Sandra Sookoo has a way of weaving a story that you can’t put it down and Pursuing Mr. Mattingly, second in the series is no different. I absolutely loved Lady Sophia and Oliver Mattingly as their story weaves from the very beginning to end with threads of trials and tribulations, sizzling passion, misunderstandings and one young girl who will have you waiting to see what next she will say. I enjoyed revisiting characters from the previous novels and I'm
Looking forward to reading the next in the series.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

An Unexpected Chance

Sophia was dying, or so said her doctor. Her heart was weak, so she could go at any time. When fate gave her a chance with the American ambassador, she took it. She thought he would be a blessing to her during her last days, and he would be a blessing for her daughter. Then, Sophia fell into the creek and almost drowned. That should have stopped her heart. When it did not, everyone should have been happy, shouldn't they have? Sophia and Oliver fell in love, and fate gave them an unexpected gift. Could their love withstand the unexpected blessing?

Sometimes, when life works in unexpected ways, even when it gives us a blessing, we are not always gracious. Love can happen at any age, and life often gives us second and third chances. We just have to open the doors there before us.

Pursuing Mr. Mattingly by Sandra Sookoo is the second book of the Willful Winterbournes. Lady Sophia Winterbourne-Stratford-Forrester is twice a widow. She has been diagnosed with a weak heart and advised to avoid too much excitement. She wishes for one more romance before the end of her life. She also wants this person to care for her daughter. She is drawn to the American ambassador to England. Mr. Oliver Mattingly is visiting England for adventure. When he meets Lady Sophia, he is smitten. When he learns of her situation, he asks for her hand in marriage. He plans to love her to the very end. When the couple grow closer after marriage, they are wondering if perhaps the doctor’s diagnosis was wrong after all.

I felt sad for Sophia as she longed for more life full of love and family. I admired her determination to live life to the fullest and not give up on love. I also liked how Sophia and Oliver came together.

THE REVIEW
Lady Sophia Winterbourne-Stratford-Forrester has had her share of sorrow and grief. She lost her father when she was young, a sister-in-law, and two husbands. And now, she has been diagnosed with a heart disease and told she has maybe 1-6 months to live. She is dealing with a lot of emotions…sad that she will miss her daughter growing up, that her daughter will be left parent less, lonely at night when she is alone with her thoughts, scared of dying, it’s a lot to handle.

Oliver is an ambassador from America who has traveled to England for a summer holiday when his carriage breaks down and he is sent to Sophia’s doorstep for help. He is very ambitious and focused on his job, so he has never married and is, in fact, a Virgin! He also has no family and is quite lonely.

When Sophia and Oliver meet it is simply meant to be…Oliver finds an instant family in Sophia and her daughter and immediately embraces the roles! Sophia is desperate for companionship in her final days and Oliver is so sweet and funny! He takes such good care of her and would be an excellent father to her daughter after she is gone. So, naturally, Oliver proposes and they get married quickly. They spend the rest of the book settling into their marriage and fatherhood while dealing with her illness and the emotions that come along with facing death.

While it was a very sweet book, it was also incredibly sad! I mean the woman is dying and leaving all her family, her daughter and now a new husband that she comes to love! I cried numerous times! I loved Oliver; bless his heart, an older gentleman who never slowed down enough to find a wife, let alone someone he wanted to sleep with! It almost made my tooth hurt he was so sweet to Sophia! There is a little twist at the end (I kind of saw it coming) which made the story interesting again right when my enthusiasm was waning.

TROPES
Historical Romance, Regency Era, Country Life, American Hero, Beta/Cinnamon Roll Hero, Politician Hero, Virgin Hero, Experienced Heroine, Widowed Heroine, Single Mother Heroine, Age Gap Romance, Marriage of Convenience/Arranged Marriage, Four Star, Three Flame

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and this is my freely given opinion.

This is the second novel in the Willful Winterbournes series. Lady Sophia was first introduced as the sister of the Earl of Ettesmere, from Romancing Miss Quill. She came across as vivacious and spicy, with a great appreciation for sex and marriage, but like her brother, she is unlucky in love. She has loved deeply twice, and has been widowed twice. She is now in her 40s, with a young daughter. But now, she is facing her own mortality, as she has been having spells of weakness and faintness and was told by her doctor in London that she has only a short time to live.

Knowing she has a limited time and could die at any time, she has been living at her family estate with her daughter, and while her siblings know, she has yet to tell her daughter Hannah. She is rather melancholy - go figure.

Enter Mr. Oliver Mattingly. He is an American diplomat on vacation and was on his way to visit with another nobleman while on leave when his carriage breaks down near the Ettesmere estate. He is sent to look for help and runs into Sophia's daughter, Hannah, who brings him to the estate. During their time together, Hannah and Oliver form a friendship. Oliver meets the family and they invite him to stay until his carriage is fixed. In the short time together, they become friendly and invite him to stay longer. He is enchanted by Hannah and intrigued by and attracted to Sophia. He finds out her secret, and makes the impulsive decision to marry her, providing her with companionship and caring for as long as she has, and reassuring her that he would provide a father figure for Hannah when she is gone.

This is a lovely and sweet concept... but I would have to suspend belief that someone would be that wonderfully generous, upon essentially just meeting Sophia and Hannah, so I could get why her brothers were not very trusting. Frankly I would wonder about about Sophia trusting a stranger that much so quickly, to care for her tween daughter when she was gone. Maybe that is the cynic in me.

Then they find out that Sophia may not be as terminally ill as she was informed - it turns out that the doctor giving her the death sentence made some major assumptions based on her family's history (namely her father died suddenly) and without a real attempt at an examination and diagnosis of her in particular (can we say mismanagement and patriarchal maleficence??? ... and it happened AGAIN by another doctor!!!)

Anyways.. if you suspended belief on a few things, it was a sweet story. Except the entire pall of death doom cloud cast quite a dampening shadow over the story for me. I will say, on a personal level, I had a bummer of a couple of weeks in the midst I read this story, with some truly soul sucking, emotionally draining cases at work, which did not end well, so I was 0n a healthcare/death downer to begin with, so that probably compounded the sadness of this story and maybe colouring how I feel about it.

But I did not love this one. I found Romancing Miss Quill caught my attention and heart far more, and considering how bright and effervescent a character Sophia started out in that for me, I was a bit disappointed in how sad this story was, even when it ended on an HEA.

2.75 star out of 5.

Quite enjoyed this book - it was light (despite what opens as a very gloomy premise) and optimistic. I didn't *love* it but it was a quick, light read.

Received an ARC from Netgalley. Opinions my own!

As much as I adore Oliver, Hannah is one smart cookie who brings some levity to the story. It's hard to read a book about someone dying. Lady Sophia was told by a doctor in London she has a heart condition and only a short time to live. Oliver Mattingly is the American Ambassador to England. At thirty-seven he's never had time for a relationship with a lady. On his way to Somerset, the coach breaks down. Oliver walks to the closes estate, Ettesmere Park. For Oliver it's love at first sight when he meets Sophia and is charmed by the wisdom of her daughter, Hannah. Within a few days, Sophia and Oliver marry. Is it for her health or for love? I have my suspicions about what's wrong with Sophia and she's not crazy!
HEAT LEVEL 4
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

This is actually a continuation of the series I didnt realize it until the main character started talking about her brother. This is an engaging book I could hardly put it down. Interesting what people will do when they think they are dying. But she herself said she wanted to get married again. Hopefully, Lady Sophia will out live this husband and/or not give into social pressures.
I recieved a free copy so that I might tell you what I honestly think. Hope you enjoyed my review. Now go enjoy the book

Pursuing Mr. Mattingly by Sandra Sookoo follows her tradition with Dragonblade of writing about people with issues of one sort or another. The type of people usually ignored or relegated to supporting characters status. Lady Sophia is living her last days at her family’s home, Ettesmere Park, in the country. She has been diagnosed with a weak heart, which she apparently inherited from her father, and has been given only months to live. Those months have now dwindled to weeks. She is as careful as she can be to put no strain on her heart, but that has led to a very inactive, boring really, life. Strangely, a carriage has broken down near the front gates and Sophia’s daughter, Hannah, arrives home with the passenger on that carriage, looking for assistance, Mr. Oliver Mattingly. Mattingly is the ambassador from the United States to England and is looking to spend his holiday at a neighboring estate. He is immediately taken with the lovely Sophia and vows to spend time with her.

These were two perfectly lovely characters who found love in their middle years. Oliver had never been married, and Sophia had been married twice and missed the married state. With only weeks to live, it seemed unlikely that she would make a match. But, there he was. And it was perfect. He was all in, no matter how long she lived. They both swore they would not fall in love as that would making parting more painful. She was grateful her Hannah would have a father; he was grateful he had her for however long. These were beautifully written characters, as we have come to expect from Sookoo. The plot was simple, bu effective. The message was to live life to the fullest. What a terrific story.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Pursuing Mr. Mattingly by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #SandraSookoo #PursuingMrMattingly

This was such a beautiful story about grief, death and knowing your fate without knowing the time and place your fate will claim you. I loved the characters and the fact that the man in the relationship was the less experienced of the two, it was refreshing. My only true gripe was that I felt the beginning fairly rushed - though that doesn't truly inhibit the reading experience.

Mr. Oliver Mattingly, the American Ambassador to England, is on his way to spend some vacation time at a friend's estate. His carriage breaks down miles from his destination. As he walks to get help, he meets a precocious young lady that helps him think this is a good omen.
Lady Sophia Winterbourne has been widowed twice, and has a young daughter, Hannah. Lady Sophia has been told the heartbreaking news that she has a weak heart and that she could die at any time.
Oliver is drawn to Sophia immediately and changes all his plans to help Sophia. Along the way he has a lot of help and advice from Hannah. Oliver was such a strong steady force for Sophia, who is very worried about the future of her daughter. Sophia has two brothers, but her real strength comes from the attention and love that Oliver gives. her.

A delightful romance and although not suspenseful the novel nevertheless kept my attention from the opening pages through to the end. My heart was touched by Lady Sophia's plight, and Mr. Mattingly is the hero who rides in to rescue her, minus the white horse, and with spectacles on his nose. Sophia's daughter is wise beyond her years and when she discovers the truth about her mother, will do what it takes to ensure her happiness. Having been the victim of a wrong diagnosis, I could fully understand Sophia's confusion. Although it is not revealed it does sound as if Sophia is suffering from the same malady that millions of women around the world experience when they hit midlife. I loved Oliver's compassion and his instant attraction for Sophia as well as his protectiveness towards Hannah, who really is a scamp. The novel comes to a delightful and intriguing conclusion and is a standalone. I received a copy of this romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Just LOVE these Willful Winterbournes! Lady Sophia and Oliver have instant chemistry and marry in convenience due to Sophia's health concerns. They both instantly realize the marriage is not in least convenient. Pesky feelings get involved. I highly recommend this as well as the previous book in the series. Can't wait for the next!
Thank you Sandra Sookoo, Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

I couldn't put it down. Once I started reading it, I just couldn't stop. Good romance. Fast paced and not a lot of unnecessary dialogue about trivial things that don't add to the story. My kind of book. It sticks with the characters and it's about them.

Lady Sophia Winterbourne-Stratford-Forrester has been married and widowed twice. She has a young daughter. Sophia has been diagnosed with a heart ailment that will likely take her life. She would like to marry, to have a companion for the last few months and to provide a father for Hannah. Oliver Mattingly is the American ambassador to England. He was on his way to spend some time away from London on holiday when a broken axle strands him on the side of the road. He heads for the nearest estate, the home of the Willful Winterbournes. His life is about to change. This is an interesting, sensitive story with wonderful characters. Oliver falls in love almost immediately with Sophia. Their romance sizzles. It’s sad to think it won’t last very long. However, a twist and a turn, an unexpected accident (that makes two) just might give Oliver, Sophia, and the adorably precocious Hannah a brighter future. A lovely story.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, and am voluntarily reviewing it.

A steamy third chance (for her) romance with the underlying issue of facing one’s mortality and how it affects the people you leave behind. Plus a little insight to what being an ambassador entails. Just when one thinks one has dealt adequately with the issues at hand, one’s life gets upended at the discovering a misdiagnosis. Thank goodness for a precocious and more mature than her age daughter who sets things right. Enjoyable and provocative read.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

William Easton, the Duke of Blackheath isn’t interested in love afterall why would a man need passion when he has wealth, a stately home, and work to occupy his mind? But no one warned him that a fiery and frustratingly strong-willed activist like Lady Beatrice Haven could find a way to get under his skin...and that he might enjoy it. Lady Beatrice is determined to never marry. Ever. She would much rather fight for the rights of women and provoke the darkly handsome Duke of Blackheath. So why does she feel such enjoyment from their heated exchanges?
This is the second book in the series & it could easily be read on its own. I thoroughly enjoyed it & really liked both William & Beatrice & loved their verbal banter, which was the highlight for me. I loved how their relationship developed & changed but I didn’t feel any passion between them & felt it could easily have been so much more
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

SAD BUT SO VERY CHARMING!!! Pursuing Mr. Mattingly by Sandra Sookoo is book 2 in the Willful Winterbournes series and though in a series this book can be read as a stand alone. What I love about Sandra’s books is that she can take a touchy subject yet write with the respect of that subject. I can’t imagine how hard it was to write this book. She is definitely a favorite author of mine. I found this story to be easy to read, vivid descriptions, had the real feel of the regency era, wonderful characters, Olivier and Sophia’s romance just sizzled and just a joy to read. Sandra is so very talented with her stories and her imagination. This story has a Lady that was told she will be passing away soon, an American Ambassador who’s carriage brakes down, a change of plans, a daughter that is too smart and is way beyond her years, 2 kittens, protection, caring, wanting a father for her daughter, a virgin, acceptance of one’s family, not having any family, a masquerade, a near drowning and love at first sight. I am very highly recommending you read this book… as I said it is sad but a true delight to read.

***This book was gifted to me and I am voluntarily reviewing.

3.5 stars

I like the premise of this series. Older couples dealing with issues of bereavement and loneliness. The heroine has to deal with the loss of two husbands and then a diagnosis of imminent death for herself. She meets our hero, the american ambassador a virginal beta type and goes full lusty cougar at him.
I found sophia's vascillation between "it's all hopeless leave me to die in this chair" and then her " service me now in all possible positions" very urkesome and annoying. I thought it strange that Oliver would get three months off work. His relationship with Hannah was very sweet. Sophia I suppose understandably was self obsessed. Her brother's estranged wife turns up at the end and I felt the whole story just truncated.

I'd read Arthur's book but not convinced I'll stick around for the rest of the series. One strange word swap I found was Faucet instead of what I believe should have been Facet. Just goes to show that spell checkers can;t always pick up context.,

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Twice widowed Sophia has been diagnosed with a heart condition and likely won't live past 6 months but still she dreams of marrying one more time. Oliver at 37 still hopes to fall in love one day and marry but in the meantime he is on holiday when the carriage axle breaks and he winds up at Ettesmere park meeting Sophia and her daughter Hannah. After meeting the family, learning of Sophia's situation and being instantly attracted to her, he proposes to her within days and they are married by the end of the week so that he can keep her in comfort and happiness and care for her daughter when she's gone.
While I normally love Sookoo's stories I just didn't vibe with the FMC in this one as she is constantly mourning her death and what it will do to everyone else instead of living her life and while Oliver does help with this a bit it wasn't enough to make me like Sophia. Her logic behind someone she just met caring more for her daughter than her uncles also seems to far fetched for my cynical little heart even though Oliver does care for them both. I did really enjoy Oliver and Hannah though, and it was interesting to see menopause misdiagnosed and how mistreated it was at that time and to see a mature virgin MMC.