When marriage is not on the cards, but must be, is there a second chance?

Synopsis

Can a ballroom reunion… Lead to a union at the altar? 

War hero James Ashworth needs a rich wife to restore his family’s fortune. Despite the scars battle left on his soul, he’ll do his duty—even if everywhere he turns, he sees the woman he loved and lost…

Meeting James catapults widow Amelia back to the past— the letters he stopped responding to while at Waterloo and her subsequent forced marriage. Yet, when she discovers her father’s role in the Ashworths’ misfortune, she’s compelled to help—even if she has no intention of falling for the man who broke her heart!

My review

As Amelia and James lived practically next door of each other, they not only grew up together, but they also developed sweet feelings towards each other. But then James left to battle at Waterloo, and Amelia has not heard from him since then. Now James has returned as a hero, even if he doesn’t see himself like that, there are women looking to become the new Lady Ashworth. But Ash, as friends call him, is looking at getting married at all. Especially when there are way too many financial worries. And especially when he keeps on meeting Amelia several times. Amelia, the woman that broke his heart by marrying someone else while he was in battle, and did not wait for him. Even if she is a widow now, and she could do as she pleases, Amelia wants anything but getting married again. And she for sure does not want to rekindle the friendship she once had with Ash, especially as he stopped answering the letters she sent him. But when she discovers that her father is responsible for the financial misfortune Ash and his family is in, she cannot just walk away…

I have read several books written by this author, and loved them all, even if they were taking place in a different era than this book. Yet I was curious to see how Ella would “cope” in a different era. And let me say, I was very pleasantly surprised by it, yet it shouldn’t have, as I should have trusted Ella’s writing skills!

The world where Amelia and Ash are living in, has been for sure romantized in books, films and even plays. It is of course dreamy, going to balls, having those dances, sneaky glances. But we often also forget that it is also a world where especially women could not be as independent as we are now, and there not a lot freedom, especially when there is a lot of responsibilities involved.

And that is something we see in both characters’ lives.

While Amelia is now a widow, she is still looking after her younger siblings. She worries about them, as she is now in a way head of the family. But what saddened me, was to read how she was forced into marrying a man she did not love. Everyone should be free to marry (or even not) the person they love, and not marry because of duty.

In a way, despite her forced marriage, Amelia got lucky, as her husband wasn’t a mean person. But there just wasn’t that spark. And even in the bedroom, Amelia never got the pleasure to discover what pleasure means…

It is strange to say, but Amelia being a widow, gives her much more freedom than she could imagine. There are no expectations to fulfil, as Amelia has been done, done that. And the fact that there are no children involved, makes things even easier for her.

I liked it how Amelia is wondering at the start of the book whether to take on a lover or not. Once again, proof of her liberties she has as a widow. And yet…

When Ash returns from the Battle at Waterloo, old wounds are being reopened, and it is crystal clear that Amelia truly got heartbroken after not receiving any letter back from the young man she had a tender feeling for. Of course she isn’t welcoming Ash back with open arms, as she still holds a grudge of how he treated her.

And while I could understand Amelia, and I believe that I would act in the same way, I was curious to get to know Ash better, and just understand him better. Because it just cannot be that the main character, for who we would be rooting, would just dismiss Amelia like that.

I can only try to imagine what it is to fight in a war, and I understand completely that something like that can scar just anyone. And not only physically… So reading his reasons for cutting Amelia off, made me understand him so much better. He didn’t make the best choice, but he made choice that makes sense.

As being seen as a hero, it was a bit funny to read how suddenly Ash has become the catch of season. Even if marriage is the last thing on his mind…

It is only testament of his character, that Ash doesn’t take the ‘easy’ way out. While an advantageous marriage would for sure solve the financial issues, he wants to find his own way to fix things.

It was a bit funny to read how just not along Ash and Amelia get initially. They are both holding grudges, Amelia for Ash not writing back, and Ash for Amelia not waiting for his return… But seeing also how the both of them want to do the right thing, to correct mistakes of others, shows their kind and generous and just lovely characters.

And it is them wanting to do the right thing, that brings them back closer together, despite their initial idea of keeping distance. That for sure was great to read, but even better was reading how comfortable it gets between them. Yes, there is initial wariness, and they are both attempting to keep their smooth. But years being together, knowing each other like no other isn’t erased that easily, and reading how that easiness is returning, just amazing!

Of course there are several hurdles that are not that easy to take. They have a shared past, that has been scarred by hurt? There are also the present difficulties, and present ideologies, keeping these two apart. Yet doesn’t love always deserve a second chance? Especially as the separation isn’t one by choice.

I absolutely loved reading this story. It was bittersweet, heartwarming but also heartbreaking at moments. Ella Matthews captured my attention, and Ash and Amelia would not allow me to lose it in any way. I devoured this book, as I just wanted to know how, when and if these two wonderful characters would finally find their happy end like they truly deserved.