Thanks to his profligate father, Phineas Radford is in dire straits. His estate verges on bankruptcy, and he doesn’t have the funds to maintain his family’s botanical gardens–an intrinsic part of Marrywell’s annual May Day Matchmaking Festival. He prays no one learns of his secret desperation or there will be a panic about the future of the festival, which everyone relies on to fill their own coffers. The only way to save his estate and the town is to find an heiress to wed before time runs out.
After five years away, Leah Webster returns home as the companion to a wealthy young Society lady who is in search of a husband. Her employer quickly captures the attention of Leah’s oldest friend…and longtime secret tendre. Leah is determined to prevent the terrible mismatch between the provincial Phin and the High Society jewel until she discovers Phin’s noble reasons for the courtship. Though her own heart will surely break, Leah hatches an imprudent plan to save her town and the man she still loves.
Review:
Another stellar match for the Merrywell May Day Matchmaking Festival!
Romancing the Heiress is a friends-to-lovers story with a touch of unrequited love/he’s pretty clueless for extra flavor 😉 Leah grew up in Merrywell, but left to be a companion as soon as she could and hasn’t returned since. She has stayed in contact with Sadie (heroine of Beguiling the Duke ) since then, but her other childhood best friend, Phineas, has not been as loyal a correspondent.
Leah’s back now, however, because her latest charge is seeking a husband and hasn’t had much luck on the London scene. She’s excited to see Sadie, who is now a mother and the Queen of the festival, and a bit nervous to see Phin, who she’s secretly been in love with since they shared a kiss years ago–one Phin seems to have forgotten?
Phin’s family legacy, the botanical gardens, is in dire straits. His father’s recent passing (and extensive debts) has left them unable to keep the gardens up to their usual standards. A wealthy heiress might be the only thing that will save him…and heiress like Leah’s charge might be his last chance.
You can’t go wrong with a good friends-to-lovers story, and as usual Ms Burke manages to take some pretty hopeless-seeming situations for both Leah and Phin and find them a beyond lovely HEA. I for one can’t wait to see what happens at our next trip to Merrywell!
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.