Song this reminds me of – I Want to Break Free – Queen

One Sentence Synopsis – After languishing in a loveless dutiful marriage, young widow Eliza is ready to break free and live her life for herself instead of others.

Review

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for this advanced copy.

I really enjoyed Sophie Irwin’s second outing into her fictionalized regency era Britain. This time we are following young widow Eliza who once gave up love to marry for duty. Eliza has had her whole life dictated by obligation. In the start of the novel she doesn’t really lament the loss of her husband because she married out of obligation to her family. We quickly find out that she was actually in love with her husband’s nephew, Oliver Somerset. Of course Oliver is also her departed husband’s heir since they had no children of their own. At the will reading, Eliza is surprised to find that her late husband has left her land and 100,000 pounds a year.

Suddenly she is a very rich widow, though there is a morality clause that states if Oliver finds that Eliza is acting in a way to besmirch the Somerset name he can take it all away.

Eliza decides to stay in Bath, away from her late husband’s estate and her family. With the help of her companion and cousin Margret, Eliza begins to find her way back to herself and what her heart truly wants.

I enjoyed this novel, it was a nice soft romance with no smut, but plenty of clenched hands and wistful looks. I would definitely recommend this as a quick swoon-worthy romance.

4 out of 5 stars.