Status shouldn’t matter when love enters…

Synopsis

It’s hate at first sight… But he’s about to dismantle her walls brick by brick.

Young heiress Ophelia Chattan-Blythe needs a miracle to save the family estate, and working with Brann – the ruggedly handsome, popular, and extremely irritating local builder – is not it. He may have a smile that can melt diamonds, but when he and Ophelia hit it off on the wrong foot, she starts to hate him with a passion.

Single-dad Brann isn’t all he seems. He’s built up a good business, though it doesn’t stop him from being lonely. Falling for a beautiful but stubborn heiress isn’t part of his master plan. But how can he not find Ophelia’s serene charm and whip-like comebacks irresistible?

As Brann and Ophelia work together, their arguments advance to attraction, and their desires ignite. But it’s more than Brann’s job’s worth to act on his feelings and Ophelia mustn’t, not if she’s to secure a wealthy match and stop her family from going under. A love this intense should be worth the fight, but constructing a happy ending is an almost impossible task without breaking all the rules.

My review

Ophelia Chattan – Blythe has created her own successful interior design business. But when she hears that her father is not well, she runs back home to Glenbriar. There she is faced with several shocking revelations: her father seems to be doing just fine, which is a relief, but the estate is not. Now Ophelia is forced to do whatever she can to save it. However, her ideas and that of her stepmother and her own father, couldn’t be more different… While she wants to restore the estate and its grounds back to their former glory, while especially her stepmother Jacinta believes that marrying Ophelia off to someone with more than enough money. Ophelia’s determination to make her grandparents’ dreams come true, makes her cross paths with local builder Brann. Even if they start off on the complete wrong foot, and hate seems to be the common emotion, Ophelia cannot deny that not only is Brann good at his job, but also that his perky comebacks put a smile on her face. No matter how much Brann enjoys pushing Ophelia’s buttons and there is an attraction growing, as a single dad, his mind is not set on finding love at all. But hearing on Ophelia’s prospects and about her needing to gain a wealthy match, and of course the difference between the Lady and the Builder, can he truly keep his distance?

Now, do I really have to tell you once again how much I enjoyed returning to Glenbriar? Because I think that if you are following me regularly, you already know how much I am enjoying starting each new story set in this wonderful series!

Reading books also means that you should never judge a story on its cover, and thus I know that even if Ophelia may be of class, it doesn’t mean she is a posh person, or thinks herself being better than anyone else.

And Ophelia for sure shows that a person is a character, and not a name or a status. Because if you would meet Ophelia, and not knowing about her ancestry, you would just find a great person, with a kind heart, and even a stubborn determination. And with that last, I mean it in the best possible way 😊.

I liked that determination, as we can see how she was able to build up her business on her own, and turn it into a success. She also has great plans to restore the estate. And her determination and her insightfulness is the perfect combo to save what she cares so deeply about.

But I have to say, no matter how much I enjoyed getting to know Ophelia better, her story also angered me… Because she has the most obnoxious, self – centered stepmother and the most oblivious possible father!

Who in their right minds would believe it would be okay to spend money for themselves that was in fact meant for the business?  And feel any remorse for it?

And it make it worse, which kind of parent would believe it would be okay to marry off their child like a cattle at an auction, for the highest bidder?

I was amazed that Ophelia didn’t cut them out immediately and just cut all connections with them. But I also knew that standing up for herself would be Ophelia’s real journey in this book. While greatest part of the book Ophelia seemingly seems to go along with whatever her stepmother and father want from her, we also see that slowly she starts to believe that her own happiness and life may be a too big of a sacrifice. And with Brann now also in her life, she wants to do right by her, and not only by her family…

Brann… he for sure is a character that appeared previously and I couldn’t wait to get to know him better!

And what a delight it was to get to know him! He for sure lived up to the image I had in my mind, but also showed so much depth, love, care and especially humour!

He is a single dad, yet I liked it how much he still gets along with his wife. He for sure shows that the end of a marriage doesn’t mean to end things on bad terms.

And he so dedicated as a father!

When Ophelia and Brann meet, saying they don’t get along would be the understatement of the year. They clash more than anything else. They constantly annoy each other, but that is also because they don’t know each other for real, and are basing their assessments on even some kind of prejudice.

So while it was hilarious seeing them constantly bickering around, it was delightful to see them unable to stop the attraction that slowly grows between them. Slowly, but by bit, they start to understand each other, support each other, giving in to each other. And seeing them trying to protect their hearts, but failing, and discovering that perhaps love is worth of risking their hearts again, was just so heartwarming!

This for sure is a slow burn, although there are many sparks flying around all the time. But while this is the story about Ophelia and Brann, it is also and mainly a story about Ophelia and a story about Brann. This book is about their personal journey, a journey that brings them together, but is only possible if they undergo a lot of growth. Because the Ophelia and Brann that we see at the end of this book aren’t the same as those at the start of the book. And seeing that growth, that journey, that change in the both of them, made me love this book so much!