This was a cute story. I felt so sorry for Kitty when they first married and it took Phineas forever to figure out how to court and speak to Kitty. Loved the new friendships Kitty made and how she and Phineas grew to love one another.

This is a lovely Regency romance with a main character that immediately drew me into the book, as I came to care about Kitty Stokes’ search for love and happiness. She’s a sweet, gracious, and compassionate young woman who is in an unenviable position in her brother’s home. She returns home from a trip to find that her brother has signed a marriage contract in her behalf with a man she’s never met. Her brother wants the marriage to bring the business advantage of being connected with Lord Phineas Hayworth. Phineas needs the huge marriage settlement to make the repairs and upgraded improvements on his estate. Both Kitty and Phineas are fine people, but their marriage of convenience has it’s difficult moments because of their lack of communication. It was easy to like both Kitty and Phineas, and I enjoyed following the story through each of their viewpoints. There’s both tension and hope as they grow to know each

I give this 4.5 stars. This is a marriage of convenience for Phineas who had no great expectations for it other than to get the money he needs for his estate and to get out from under his fathers very heavy thumb. Kitty was a very beautiful woman who was only seen as a pawn to raise her brother’s business interests (shipping) and make so he was no longer responsible for her. She wanted love and caring even though she nor Phineas were raised in a loving home. There was a prolonged period where they got to know each other and Phineas gradually learned what a woman needed and cherished her for who she was. There were issues with disrespectful servants and rude ladies of the ton ( including her mother in law). Phineas firmly took care of these, but first only after she pointed out the issues. There is much growth and change as Phineas developed into the kind of husband that showed Kitty she was honored and cherished. I listened to this and the narration was excellent.

It was a pleasant book to read, but I was expecting to have more if a conflict to work through. But that's ok.

Four stars, typical Victorian story dealing with the class lineage, kitty was a merchant daughter, Phineas was a son of an Earl.. Would the ton allow such a marriage?.. A marriage of arrangement, due to a settlement he needed to upgrade his home.. He did not know he would fall in love.. But he had to battle his demons, and Kitty had to deal with the ton.. But being strong and meeting their battles head on, that their marry had a chance of survival.

I enjoyed this book. It was the first book I've read from this author, and I am inclined to read more. I was pleased that this book explored the proper decorum and respect that should be shown after marriage. So many Regency books contain the "boy meets girl" storyline and end at the wedding. It's refreshing this author chose to highlight the proper way a spouse should behave in regards to members of the opposite sex outside the marriage. The book was very impressive it that regard.