Josephine Pennington was engaged to Wynne Melfort.      But the fact that she is a foundling whose background is unknown causes problems in their relationship.        The ton gossips have created stories where there were none.     And those stories are as vicious and ugly as can be imagined.

Wynne breaks the engagement with a note.   Jo's brother duels with Wynne.

Now, 16 years later, Jo is going to be traveling north to see one of her brothers.       She receives some drawings which look like her.       The drawings come from an asylum on the route to her destination.

When she stops at the asylum, she finds that Wynne is the governor of the asylum and he is there with his son.    Cuffe is a mixed race little boy who has been taken from his Grandmother in Jamaica.         He is in an unfamiliar place with a father he does not know and they are living in an asylum.

This book is part of a series, but it is easy to read as a stand alone.      The relationships and previous events are explained fully.     This is a terrific series and this book is one of the reasons for the terrificness.

The plot is filled with historical facts which add interest to the story.        And the story is definitely one which held this reader's interest.     

Jo finds some hints which lead her to start a journey to discover her family.         That is one of the themes of the story.     Wynne and Cuffe developing a relationship is another part.    The treatment of patients who have mental illness is an ongoing focus.    

Although these are serious topics, this is an uplifting story.      Jo's ability to regain her personal power is very moving.      The unconditional love Jo received from her adoptive family is a gift she has always had.    But, for a long time she allowed the gossips and ugliness to defeat her.

Wynne has never forgiven himself for abandoning Jo.      He also has no idea how to relate to his son.       He is trying to build a completely new life for the two of them.

There are hurdles to overcome, but  those hurdles disappear along the way.     There is one of the most villainous people ever, but the villain is defeated.

And there are reminders of all the reasons Jo and Wynne loved one another long ago.

This is a wonderful book which held my interest from beginning to end.     I have been a fan of the authors for quite some time and this is books is a strong example of their skill.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley.     I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.

Jo Pennington dealt with snide remarks as long as she could remember. Adopted by the Penningtons as a newborn, there were nasty insinuations about her parentage as long as she could remember, eased by her loving adoptive parents, but they hurt all the same.
  Enter Lt. Wynne Melfort and their engagement in her first season, and his subsequent crying off and it just gets worse for her.
  Jo dedicates her life to her family and her aid to women and orphans, and searching for more information on her birth mother, until she get sketch of herself along with a letter requesting her help with a patient.
   Things get strange and she perseveres with the aid of Wynne and the doctor to achieve both goals, only to find they are still in love, and the reasons for their failed relationship are discussed and laid to rest for their own HEA.
  Woven with hope, despair, love, envy jealously and cruelty, Ms.Goldrick covers a range of human emotions and gives the couple the strength to rise above them. It is a wonderful read evoking hope despite obstacles.
  I requested and received an ARC from Netgalley to peruse.

When Lady Jo and Wynne Melfort meet for the first time, there is an instant connection. They have both found someone that can understand them and love them. Lady Jo has had a wonderful adopted family, but does not know who her biological family was/is. She has been insulted a lot of her life because people assume that her mom was a prostitute. When she meets Wynne he does not care about what the gossip is going around. Wynne’s parents were not nice and they were not very supportive. Suddenly Wynne breaks their engagement with just a note. Jo is devastated and retreats into helping her family and those less fortunate. Wynne continues in the Navy and becomes a Captain while traveling all over the world. There is a very surprising reason that Jo and Wynne meet again 16 years later. Jo finally has a chance to find more information on her background. Will Wynne be there to support her or will he disappoint her again? Even though heartbreaking, was the break up good for both of them? I enjoyed this book a lot. I enjoy Jo and her adopted family the Penningtons and look forward to the next book in the series.

I received this book from net galley and publisher for an honest review. Thank you!!

This novel was a delightful read involving mystery, romance, and forgiveness. Sometimes, your first love remains your only love, as with Lady Josephine Pennington. She was jilted by Lieutenant Wynne Melfort days before they were to be married. Jo was completely devastated. Who would want to marry someone who was not a true Pennington and does not know who her birth parents are. 16 years later, Captain Wynne Melfort, discovers something that could lead to Jo's birth parents and feels duty bound to do so. He did not take into account the feelings he still had for her and deeply regretted how he ended their engagement. Both still thought of the other and kept tabs on them. Jo started as timid girl who became a woman with her own mind. She is afraid to let her heart be broken again by Wynne and pushes him off when he tries to explain to her his reasons for ending their engagement. Still, the heart wants what the heart wants. The mystery behind Jo's past brings them together, but someone wants to keep the truth hidden. As they travel in the Highlands, the truths are revealed, but will both being willing to accept it and rekindle the love they had?