Series:
Wed Within a Year (Book 1)
Sparks fly when the wallflower…
waltzes with the rake!
When the Crown awards spy Caine Parkhurst the title of
marquess, it's with the outrageous stipulation he marries within the year!
Caine's catapulted into London's ballrooms in search of a bride, but the last
thing the rakish bachelor is looking for is love…
Once a diamond, Lady Mary is now in danger of becoming a
wallflower -- or, worse, being married off to a man of her father's choosing!
To escape the relentless matchmaking, she agrees to a fake courtship with the
new marquess. Yet his touch leaves her longing to court this rake…for real!
Terrific start to the new series. Caine and his brothers
are known to Society as the Four Horsemen. They are rakes, well known for their
outlandish behavior. Society doesn't know that these men are Crown operatives
working in the shadows to keep their country safe. The King awards the men with
titles, but they must marry within a year if they want to keep those titles.
Lady Mary tries hard to be the daughter her parents want
and marry well. However, having been passed over by two dukes who chose to
marry others, she is on track to becoming a wallflower. If she doesn't find a
husband soon, her father will find one for her.
Caine and Mary meet at a ball where she impresses him
with her intelligence and wit. However, when duty calls, and he leaves her in
the middle of a dance, her reputation takes another hit. Caine feels guilty
about the fallout and decides paying attention to her will stir up interest and
maybe draw the attention of a more suitable husband. Complicating matters, Mary's
father is a person of interest in Caine's latest investigation, and courting
her will give him opportunities for his investigation.
I enjoyed seeing Caine and Mary's relationship develop.
Caine doesn't plan to marry - he feels his work for the Crown makes it
dangerous to have a family. However, Mary gets under his skin in ways he didn't
expect. Caine has a rakish reputation, but underneath, he is an honorable man.
I loved Caine's protectiveness as he got to know Mary. The opera scene was
fantastic.
Caine intrigued Mary from the moment she met him. She
didn't expect to trust him as quickly as she did, especially after he left her
on the dance floor. I liked how they conspired to help each other. Caine will
pretend to court her, while her presence will help protect him from matchmaking
mamas. I loved seeing them get to know each other. It's evident that they are
developing feelings for each other along with their growing attraction. When
Mary meets the man her father wants her to marry, her instincts tell her she's
in trouble.
Matters get complicated when Caine discovers a connection
between Mary's suitor and his investigation. The action intensifies as Mary
stands up for herself, with Caine's support, against her father's plan. But has
Mary jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire when she learns the truth
about Caine? The ending was a nail-biter, with Mary in danger. The final
confrontation was intense, with some questions answered but others left open. I
loved seeing Caine finally admit his feelings.
The story has two epilogues. The first shows what is in
store for Caine and Mary's future and leads into the next book. This is
Kieran's story, and continues the search for answers. The second epilogue may
explain what happened to Stepan, the fourth brother and Horseman. I can't wait
to read it.
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