They had met before, under worse circumstances.
The Earl of Stanford, Oliver (Ollie) Aspinwall, now striving to restore both his reputation marred by previous overuse of alcohol and opium, as well as his historic estate now in dismal condition and heavily overgrown. His estate had been neglected far too long and especially the gardens that had been famous in the past for their beauty and design.
Never mind that his infamous illegitimate half-brother, Xander Macauley, has paid for London's top young landscaper to take on the job. Having received the contract through her connection to the Duchess Society, Necessity Byrnes, formerly of Shoreditch, one of London's poorest areas, Nessie is not only street smart, but she has also developed her craft and is incredibly knowledgeable about gardens and plants as well as the elaborate estate designs favoured by London's Ton.
Necessity loves a challenge and after hearing that Standford's gardens had been designed by Capability Brown, there was no way she was not going to leave them untended.
Xander smirks as he knows he is getting the reaction he expected from his half-brother. He also knows that Nessie would soon whip both the gardens and Ollie into shape. Will his expectations pan out?
Cleverly and humourously penned (typed) by bestselling and award-winning author Tracy Summer,
ONE WEDDING AND AN EARL is the fourth and latest addition in her
Duchess Society series. As intended,
ONE WEDDING AND AN EARL is very hot and steamy and works wonderfully well as a stand-alone Regency-era novel as well as being part of a series. This is the first novel I have read by Summer, but I am definitely spending the rest of this winter reading the first three in this five-part series!!
The romance in
ONE WEDDING AND AN EARL is as passionate and inevitable as it is page-turning despite Ollie and Necessity's efforts to live their own lives and stay in their own social strata. The characters are intriguing and realistic in their actions and the dialogue is as rapier sharp as the thistles overcrowding the shrubs in Necessity's original designs.
I am totally delighted with Nessie's character as while she knows her place, she is determined to be the best landscaper she can be and continually reads and makes notes to add to her ever-growing knowledge of plants and their related medicines.
If you love historical or Regency romance or are a fan already of Summer's novels, you will be sure to relish this exciting and entertaining addition to the Duchess Society. Definitely lots of witty and charming historical tidbits! Enjoy!
Book Summary
A scarred earl with a big heart—and a big problem.
Since his return from war, the Earl of Stanford’s life has been anything but simple. A meddling older brother, a raucous group of friends, a crumbling estate, and an injury that forever changed him. Now this. Her. His brother’s bright idea of a way out. The most infamous landscape architect in England arriving on his doorstep to restore his ruined gardens and his ruined heart. Only, Ollie Aspinwall isn’t falling for this sibling ploy.
He’s content to hide in the country, a brooding, stargazing, lost soul.
A gorgeous hellion with wild dreams—and a wild challenge.
Necessity Byrne has heard the rumors about the Scarred Earl. A walking scandal, she’s used to flouting convention and shocking society, so the offer to assist a reclusive peer with beautification of his estate is a project she’d consider. Except for the ripple of awareness that dances along her skin every time she recalls meeting the handsome, steel-eyed rake years ago. A dilemma she doesn’t care to solve for—even if she wants the job.
However, she’s a woman determined to take every dare offered her.
So they agree to disagree for the sake of the earldom’s gardens, all the while battling a breathless, rampant attraction. When Ollie decides he wants to keep her, can he persuade his feisty, adorable gardener to accept a besotted, broken-down earl with dreams of a family and love?
Come along on this sizzling slow burn, enemies-to-lovers, sorta second chance romp!
