I don't even know where to start to explain the reason for my recent hiatus, but I will say that I am getting so very close to just throwing in the towel with health stuff. I'm so frustrated, and tired, but tired of being frustrated, and I just don't know what to do at this point. I'm trying really hard to keep afloat, but I'm telling you, we need to stop telling people to advocate for themselves, and instead, give them actual steps on what to do because I feel like I've hit the actual wall.
A Matter of Temptation - Stacy Reid
Miss Wilhelmina "Mina" Crawford is desperate. Having been ruined in the eyes of society years ago for one foolish, starry-eyed mistake, she spends her days secreted away at her family's crumbling estate, helping her brother manage the land but not able to truly live life the way she's always dreamed. When her brother admits to just how dire their finances have gotten, she takes it upon herself to procure employment...but the only one who will even consider the scandalous idea of a female secretary is the brilliant, ruthless, and infuriating Earl of Creswick.
Simon Loughton, the Earl of Creswick, needs help if he wants to finally pass the reform bill he's been championing for years and secure the vote for England's most vulnerable constituents. Too bad help comes in the form of a woman with breathtaking nerve, fiery red hair, and a sense of humor to match.
Now temptation--disguised as a lovely, clever-mouthed devil--lives and works under Simon's very roof. And Mina finally feels as though she's truly living life to her wildest dreams. But even the most incendiary of kisses can't incinerate Mina's past...or the shocking secret that could ruin them both.
This book has everything, we have a lady with a tarnished reputation, a failed elopement, a Viscount, a duel, an Earl, angst, and romance! I mean, honestly, it's like everything you can possibly imagine in a historical romance all balled into just under 300 pages. (My copy also came with a bonus story, and can we just talk about how much I love a bonus story??)
I absolutely loved Mina, she's feisty and witty, and I loved that she decided since her reputation is basically trashed, she can say whatever the heck she wants, which leads her to being fairly blunt with her words. The author does a great job at breaking some common trends we see in most historical romance (the 'woe-is-me' kind of gal, or the one who plays dumb and tries to deny any attraction to anyone when it is clear as the damn sun shining) and for that alone she is my new go-to author for this genre. As great as Mina is, I loved Simon, the dashing hero of the story. Simon is like... the perfect guy, and just when you think he can't possibly be more perfect, he runs out into the rain to save a puppy.
I mean, are any of us even wearing panties at this point?
As with every story there is some great conflict that threatens the happy ending, and while I honestly can't think of another book with the same story line (at least in historical romance, it's definitely something I've seen a similar twist in other romances), I think the author handled it really well. I liked really questioning whether Mina and Simon would end up together, and as I got to even the last chapter I was really starting to worry how this was going to end. I will tell you we do get a happy ending and you will be eternally grateful for an epilogue... how's that for vague? But I feel like the author does a good job at really laying out how much Simon and Mina really do love each other and honestly these two are kind of #couplegoals.
If you're in the market for a steamy Regency romance, you definitely will like this one. Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Entangled Publishing for sending me a copy for review!
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