When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. Hoover’s ( November 9, 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.Īt first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. Readers will love Grey and Beatrice, and the nicely paced, intriguing plot will keep them engaged, though the core conflicts lack bite and the intensity and immediacy of the couple's sexual awareness feels slightly modern for the rest of the story.Īn appealing historical romance from a fan favorite. Jeffries begins a new series with a large, charming cast and a unique backstory plus subtle hints at future pairings. Grey and Beatrice seek the truth and fall in love, but the road to happiness has a few bumps along the way. Meanwhile, it becomes clear that Maurice’s death wasn’t an accident, and his son-Grey’s half brother and Beatrice’s cousin Sheridan-is increasingly convinced her brother Joshua was responsible. Immediately attracted to her, he offers to help her prepare for a long-delayed season and soon is completely smitten, though it takes him a while to figure it out. Spending time with his loving but challenging family makes Grey reconsider his feelings, but meeting Maurice’s niece Beatrice is truly life-altering. Maurice was the closest thing to a father he’d ever had, but his relationship to him, his mother, and his four half siblings was strained when Grey was sent back to England to be raised by his father’s brother when he was 10, a painful, tense situation that Grey is still working through.

The Duke of Greycourt doesn’t know how to feel when he learns that his stepfather-his mother’s third husband, who’d recently inherited a dukedom and returned to England after years serving abroad as a diplomat-has died. After his stepfather’s death, a duke with complicated family ties must face his difficult past, especially if he hopes to win the special woman he meets when his mother summons him to the funeral.

Sabrina jeffries project duchess