A marriage only on paper means that the heart is safe, right?

Synopsis

A viscount-in-waiting

Finds a convenient wife

To claim his inheritance, Leo Ashburton needs a bride who accepts that he can offer her a title and a house, but not love. Annabelle Hummingford—whose scarred face has made her hide from society—seems like the perfect match. But as his shy wife blossoms into a confident, mesmerizing woman, Leo is torn. Falling for her risks being hurt again—but will burying his feelings mean losing her altogether? 

From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.

The Ashburton Reunion

Two estranged brothers find each other and two special women to love!

Book 1: Flirting with His Forbidden Lady
Book 2: Falling for His Practical Wife

My review

Annabelle Hummingford has always been hiding from society, afraid for the gossip that her scars would cause.
She has giving up on the idea of ever meeting a man who would love her and would want to marry her.
But when viscount – in – waiting Leo Ashburton needs to get married in order to claim his inheritance, Annabelle sees an opportunity to get away from her controlling mother.
Even if it’s clear from the very start, that the marriage would only be existing on paper, slowly Annabelle and Leo realize they have more in common than thought.
But Leo is fighting his feelings, because falling in love would only end up in heartbreak all over again. And Annabelle is fearing that the only feelings Leo could ever have for her, are those of pity… 

So yes, when you start reading this story, you know how it will end… But should that keep you from even starting to read it? Absolutely not! 

First of all, Annabelle…
From the very start I truly felt sorry for her. Her sister, and best friend, married and has left for a new adventure in India, leaving Annabelle living with her mother.
In most cases, living with your mother wouldn’t be what everyone dreams of, but we all love our parents, so when no other option is available, you do what you must.
But poor Annabelle, living with such a terrible person… Her mother not only keeps Annabelle from going out, under the pretence of protecting her, the way she controls her and is just openly mean towards Annabelle…
If I could slap a fictional character, it would be her!

So living in that situation, made me understand why Annabelle would agree to marry even without love. Every other living situation would be better than her current one! 

But it’s also that still waters run deep, and slowly Annabelle shows her true colours. She goes from this shy young woman to a strong woman, daring to take risks and with the gentle nudge of Leo, dares to go in the open. 

Talking about Leo… marrying in order to receive an inheritance isn’t the noblest of things to do. But when he proposes to Annabelle, it isn’t only out of pity that he did it.
In many moments, we see how caring he is, and even how insulted he can be in Annabelle’s place.
He had his heart broken in the past, making him putting high walls, but nonetheless, he has his heart at the right place.

There were so many sweet and heart – warming moments, like when Annabelle takes care of a sick Leo. But also moments that made me want to knock some sense in our main characters! If only they would dare to speak out their feelings, so many misunderstandings could have been avoided!

But that is also the beauty of this book. It isn’t about two people getting married and suddenly they realize they love each other. But marriage (even one that was not born out of love) is a work in progress. Both parties have to learn to get to know each other, they both need to find the courage for only admitting their feelings, but also finding the courage about just being yourself and not just shield yourself away. And hiding for real or hiding your feelings is the easy way out, but daring to come out, literally or figuratively, can be so rewarding and liberating…