ABOUT THE BOOK
He had all a man could desire, save one thing… for she would never forgive him.
Handsome and powerful, born of a duke’s indiscretion into a society that would never accept him, Yusef Ghali spared no love for his father’s country. With a sharp mind and a cool, aristocratic demeanor, he made his own fortune. Alas, his success was hollow, for he found himself with nothing left to achieve, no further purpose. A lonely, title-less bastard.
Rose Verdier fled the countryside a clumsy, plain-faced girl with a battered set of paints, determined to escape the miseries of her youth. Now having lost her hard-earned position painting draperies, she must scramble to survive. Even if that means coming face-to-face with the man who not only ruined her life so many years ago—but also broke her heart.
MY REVIEW
The third installment of The Sedleys Series is an intriguing second chance romance of two teens who fall in love when they are young, part because of a secret revealed, and reunite as adults ten years later. I recommend you read the series in order because I was a little lost at the beginning trying to figure who The Sedleys are and how they fit into the plot. Let’s just say it is a vague connection to the protagonists in this book.
Yusef Ghali aka Joseph Palgrave is a self-made, mixed-race man who is the acknowledged illegitimate son of the Duke of Masbury. He is a compelling morally grey character with a fascinating Egyptian background that is only touched upon in the book. I was fascinated by the aloof, arrogant, and confident man who is obsessed with the woman who got away. My heart goes out to him because he loves Rose with all his heart. His patience and commitment to winning Rose over is beautiful and commendable.
Rose Verdier is an innkeeper’s daughter who finds out a secret that she feels has ruined her life. I found it unbelievable that she didn’t know. It was a small village and obvious red flags abound. Rose is single-minded, independent, and stubborn while she works hard as an artist to make her living on her own merits and not who she knows. I understand her initial anger at Yusef when he reveals the secret, but her lingering resentment is childish and naive.
I was totally captivated by this story. Ms. Falk’s writing is engaging and her characters are well-developed and charismatic. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Thank you to Ms. Falk for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
The Sedleys Series
- Wedded Deceit (2023)
- Indecently Employed (2023)
- Seductive Reprise (2024)
- Desperate Proposals (2024)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Antonia Falk grew up an overly opinionated girl addicted to American Girl books, Sailor Moon, and her VHS copy of the 1994 version of Little Women. It probably surprised no one when she later became a librarian. She currently lives in northern Arizona with her husband, two children, and a cranky old lady dog. When not doomscrolling, she enjoys hiking, video games, and singing along to oldies in the car. Her favorite raptors are turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks.
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