY Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, I really did. I SO loved the first book I read by this author. But ... this one just fell flat. I didn't really care about the characters. I kept falling asleep while reading. Then it became so melodramatic, I just wanted something ridiculous and extreme to happen, just to get to the ending.

Plot in a nutshell: Dear dear exquisitely wealthy and beautiful and amazing Lady Lydia Eastlake has frittered away her amazing wealth and is (GASP!) POOOOOOOR! Now, her definition of "poor" is not my definition of "poor" so it's hard for me to get worked up about it. In fact, I believe the "GASP! I'm poor!" plot line is my least favorite romance trope. Anyway, moving on: Captain Jack Sparrow, uh, no, Captain Ned Lockton has returned from the wars, to find that his family is ALSO (gasp!) POOR!!! His family (his brother, the Earl, along with sister-in-law (Nadine!), sister, and two nephews and a niece) all expect him to Do Something About It by marrying into money. Ned mans up, despite the fact that both nephews are complete lunkheads. Then Ned meets Lydia, it's love at first sight for both of them, but it takes a while for them to get around to realizing it, and even longer for them to get around to owning up to it. Sigh. Typical. Yadda yadda yadda, plot twist, evil villain, crazed push on the edge of the River Thames, and ... we have a HEA.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a yet-to-be-published book (Feb. 2010) that is an insightful look-see into the world of post-Napoleonic War British society, the demands of the rich and aristocratic, the pull of the gaming halls and the loss of lands and inheritance, the search for new money and the conflict caused by the need to marry for money and the desire to marry for love. It is a classic historical romance in many ways, but the heroine is somewhat unusual in that she is spoiled, rich, independent, and foolish in spending her riches. Coupled with her thoughtlessness is the failing post-war English economy, the burdens of bad weather and failed crops, and the loss of huge revenues from natural sea disasters, and you have a bankrupt queen of the ton and a woman who needs money badly. Enter the retired captain of the Royal Navy who is searching for a bride in order to save his family from complete ruin because of the gambling of spoiled youngsters who have no regard for anything but their own vices and desires. You have a story that is surprising, full of twists and turns, loaded with sensuality and tension, gilded with true love that seems to have nowhere to go, and you have a great story. I found there were some portions that I found a bit tedious, but don't let that turn you away for a truly grand reading experience.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about two people looking for a marriage of convenience and, instead, finding an unexpected love.

This is a quiet novel in that there is far more introspection than dialogue. I usually like more dialogue, but the introspective nature of Ned and Lydia makes sense and is more revealing than dialogue would have been. The reason for this is that Ned is not an effusive person. He will exhibit almost indifferent behavior except for the clenching of a fist or his internal thoughts going haywire with confusion, etc. Ned’s full expression of his feelings comes in the form of a swoon-worthy letter to Lydia. He is a classic broody hero.

When you first meet Lydia, you may be taken aback by her behavior and think that you just stepped into a story with a heroine that is going to be as shallow as a Petri dish. But this proves to be a huge falsehood and you will quickly learn that she is a compassionate, devoted friend, and a person that deserves to be seen and loved. I absolutely adored the focus of Lydia’s love not only for Ned, but for her friends, especially Emily. Emily was a fascinating character and I wish she had a story.

If you like a broody hero, a sunshine heroine, marriage of convenience as plot device, lower steam, and characters with heart, then you may enjoy this story. Happy reading!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had some problems with this book, but it was overall enjoyable. I tend to read romance novels based on specific plot or hero types, not purely based on author, or series of books, so I am always frustrated when a book that should be standalone isn't. This book included SO much extra stuff about all of Lydia (the heroine)'s friends, I assume because they will have their own book. The hero and heroine were both good characters, both much deeper and more 3D than I assumed at the beginning, but the two weeks or so where they get to know each other is abbreviated and we don't get to see why they fall in love. There's one well written walk in a garden, and then nothing.

I hated the fact that there was a character named Robert Terwilliger, I don't know if the author assumes the audiences for The Simpsons and for romance novels overlap, or maybe she was giving us a sly wink about it but either way, it took me out of the book.

Lastly, I am SO sick of any character making a big fuss over "it must be love because I can't feel this desire for ANYONE else!" because we all know that is bull and I'd really rather hear about the romantic love, not that you must be fated because the sex is great.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't bad enough for a one-star rating, but I couldn't bring myself to finish it, either. Mostly, I just found it very flat and boring. I thought the premise was interesting -- two people each looking to marry someone with a fortune, not realizing the other was in the same predicament -- but the characters themselves did not come to life in any real way. He was particularly flat, emotionless, and utterly devoid of passion. I have no idea why these two were attracted to one another, except that they are equally boring. I was curious how they would solve their money problems, but at about the halfway point it became clear to me that the money problems were not nearly the trouble they were set up to be.

www.christineamsden.com

[PoligirlReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first time reading Brockway. I had read her contribution to The Lady Most Likely, and thought to give her a try. This was pretty enjoyable. It's a slow build-up, but as it was intriguing along the way, I actually liked that. I'm guessing that Sarah has either had or will have a book, since her backstory was given far too much time. Funny, for a book that spent so much time in developing the story, the end was rushed and didn't seem to fit the rest. The sudden appearance of Emily's husband was just weird and screamed "Quick! Someone give me a plot device, STAT!"

Other reviews seem to indicate that this was a weak point for Brockway and that her earlier work is better. I may give one of the older books a try.

[Annah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe this is the second book I've read by Connie Brockway and I found it fairly enjoyable. Her attention to all the details of the times was very well done. At first I didn't much like Lady Lydia but she grew on me with her compassion for others. Captain Lockton was dreamy of course, but that's to be expected in an historical romance novel. What I didn't really like about a lot of the characters was how self-centered most of them were. Almost all of the Locktons were only concerned about themselves. It really was a great love story, though it was somewhat lacking in action. I really would have loved for there to be an epilogue. I found the ending very wanting. What happened with Bolton, and Emily, and Sarah? Aside from that it was a pretty good read.

[Nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

FAIRLY INTRIGUING. THE CHARACTERS WERE QUITE CAPTIVATING BUT I DO WISH THE AUTHOR SPENT MORE TIME DEVELOPING THEIR RELATIONSHIP THAN ELABORATING ON OTHER PEOPLE IN THE BOOK. AND THAT ENDING MADE ME FEEL SO CHEATED! I WOULD HAVE LOVED AN EPILOGUE. I did so adore the hero - some might accuse him of being too stiff but I rather enjoyed his chemistry with the heroine. Sensual but very laid back on the passion I'm afraid. Nevertheless this was still an engaging story with liveliness and surprisingly relatable as the heroine often contemplates questions that even women today ponder if the man they meet should ever be the right man to marry, or will she live in regrets once the passion fades?

FULL REVIEW TO COME!

[Nicole McCrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book - I just didn't love it. And this is really a testament because I have loved the previous Brockway books I've read. This was just fine.

On meeting Lydia, my first thought was, 'is this really our heroine?' But Brockway assured us Lydia was, and rightly so. Lydia is not perfect, despite appearances, and I enjoyed getting to know her. Also, Ned, what a guy. I quite liked our hero.

But then they just sort of moved in circles around one another. I kept thinking *something* would happen, anything, and still they were circling one another. When I finally thought they'd worked it out, I was disappointed by the twist. It felt forced to me.

Nonetheless, I was happy that, in the end, Ned and Lydia chose one another for the right reasons.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Many of the more cliche issues in the plot were handled in novel and interesting ways. Also, I think it says a lot that though we never meet the character Kitty, I still grew to like her over the course of the book.

My only complaint was that there was no epilogue. Usually I find them excessive and pointless in romance novels but here it would have helped. One of the main problems for these two people was how they would live their day-to-day lives if they chose one another over money. Seeing just a small glimpse of that would have made the ending much more satisfying.

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the first pages of this book I was disappointed: I thought it would be yet another of those 2 people pretending to be rich so they could marry someone else with money stories, and I felt like slapping Lydia for wasting her fortune. But as I persevered, I changed my mind. Lydia is not stupidly profligate. Admittedly she has been extravagant, but she has also given money away. As more of her background is revealed one begins to understand her and sympathize.

I still felt like slapping Ned's nephews, but then they were young and stupid. Ned himself was a great hero, and I'm glad the ultimate solution was factually possible with a little help from the family.

[Ewa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really charming.

I didn't like the heroine to begin with, but then I warmed up to her. Unfortunately she had to finish on a TSTL note for the plot's sake. I wish Ms Brockway would have played it out differently.

I loved, loved, loved Ned. One of the best heroes so far. And if you want to read super hot description of the first kiss, this is the book you should pick up. I thought it was a one-time wonder in My Dearest Enemy, but Brockway has done it again! I could re-read this scene over and over again.

[Nanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

For once, here is a great heroine who’s independence is plausible and the hero is the opposite of a rake--an honorable man, reserved outwardly, restrained through his formidable control. There's witty dialogue with plenty of humor, and two intelligent, mature leads who balance each other. Her secondary characters are not as well developed but the intensity of feelings between the h/h make that less noticeable. The plot mostly holds together but it's rare to find a flawless plot. Brockway is one of the few authors i have found whose stories are original and unique and varied.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like romance novels that have characters I would like to know in real life. Of course, fabulously rich friends would be awesome bu even without the fabulously rich part, the two main characters in this novel are really wonderful people. They are genuinely kind, caring people who rescue family members from bad circumstances at great personal cost to themselves because it is the right thing to do. This is an A+ novel.

[Lisa Rivera · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a very fast read and I'm fairly certain it was because I wanted to finish it so I wouldn't have to suffer anymore.

Our heroine was ditzy and managed to go through thousands as a result of her flippancy towards money. On the other hand, our hero had so much potential but was flat as a pancake. He was boring. His family made me so angry I wanted to shoot them myself.

Don't bother. Not worth the time or energy it took to read this drivel.

[Laine · Rating 4 out of 5]

i would have given it five stars, but somehow i find it lacking on the ending part. would have loved to know what happened to their future, did they have children or did their fortune somehow improved. but then again i find ned and lydia's story very refreshing and somehow it is not only about passion but the sense of finding that special someone to spend their lives. i loved the plot and the climax was something to get excited about.

[Tiff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady Eastlake was certainly depicted as independent and caring of those dependent on her whereas I find a shortage of backbone on the part of Captain Lockton. Oh, he has familial honor down to pat but it's a shame he seemed lacking in strength to pursue Lady Eastlake as she rightly deserved to be treated. He needed to be pushed in the right direction, Borton, though appeared loyal to him, didn't exactly exude sidekick feels.

[Cathy Beckett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. I laughed a lot. Especially when both the hero and the heroine met while in search of a rich spouse. Lady Lydia had lost all her money through bad investments and being a spend-thrift. Captain Ned Lockton is trying to save his family's home by marrying rich. The Lockton fortune was gambled away by his nephews.
Lydia and Ned fall in love before they realize they are both looking for the same thing--a rich spouse. The hilarious missteps that occur kept me in stitches.