Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

If you enjoy the sexy Scottish accent and Beauty and the Beast vibes, then you might enjoy this!

It follows the story of Nicholas Gordon, a Duke, who just returned home after two years away, only to find out his mother had managed to get him engaged to a Collette Northton. Collette Northton is a cockroach who keeps appearing whenever she feels like it and is entirely unwelcomed by everyone, and even though Nicholas has tried to tell her that they won't be getting married, she assures him that they will. Come to find out, Collette knows some juicy secrets that could bring Nicholas and his family to ruin.

He meets Gwen, who has been sneaking into his gardens and clipping his beautiful flowers to sell on the streets for money so she can provide for her three younger brothers. Gwen and her brothers were children of a Baron who had been found guilty of treason, and after their parents were hung, they were thrown out on the streets to fend for themselves. But on the day that Nicholas returns home, he catches Gwen in the garden, and after a few more times to find her, he decides to follow her and give her an offer of employment in this household: to act as a governess to his own younger siblings, in exchange for food and board for her and her brothers.

Overall, it was fine. It was a quick read, and it was interesting to find out how Collette knew about the Gordon family secret and why she was so pushy about being married to him. Nicholas and Gwen's romance seemed very rushed and was very insta-lovey, and very love at first sight, but it came second to everything else. I wish we had more of their romance and more of them together and being interrupted by Collette. However, Collette had more time in the book than Gwen. It seemed like the story mostly surrounded Nicholas and Collette and finding out why she was so adamant about the marriage rather than Nicholas and Gwen falling in love.

I would put this on my list of Historical Romance recommendations for someone who is just starting to get into historicals, as this would be a good introductory read for them.

When Nicholas returns home from the war his mother tells his that he is engaged even if he doesn't want to marry a woman who don't love him or like him because of the scar he has on his face . The only place it makes him relax is the garden and lately a mysterious woman is stealing flowers from it . Gwendolyn Romy was a daughter of a Baron but after her parents were hanged for treason and now she has to steal flowers to sell at the road to gain money so she can feed her three younger brothers . When Nicholas and Gwendolyn meet they fall in love but a secret keeps them apart .
I received this book from netgalley and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .