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3.76 AVERAGE

emotional lighthearted fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
emotional fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous emotional lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A
adventurous emotional funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous inspiring
adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I wanted to read this book because I loved the Bridgerton series and was missing them. My brother bought me this series for my birthday over two years ago, but I wanted to finish the Bridgerton series first. I enjoyed the first book, but this book just fell off the cliff. 

This book is based on Cecilia Harcourt and her brother Thomas has been injured on the battlefront in the Colonies. So, Cecelia has two options, move in with a maiden aunt or marry her scheming cousin. Instead, she chooses option three and travels across the Atlantic, determined to nurse her brother back to health. But after a week of searching, she finds not her brother but his best friend, the handsome officer Edward Rokesby. He is unconscious and in desperate need of her care, and Cecila vows that she will save this soldier’s life, even if staying by his side means telling one little. She told everyone she was his wife. When Edward comes to, he is more than a little confused. The blow to his head knocked out six months of his memory, but surely, he would recall getting married. He knows who Cecila Harcourt is – even if he does not recall her face – and with everyone calling her his wife, he decides it must be true, even though he’d always assumed he’d marry his neighbour back in England. Cecila risks her entire future by giving herself – completely – to the man she loves. But when the truth comes out, Edward may have a few surprises of his own for the new Mrs. Rokesby.  

I still adore Julia Quinn’s writing style. It didn’t like I was back in time. I mean obviously they were talking about the fact that it took her over a month to get to New York because she was traveling by boat and not by plane. Edward was such a gentleman, and I adored him. He wakes up with no memories and told he was married, and he just accepted it no questions asked. Then started acting like the perfect husband but just knew that the marriage hadn’t been consummated and was worried that she was going to leave. I loved the letters between Thomas and Cecelia and how Edward would jump into the letters and join in with the banter.  

I struggled with the storyline; I didn’t like the miscommunication. Cecelia had so many options to tell Edward what had happened and why she did what she did. But she waited until after she slept with him. If it was the other way round, the girl would have called the guy a rake and being deceitful. I also missed the family dynamic. Like with the Bridgertons, the family dynamic was there. With the Rokesby, we got the family dynamic in the first book, but with this book, we only got a few family dynamics which is at the end of the book and the letters between Thomas and Cecelia. It just felt like there was little chemistry between Edward and Cecelia until after she was going to leave to go home. I think I would have preferred for Cecelia to go home and then Edward to chase after her later. Or Cecelia to show up afterwards.  

Hopefully we get more of the family dynamic within the next book and to see the Rokesbys together and laughing with each other and the banter being back.  

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional fast-paced

A few years ago I watched the first season of Bridgerton and immediately read all eight books. While they are not the most profound stories, I had a great time reading them. Last week I found the prequel series and fell into the same hole.

This series is about the Rokesby family, close friends of the Bridgertons, and it takes place a generation earlier. The series follows the four Rokesby brothers, George, Edward, Andrew and Nicholas, and each book is a different brother's love story. 

 Edward, the second Rokesby brother, has been deployed to America, where he was severely wounded. Cecilia pretends to be Edward's wife so she can care for him. Long story short, Edward has memory loss and doesn't know they're not married. I liked the story and the characters enough, but oh my god, the lying drove me INSANE.
adventurous emotional fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character

Cecilia Harcourt is devoted to her brother. While Thomas Harcourt is away fighting for England in America, she diligently writes to him. Thomas' best friend and fellow soldier Captain Edward Rokesby also eagerly awaits Cecilia's letters. Over the years Edward and Cecilia have come to know each other through little notes added to Thomas' correspondence.

Cecilia's father dies and then she receives news that Thomas is injured and missing, she sets off for New York to find him. Instead of finding her brother, she discovers Edward unconscious and fevered in hospital after a head injury. Wanting to offer aid, she says she's his wife, as only family members are allowed inside.

Thomas regains consciousness but has no memory of the past few months. He recognises Cecilia from a miniature portrait Thomas had shown him, and when she says they married by proxy at Thomas' request, he can't discount the possibility, though it seems unusual.

Cecilia feels guilty, especially when she knows Edward's innate sense of honour will force him to marry her in truth when his memory returns.

The two MC's have been falling for each other through their letters for ages, though they are both treading carefully as "newlyweds" for several reasons.

This book contains descriptive love scenes.